فهرست مطالب

Multidisciplinary Cancer Investigation
Volume:6 Issue: 1, Jan 2022

  • تاریخ انتشار: 1401/02/20
  • تعداد عناوین: 4
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  • Jorge Sinclair De Frías *, Moises Cukier, Lorenzo Olivero, Daniella Vazquez, Hector Tapia Page 1
    Introduction

    Incidental pulmonary embolisms (iPE) are common in cancer patients. Studies addressing iPE in oncology are increasing; however, few of these investigations have been conducted in a Latin-American population. This study aims to describe the incidence and characteristics of iPE in cancer patients in a comprehensive cancer center from Panama.

    Methods

    A single-center, retrospective study was conducted at the National Institute of Oncology during a period of 7 months. Every contrast-enhanced CT scan was reviewed. Electronic records and CT reports were reviewed for demographic, clinical, and radiological information.

    Results

    We reported 46 iPEs in 4065 scans (incidence=1.13%). The mean±SD age was 6413± years. Most patients were female (63.0%) and were outpatients (73.9%) when the CT scan was performed. Central iPEs were found in thirty-one patients (67.4%). Thirty patients were receiving chemotherapy (54.3%) or hormone therapy (10.9%); two-thirds had metastatic disease. The most frequently reported tumors were gastrointestinal, breast, and gynecologic cancers. More than 70% were reported as asymptomatic, and 78% were initially managed with anticoagulation.

    Conclusions

    Our study reported a low incidence of iPE in oncologic patients (1.13%) which is consistent with what has been observed in previous studies (0.34%-7.3%). The true incidence is still uncertain, and it might be underestimated; especially the rate of subsegmental embolism.

    Keywords: Venous Thromboembolism, Multidetector Computed, Tomography, Medical Oncology, Anticoagulants
  • Maryam Moori, Dariush Norouzian, Parichehr Yaghmaei, Leila Farahmand * Page 2
    Introduction

    Breast cancer is the most common metastatic malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Recently, extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) seem to modulate the rate of proliferation and enhance apoptosis and are considered as an emerging approach to cancer therapy. Despite recent success in the electromagnetic fields, the results are still neither definitive nor even contradictory.

    Methods

    In this study, induction of apoptosis was considered as one of the possible mechanisms of ELF-EMFs on cancer inhibition. Breast cancer cell lines were exposed to a 1 Hz, 100 mT ELF-EMF (2 h/day) for five days. The apoptosis rate of both the exposure and sham exposure groups was determined by flow cytometry. The expression levels of Bax and Bcl-2 were evaluated by real-time PCR.

    Results

    The mRNA expression levels of Bax were increased; while the expression of Bcl-2 showed a decrease in MDA-MB231 cells exposed to 1Hz EMF compared with sham exposure. Moreover, the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 was significantly increased in comparison to the sham exposure. The increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio induces cell apoptosis.

    Conclusions

    It is suggested that ELF-EMF is a new adjuvant therapeutical method that may contribute to anti-cancer and cancer therapy research.

    Keywords: Breast Cancer, Apoptosis, Electromagnetic Fields, Bax, Bcl-2
  • Leila Mousavi Seresht *, Shamin Ghobadi Page 3

    Gynecological lymphoma is one of the rarest tumors of the female organs that need to be kept in mind in a suspected patient due to its different management protocol. Even though the reported cases of ovarian lymphoma are not limited; our knowledge about diagnosis and treatment of primary cervical lymphoma is restricted. There is a rising number of suggested imaging and pathological criteria that need precise analysis to confirm their benefits in achieving the appropriate outcome. Here, we aim to review the most relevant recent works about primary cervical non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the cervix as the most common type of this rare entity.

    Keywords: Uterine Cervix Neoplasm, Primary Gynecologic Lym, phoma, Prognosis, Uterine Cervicitis
  • Doaa Khater, Saif Al-Yaarubi, Naji Al Dhawi, Irfan Ullah, Ashraf Saad, Marwa Al Obaidani, Taimoora Al Subhi, Yasser Wali *, Mohamed Elshinawy Page 4
    Introduction

    Glucocorticoids are considered the cornerstone of the induction phase in all treatment protocols of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Among the adverse effects of high-dose glucocorticoid treatment, adrenal insufficiency is secondary to suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This drawback of exogenous steroid therapy gains a contemporary particular relevance in the current era of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Methods

    Thirty-two patients with ALL were recruited to participate in this study. Basal cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels were assessed before induction therapy and re-measured 7 days after steroid cessation. Patients with low cortisol levels were subjected to ACTH stimulation test and were followed up till recovery of ACTH axis.

    Results

    There was a significant decline in the cortisol levels after completion of glucocorticoids therapy in eight patients (25%), (P<0.000) and it returned to normal levels at the 28th post-induction day (P<0.614). However, two patients showed no response to ACTH testing and received replacement physiologic doses of daily hydrocortisone. A patient had febrile neutropenia and another one developed COVID-19 pneumonia, for both of them high-stress steroid doses have been administered. All the studied patients had normal cortisol levels at the end of the 4-week follow-up period.

    Conclusions

    We concluded that there might be a beneficial role of testing adrenal reserve in children with ALL; especially those at the maximum period of adrenal suppression. We highly recommend educating patients and families about early symptoms of adrenal insufficiency, assessing adrenocortical functions during the era of the COVID-19 pandemic, and implementing a prompt replacement therapy plan in order to avoid the catastrophic COVID-19-induced cytokine storm.

    Keywords: Pediatrics, Endocrinology, Leukemia