Mammographic Surveillance after Breast Reconstruction-is Imaging Necessary?

There is no consensus in regards to surveillance of women after mastectomy and reconstruction for breast cancer.

Mammographic detection rates are low for surveillance after reconstruction and whilst there is insufficient evidence to support annual mammography in these women, there is widespread variation in its use.

We aimed to investigate the mode of detection of recurrent disease and comment on the use of surveillance mammography in our population of women undergoing mastectomy and reconstruction.

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Robotic Radical Prostatectomy and Nerve Grafting: Does it Actually Work?

Robotic radical prostatectomy is now the gold standard for patients with localised prostate cancer. In the setting of unfavourable prostate pathology, some men may require resection of one or both cavernous nerves at the time of prostatectomy.

Potency rates in this subset of men are expectedly dismal. With increasing numbers of younger men being diagnosed with prostate cancer and subsequently undergoing radical prostatectomy, there is an increasing focus on quality of life postoperatively, especially potency.

Nerve-grafting surgery after resection of neuro-vascular bundles during radical prostatectomy is one of the promising resolutions for dilemma between cancer control and functional preservation.

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The Relationship Between Smoking and Cancer: Mini Review

Once the word ‘’cancer’’ is heard, it triggers fear and anxiety. Millions of people have lost their lives because of this illness.

Although improvement of technology in recent years help the medicine for obtaining pleasing results, the reasons of this horrifying and cruel illness cannot be revealed as diagnosis.

Therefore, for every cancer type the cure might not be possible. In this article of ours, we will evaluate the relationship of cancer with smoking in the latest information which is the most important factor of cancer and said ‘’a bad habit’’ in medicine literature.

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Functional Assessment of Quality of Life Using EORTC QLQ-CR29 in Patients with Colon Cancer at King Abdulaziz University Hospital

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world. Quality of life is important to achieve successful treatment outcomes.

The aim of this study was to assess the functional quality of life of patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer in order to improve our understanding as physicians of how cancer therapy influences the patients’ lives, and how we can help patients improve the quality of life on a daily basis.

This was a cross-sectional study conducted between January-September 2013, of a sample of 647 patients newly diagnosed with colon cancer at the King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

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Metaplastic Breast Cancer and p16 Positivity: What Does It Mean?

Metaplastic breast cancer is a heterogeneous group of malignant breast tumors having different morphologic subtypes. Considerable variations exist in different ethnic groups.

The incidence of metaplastic breast cancer is reported to be 0.2-1 percent of breast cancer and it is rare in the west.

MBC is referred to tumor when conventional breast carcinoma contains a metaplastic component ranging from <10% - >50%

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Mysterious Prostate Cancer Affects More Men than Women

Cancer is the primary cause for death in the world with 14 million cases and 8.2 million deaths annuallys.

Though the reasons are not clearly known, prostate cancer affects increasing number of men and age, ethnicity and family history are some of the factors considered responsible for it.

Occupations like farming, exposure to pesticides, wood dust, grain dust, asbestos dust, tobacco, irregular diet, obesity and low physical activity are responsible for it.

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Calendula officinalis Extracts Protect against H2O2 Induced Chromosome Damage on HacaT Human Skin Cells

Calendula officinalis extracts contain antioxidant compounds. The extracts tested in the current study protect against reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced cytotoxic activity towards human cells.

Objective: To determine the ability of Calendula officinalis extracts to protect against H2O2 induced chromosome damage on HaCaT human skin cells.

Methodology: The chromosome damage protection by four Calendula officinalis extracts was investigated in vitro using a dose-response (0.125, 0.5 and 1.0% (v/v)) on HaCaT human skin cells.

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Cancer, a Multigenic Disease Requires Nature Derived Multi-targeted Drugs

Cancer is a term characterized by the uncontrolled growth and spread of cells leading to invasion of normal tissues. Cancer develops due to the changes caused to normal cells to acquire abnormal functions.

Inherited mutations or environmental factors like, X-rays, chemicals, ultraviolet light, etc are the changes that lead to cancer. So, these facts suggest that cancer is not a result of a single factor.

It typically, takes many years to elapse for normal cells to evolve into cancerous cells. In 2012, according to the WHO, the global cancer burden accounted for 14.1 million new cases and 8.2 million deaths.

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Extraskeletal Osteochondroma of the Heel: A Case Report

Osteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor and usually occurs in the metaphyseal region of the long bones around the knee.

This is acartilage-capped bony tumor, which out growths on the surface of the bone. Extraskeletal osteochondroma is a variant of extraskeletal chondromas that are uncommon soft-tissue cartilaginous tumors.

This report describes thecase of a 56-year-old woman with an extraskeletal osteochondroma of the heel.

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Laparoscopic Surgery for Large Ovarian Cysts- Review

Laparoscopic surgery has been increasingly applied to different gynecologic problems with excellent surgical outcome and rapid recovery.

Large ovarian cysts, a relatively common gynecologic problem, pose certain challenges to laparoscopic management.

The aim of the present study was to review published reports on laparoscopic surgery for large ovarian cysts and summarize their findings regarding patients’ selection, surgical outcome, technical methods and the final pathology report.

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Laparoscopic Surgery for Large Ovarian Cysts- Review

Laparoscopic surgery has been increasingly applied to different gynecologic problems with excellent surgical outcome and rapid recovery.

Large ovarian cysts, a relatively common gynecologic problem, pose certain challenges to laparoscopic management.

The aim of the present study was to review published reports on laparoscopic surgery for large ovarian cysts and summarize their findings regarding patients’ selection, surgical outcome, technical methods and the final pathology report.

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Should Centralized Histopathological Review in Prostate Cancer be the Gold Standard?

To assess the potential impact of centralized histopathological review on prostate cancer management. Biopsy slides of 277 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer between January 2010 and March 2014 from 22 centers were referred to our tertiary referral center for centralized histopathological review.

The biopsy Gleason score and D’Amico prognostic risk group were compared between those of the referring pathologists and those after assessment by a centralized histopathological review committee consisting of two specialized uro-pathologists.

Alterations in biopsy Gleason score and D’Amico prognostic risk group between referring pathologists and centralized histopathological committee were subdivided into treatment changes

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Influence of Beta Vulgaris Supplementation on the Level of Oxidative DNA Damage/Oxidative Stress in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiotherapy

Because of the many controversies concerning the consumption of antioxidants during the treatment of cancer, herein we decided to ascertain whether the supplementation of Beta vulgaris (strong antioxidant) in irradiated head and neck cancer patients would influence parameters which describe oxidative stress/DNA damage and the clinical effects of therapy.

Forty one patients with head and neck cancer (T3-4 N1 M0) were divided into two subgroups: I/supplementation chips from beetroot (n=19) and II/control group (n=22). All the patients were eligible for radiotherapy.

Dische scale. Total survival times were assessed together with oxidative DNA damage on the level of the whole organism and whether the biomarkers of the damage such as 8-oxo-dG and its modified base (8-oxo-Gua) were present in urine and DNA.

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Do We Have the Right Dose? Dose Adjustments for Organ Dysfunction

Cancer patients with adequate hepatic or renal function are typically studied in clinical trials. Since most anticancer agents are cleared via hepatic or renal mechanisms, dose adjustments would be anticipated.

Yet when the drug is approved, dosing modification guidelines are often lacking for patients who have varying degrees of hepatic or renal dysfunction.

Therefore, oncologists may start therapy with an empirically-derived lower starting dose due to the perception that a patient with organ dysfunction would have poorer tolerability due to increased toxicity.

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Current Exercise Behaviors Of Breast Cancer Patients Diagnosed With Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy

Chemotherapy- induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common ailment among those taking chemotherapeutic drugs. This condition is characterized by damage to the nervous system that is a direct result of the medications associated with chemotherapy.

Little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the development of CIPN. The peripheral toxicity involved with CIPN is specific to each chemotherapy drug class, and in most cases, appears to be dose and duration dependent, however it can evolve even after a single drug application.

The chemotherapy agents Docetaxel, Paclitaxel, or Vinorelbine are used to treat breast cancer, and often result in damage to central nervous system pain pathways, resulting in neuropathic pain.

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Lack of Association of Chronic Liver Disease in Patients with Oral Lichen Lanus

Lichen Planus is a chronic inflammatory disease of oral mucosa and skin. In recent years, several reports have emphasized a possible relationship between lichen planus and liver disease.

Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminases (SGOT), serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) are the most useful measures for liver cell injury. Purpose: To compare the levels of SGOT and SGPT in oral lichen planus patients and healthy controls to observe the existence of liver disease.

The sample comprised 30 oral lichen planus patients and 30 healthy controls. The blood samples were collected from both the groups and subjected to biochemical analysis for SGPT and SGOT enzymes using semi automated biochemistry analyser.

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Clinical Studies on Hormonal Status in Breast Cancer and its Impact on Quality of Life (QOL)

Breast cancer is a steroid hormone–dependent tumor. Stratification of patients according to hormone (ER/ PR) receptor status and nodal metastasis is of great therapeutic importance.

In this investigation, we could enroll 79 pre and post-menopausal breast cancer patients voluntarily. We classified these cases into four categories of the combinations of ER/PR positive, negative and mixed statuses.

Their hormone receptor status as determined by immunohistochemistry correlated with therapy regimens like chemotherapy, hormone therapy and QOL responses.

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