Association between hypolipidemias and colorectal carcinoma

Objective: To study association of hypolipidemias and primary colorectal carcinoma in population of patients of colorectal carcinoma presenting to Combined Military Hospital [CMH] Rawalpindi

Study Design: Case control study

Place and Duration of Study: Oncology department, Combined Military Hospital [CMH], Rawalpindi. Material and Methods: Forty one treatment naive patients between ages of 18-75, with histologically confirmed primary colorectal carcinoma were selected and their serum lipid profile was measured after an overnight fast, from Armed Forces Institute of Pathology [AFIP]. These levels were compared with 41 controls, selected from healthier population, using an unpaired T test. Frequency and percentages were computed for variables; sex, age and stage at presentation

Results: Colorectal carcinoma had significant association with triglycerides [p=0.007], total cholesterol [p=0.014] and LDL [p=0.013]

Conclusion: There is an inverse relationship between serum total and LDL cholesterol, and colorectal carcinoma, implying that hypolipidemias may play a role in development of colorectal carcinoma

Efficacy of combination chemotherapy; gemcitabine and docetaxel, in patients with advanced urinary bladder carcinoma

To evaluate the efficacy of combination chemotherapy; gemcitabine and docetaxel, in terms of objective response, in advanced urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder. Quasi-experimental study. Oncology Department of Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi, from Oct 2012 to July 2013. Fifty one patients with histologically confirmed urothelialcarcionoma of the bladder were enrolled into this study. Patients were staged and their radiological features were documented before chemotherapy. Four cycles of gemcitabine and docetaxel; combination chemotherapy were administered to the patients. Response was evaluated after 4 courses. Patients with progressive disease were not given further chemotherapy. Patients who could not complete 4 courses were excluded from the study. Remaining patients were given 2 more courses of chemotherapy. Patients were followed up for a period of 1 year after being enrolled for the study to document median survival. Total 46 patients were included in the study out of which 2.2% patients had a complete response, 37% had a partial response, 28.3% patients had a stable disease while 32.6% patients had a progressive disease. The objective response rate was 39.2% while the median survival time was 42 weeks. The results of our study have shown that combination of gemcitabine and docetaxel in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma of the urinary bladder, has a good therapeutic index and stands as a reasonable first Line option for such patients