Basic and Clinical Cancer Research
Volume:8 Issue: 1, Winter-Spring 2016

Ever since psychological issues became a focus of attention in oncology, many studies have been conducted to quantitatively address the impaired sexual function among women diagnosed with breast cancer; however, we lack qualitative measurement of sexual dysfunction and patients’ needs. Conducting research about “sexual function in breast cancer patients” in 2009 at the Tehran Cancer Institute shaped the idea for this editorial and my belief on the necessity of qualitative research on this topic. I found that many women suffering from breast cancer faced a crisis of grief, anger, and intense fear after discussing their sexual life as part of the research process that involved gathering data through questionnaires. These women obviously needed some kind of help, such as counselling services and education around their sexual problems and intimate relations with their partner.
This paper is a call for experts to actively participate in evaluation and effective management of sexual difficulties in breast cancer survivors. This is significant because this population is increasing in numbers. The readership of this journal, who are mostly healthcare experts in the field of cancer, should find it very interesting.

The etiology of breast cancer and our understanding on the carcinogenicity of different risk factors is impotant for control programms.
We investigated the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER, PR), and human epithelial receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression and its associations, with environmental risk factors among breast cancer patients.
We classified the patients into four groups including; triple negative (ER–/PR–/HER2-), HER2-overexpression (ER–/PR–/HER2), luminal A (ER and/or PRﱱ) and luminal B (ER and/or PRﱱᇛ). We used a case-only design and multinomial logistic regression analyses.
In premenopausal patients, those with high BMI had lower prevalence of luminal B tumors compared to luminal A groups (OR= 0.42, 95% CI= 0.23 to 0.74). However, in the postmenopausal groups, prevalence of the luminal B tumors was less than luminal A tumors oral contraceptive pill (OCP) users (OR= 0.64, 95% CI= 0.42 to 0.98). In addition, among those who had an older age at menarche had a higher risk of ER2-overexpression tumors compared to luminal A tumors (OR= 2.82, 95% CI= 1.29-6.19).
Expression of HER2, ER, and PR, among breast cancer patients seems to be associated with OCP use, BMI, age at menarche and age at first pregnancy.

Lymphedema is a common complication for breast cancer therapy. Patients with lymphedema may experience pain and body image issues. This study investigates the effect of Combined Decongestive Therapy and pneumatic compression pump on body image in patients with lymphedema secondary to breast cancer treatment.
42 women with breast cancer related lymphedema participated. All patients completed the body image and relationships scale. Researchers divided the participants randomly into an intervention (n=21) or control group (n=21). A certified nurse worked on Combined Decongestive Therapy in the intervention group in two phases. In the first phase, CDT was accompanied along with compression pump for four weeks, three days per week. In the second phase, CDT was performed daily without compression pump for four weeks by patients at home. At the end of each phase, both groups completed the questionaire. Researchers analyzed the data with SPSS v.17.
The total score of the body image and relationships scale in the intervention group increased insignificantly and in the control group increased significantly. In this regard, both groups have statistically significant differences at different phases of study. Gaining a higher score in this questionaire indicates a weaker body image.
Although combined decongestive therapy techniques did not improve the body image in the intervention group, but there is hope for treatment of lymphedema in this group to prevent deterioration in the body image over the time. In the control group who were not treated, the body image became weaker over the time.

self- esteem is defined as the reliance of one's own abilities. Decrees of self- esteem may lead to fail to solve the problems not being able to use ones abilities. So, this study was done to compare TIP patient's self- esteem with healthy cases. The conduction of this investigation seems to be important, because this disease a chronic type.
This is a descriptive- comparative study in which 64 patients having ITP and referring to Isfahan's Seiyedo-shohada hospital and 65 healthy people who were neighbors of these patients. They were also selected randomly. The data collection method included questionnaire of Cooper Smiths self- esteem which was completed by the cases. The data analyzed through Spss version 15, and by use of T-independent, K-Squer and Man Withny test.
This study's results showed that 64.1, 59.4 and 53.1 percent of the cases in both group were, in turn, over 35 years old. Females and graduated from primary school. T-independent test, showed significant difference between both groups self-esteem average. (p Since the self-esteem of the patients is low and patient's decision making ability and their controls over the disease affect their self-esteem important, health and treatment staffs are supposed to recognize significant factors affecting self- valuing feeling and help the patient to promote their self- esteem.

Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) is the most common human malignant neoplasm which is more frequent in white individuals. PTCH and p53 are two major tumor suppressor genes which play important roles in pathogenesis of BCC. PTCH is a twelve-pass transmembrane protein. It is an essential component of the sonic hedgehog signaling pathway that plays as a receiving receptor for members of the Hedgehog family. PTCH signaling pathway is actively involved in regulation of main processes of growth differentiation, stem cell growth and etiology of cancer. There are three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including rs17852533, rs200902126 and rs3811553 in the PTCH1 gene that their effects on PTCH protein remain unknown. This study was aimed to analysis the possible association between these SNPs and risk of BCC.
One hundred fifty three BCC patients in conjunction with 175 healthy controls were selected and were matched with each other for age and gender. DNA was isolated from both groups and then subjected to analysis through polymerization chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).
All of the studied samples from both groups were determined to be Homozygous for the wild type genotype of the three studied SNPs. There was no significant association between those genetic variants and risk of BCC.
Our findings revealed no effect of rs147067171, rs78708791 and rs201125580 variants ofPTCH1 gene onBCC. This indicates that rs147067171, rs78708791 and rs201125580 are not being polymorphism in studied Iranian subjects. Perhaps they are mutations associated with other diseases that carryPTCH1 defect such as esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, trichoepitheliomas, Holoprosencephaly and Medullablastoma.