Impact of age at diagnosis on clinicopathological outcomes of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients in Karachi

Objective: A recent trend in diagnosis of oral cancer in young age is observed, however its impact on various clinicopathological parameters needs to be explored. The aim of the current study was to compare and analyze impact of age at diagnosis with clinicopathological parameters of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients

Methods: In this cross sectional study conducted at Department of Oncology Ziauddin Hospital Karachi, we included histologically confirmed cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The patients were categorized as young age group [40yrs and younger] and old age group [41 yrs and above]. A total of 115 patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2016 were enrolled in the study. The variables considered were age at diagnosis, sex, site of lesion, positive family history, tumor grade, stage, uric acid level and survival

Results: A statistically significant difference was observed between two age groups in overall survival, uric acid level and positive family history of cancer. No significant difference was observed in tumor location, grade and stage

Conclusion: Majority of oral cancer patients present at an advanced stage irrespective of age at diagnosis but young age has an overall improved survival. Moreover, a positive family history of cancer in young age group mandates further exploration of possible role of genetic polymorphisms which might be responsible for early onset of the disease

relationship of visfatin with measures of obesity in patients of diabetic nephropathy

Visfatin is proposed as an adipocytokine secreted from visceral fat and its blood level correlate with obesity, diabetes mellitus and inflammation. Aim of this study was to examine association of serum visfatin with measures of obesity in a group of patients with diabetic nephropathy and normal controls. This was a cross sectional study analyzing 60 subjects including 30 patients of diabetic nephropathy and 30 controls. Anthropometric measurements were done using standard methods and visfatin was measured through EIA Kit. Serum visfatin in obese subjects among both groups was not different from non obese subjects [7.9 +/- 6.1 vs. 6.4 +/- 3.2 p=0.238]. We found a positive correlation of visfatin with BMI [r=0.313, p<0.05] but no correlation with waist circumference [r=0.148 p=0.695] and waist to hip ratio [0.198, p=0.136]. Serum visfatin in subjects of diabetic nephropathy and non diabetics was [9.2 +/- 5.4 vs. 5.2 +/- 3.4 p<0.05. Serum visfatin does not correlate with markers of visceral obesity including waist circumference and waist to hip ratio. However, a positive correlation is observed with BMI. Future studies involving larger sample size and quantifying visceral tissue expression of visfatin may explain its potential role in visceral obesity

Association of visfatin with chronic kidney disease in a cohort of patients with and without diabetes

To evaluate association of serum visfatin with CKD secondary to diabetic nephropathy and to compare it with patients of CKD secondary to other risk factors. Seventy eight individuals including 28 healthy controls and 50 patients of CKD were included in this study. Patients with CKD were further grouped based on etiology of CKD into diabetics and non-diabetics. Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus, urinary tract infection, urolithiasis, liver cirrhosis, stroke, ischaemic heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis were excluded. Measurement of Serum visfatin was done through EIA Kit [Phoenix pharmaceuticals Burlingame CA]. Visfatin concentration was significantly high in patients with CKD compared to controls [8.7 +/- 4.7 vs. 5.2 +/- 3.3 p = 0 .001]. No significant difference in Visfatin concentrations between patients of CKD with and without diabetes was detected [9.2 +/- 5.5 vs. 8.3 +/- 3.2 p = 0.694]. A significant negative correlation of visfatin with estimated GFR [r[2]= -0.383, p=0.01] and a positive correlation with degree of proteinuria [p=0.01] was observed. The present study confirms the association of visfatin with CKD, however further studies at molecular level to check its expression within renal tissue may clarify its definitive role in CKD