Background: Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal stem disease with distinctive clinical course which is ultimately fatal. It is characterized by the presence of Philadelphia
chromosome (t 9:22).Tyrosine kinase inhibitors like imatinib mesylate as targeted therapy had revolutionized the management of CML with significant prolongation of overall survival and
decreased rate of blastic transformation.
Objective:This study will describe the experience of treating 44 Iraqi patients with chronic myeloid leukemia by imatinib at the National Hematology Centre in Baghdad.
Patients and Methods:This study included 44 Iraqi patients diagnosed in Chronic phase CML at the National Centre of Hematology in Baghdad from February 2003 till January 2006, all
were pretreated with alfa interferon and hydroxyurea. All patients were started on imatinib mesylate 400 mg orally daily. The end points included overall survival (OS) and Blastic
transformation free survival (TFS).The effect of age, gender, WBC count on starting Imatinib, presence of splenomegaly and duration of diagnosis of CML prior to starting imatinib, on the
OS and TFS were studied.
Results:Median age was 35 years with 27 males and 17 females. The 3 year OS was 88.6% and the TFS was 79.5%.The only factor that had negative impact on OS and TFS was a
diagnosis of CML more than 2 years before starting imatinib. The most common side effects were myalgia(75%) and peripheral oedema(65%). Neutropenia(20%),thrombocytopenia(12%)
and elevated serum transaminases (2%) necessitated temporary cessation of treatment.No cytogenetic and molecular studies were available .
Conclusion:Imatinib is an effective therapy for Iraqi patients with CML with tolerable side effects and should be offered to newly dignosed CML patients as early as possible as frontline
therapy to ensure better OS and TFS.Establishment of cytogenetic and molecular studies are crucial to optimize management.
Background: Adults with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) have the lowest survival rate of all leukemias. Complete remission (CR) rate after induction therapy is about 55-85%, however 30% of patients fail to achieve remission and they remain alive only for about a year. Consolidation chemotherapy results in 5-year overall survival (OS) of about 30%.
Objectives: To study characteristics of adult patients with AML who attended Baghdad Teaching Hospital, their response to induction therapy and then to consolidation therapy, and their 5-year (OS) and disease free survival (DFS).
Results: Eleven patients who received attenuated induction therapy had a median survival of 6-8 mon
... Show MoreThe study aimed to establish the association of miR-153-3p expression with treatment response to IM in CML patients. Sixty CML patients were included and divided into two groups consistent with their response to treatment whether sensitive or resistant to IM. Ten healthy normal participants were enrolled as control group. RNA was extracted from serum to work out miR-153-3p expression utilizing real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The primers were supplied by Macrogen Inc. Twenty seven patients were sensitive to imatinib and 33 were resistant to imatinib. The ratio of male to female was 1.14:1. The bulk (58%) of patients were within the age range of 41-60 years. Weight and gender did not significantly diffe
... Show MoreBackground: There is a significant molecular response to imatinib given at standard doses in individuals with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) whose ABCB1 polymorphisms are present. Objective: To investigate the impact of the polymorphism in the ABCB1 gene rs1128503 on the effectiveness of nilotinib or imatinib therapy. Methods: From May 2022 until the end of January 2023, the current study was carried out in a single research institution, the National Center of Hematology, Baghdad Teaching Hospital at Medical City, Iraq. 76 people with chronic phase myeloid leukemia (CML-CP), who had previously received a diagnosis using the European Leukemia Net (ELN) criteria, enrolled in the trial. The PCR product was delivered to Macrogen Corpora
... Show MoreBackground:
Background: Changes in the indication for splenectomy in hematology, especially in hematological malignancies, has been observed in the last 10 – 15 years. Yet splenectomy, as a diagnostic tool, is still an option in the management of isolated splenomegaly.
Objectives: to describe the outcome of diagnostic splenectomy in the management of 12 patients presenting with isolated splenomegaly.
Patients and methods: Between August 2005 and July2012, Twelve patients underwent splenectomy for diagnostic purposes in the hematology unit / Baghdad Teaching Hospital. Analysis of these patients was done with a median follow up of 16 months (6 months -4 years).
Results: The median age was 46 years (range 25-68). The median duration of sympt
Background: Hodgkin disease was the first cancer in which the curative potential of combination chemotherapy was demonstrated. The affected patients are often young and there is a great potential for adding years of productive life by giving curative therapy even when the disease is advanced.
Objective: to describe the experience of the hematology unit,Baghdad Teaching Hospital, in the management of 40 adult patients with Hodgkin disease.
Patients and Methods: a retrospective cohort study of forty adult Iraqi patients with Hodgkin disease between 2005 and 2013 in the hematology unit. Patients were treated initially with 6-8 cycles of ABVD chemotherapy protocol (doxorubicine+ bleomycin+ vinblastin+ dacarbazine) , nine patients recei
Background: revascularization therapy for patients with left main (LM) and/or three vessel coronary disease is a matter of argument for long a time whether bypercutaneous coronary angiography orcoronary artery bypass grafting. SYNTAX trial was designed to assess the optimal revascularization strategy between percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting, for patients with left main stem coronary artery disease and/or 3-vessel coronary disease.
Aim: To estimate the complexity of coronary artery disease in patients referred to a tertiary Iraqi cardiac center and its effect on mode of revascularization.
Patients and Method: Ninety nine patients who w
... Show MoreBackground: Breast cancer is a complex, multifaceted disease encompassing a great variety of entities that show considerable variation in clinical, morphological and molecular attributes.
Objective: The aim of this study to evaluate patients’ molecular profile (Estrogen receptor, Progesterone receptor, HER2/neu and Ki-67).
Patients & Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study was done in Baghdad oncology teaching hospital from December 2015 to April 2016, carried on 100 breast cancer female patients with their age range from 27 to 73 years old and with their histopathology reports and (IHC) results.
Results: The highest incidence of breast cancer among patients in 5th (40-49 years) and 6th (50-59 years) decades o
Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a heterogeneous disease with an extremely variable course. Survival after diagnosis can range from months to decades and wide variability exists in the rate of disease progression and the incidence of disease-related complications among patients with CLL. Staging helps to define prognosis and to decide when to initiate therapy.
Objective: To asses response to oral alkylating therapy and to evaluate the adverse events that can complicate the disease itself or the treatment, including infections, autoimmune and other complications. The survival events are also been assessed.
Patients and methods: Forty nine Iraqi CLL patients, their age ranged between 40-90 years were followed with me
Back ground: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a common chronic musculo-skeletal disorder resulting in chronic widespread pain impacting on quality life.
Objectives: To assess the relationship between FMS and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and to evaluate the predictors of this relationship if present.
Patients and Methods: One hundred Iraqi KOA patients and 100 healthy controls were included in this cross-sectional study. Full history was taken and complete clinical examination was done for all patients. Baseline characteristics [age, sex, duration, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, family history (Hx) of KOA, smoking history, and drug history.] were also documented. Laboratory analysis included complete blood count, erythrocyte