ABSTRACT
The prevalence of obesity is rising worldwide including Sub-Saharan Africa just as the incidence of breast cancer is rising in same region with increasing morbidity and mortality. Obesity or overweight has been identified as a risk factor for breast cancer and both have been associated with poor outcome of breast cancer treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of obesity /overweight on clinical response to Adriamycin Cyclophosphamide-Paclitaxel (AC-P) regimen neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with breast cancer. A prospective observational of 39 female patients with breast cancer. A prospective observational study of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients with palpable breast lumps on neoadjuvant chemotherapy of AC-P regime. Age of the patients, tumour size, stage, estrogen, progestogen and HER2 receptor status were noted. Height measured in metres and weight measured in Kilograms were recorded and Body Mass Index (BMI) calculated .Tumour size measured at presentation, then after first, third, sixth and eighth doses to determine response as defined by the UICC method such as complete clinical response, partial clinical response, stable disease and progressive disease. BMI was then categorized into Normal weight 25kg/m2 and Overweight 25-30kg/m2 and Obese 30kg/m2. 43.6% were obese, 33.3% were overweight and 23.1% were normal weight. Thirty percent of overweight /obese patients had complete clinical response 2 compared with 77% of low/normal weight patients and this was statistically significant (X2 =6.53, p 0.015). 76.7% of the overweight/obese were premenopausal compared with 23.3% who were post menopausal, and this is statistically significant.(X2 =5.84, p 0.024). Obesity/ overweight is associated with poorer clinical response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the cohort of patients studied
Subject(s)
Africa South of the Sahara , Body Mass Index , Breast Neoplasms , Drug Therapy , Neoadjuvant Therapy , Obesity , OverweightABSTRACT
Background: The seroprevalence of anti-H. pylori IgA antibodies has been reported to vary among populations and in relation to strains of Helicobacter pylori bacterium. However; there has been conflicting reports on the association between IgA serological status and the histological variables of chronic gastritis. This study was therefore conducted to clarify this relationship. Method : Using an ELISA based commercial kit; anti-H. pylori IgA antibody tests were performed on 65 dyspeptic patients and 65 age- and ex-matched controls. The gastric biopsies of these patients were also examined histologically for the degrees of inflammation; activity; intestinal metaplasia and atrophy. The CagA status of the patients had been determined previously. Results: There was an anti-H. pylori IgA antibody prevalence of 67.7in dyspeptics and 56.9in non-dyspeptic individuals. No correlations were observed between serum H. pylori IgA antibody and the graded parameters of chronic gastritis in dyspeptic patients; although twice more patients with mild gastric inflammation were found among IgA positive than among IgA negative patients. However; a statistically significant relationship was established between serum IgA positivity and the CagA status of the patients (p = 0.028). Conclusion: The seroprevalence of anti-H. pylori IgA antibody is high in our environment. Serum IgA status may be associated with milder degrees of gastritis in our patients but a larger cohort of patients is needed to confirm this. There seems to be a good agreement between serum IgA and CagA statuses among dyspeptic patients