Alterations of E-cadherin and MMP-2 in cancer prostate

E-cadherin plays a crucial role in epithelial cell-cell adhesion and maintenance of tissue architecture. Alterations in expression or function of this protein result in loss of intercellular adhesion, with possible consequent increased tumor progression, metastasis, and poor prognosis in different cancer types. Matrix metalloproteinases [MMPs] constitute a multi-gene family of proteolytic enzymes that are capable of degrading connective tissue and almost all extracellular matrix components. Overexpression of MMPs is usually associated with the acquisition of invasiveness by tumor cells, cancer progression, angiogenesis and metastasis. To examine the expression of E-cadherin and MMP-2 in male prostatic lesions using immunohistochemical staining. 30 cases of formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded tissues of male prostatic lesions were examined for the expression of E-cadherin and MMP-2 using immunohistochemistry utilizing rabbit antihuman polyclonal antibodies for E-cadherin and MMP-2. The tissue specimens comprise samples of 25 prostatic adenocarcinoma [PAC] and five benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH]. H and E histological examination revealed that of the 25 studied malignant cases, six were combined grade CG 10; three were CG9; two were CG8; three were CG7; four were CG6; and seven were CG5, according to combined Gleason's grading system. Immunostaining showed altered expression [cytoplasmic] of E-cadherin in poorly and moderately differentiated foci of carcinoma [CG6-10]. Cell membrane expression of E-cadherin was seen in well differentiated foci as well as in BPH. However for immunostaining of MMP-2, very weak expression of it was seen in BPH as well as in normal glands adjacent to tumor cells. Mild to moderate staining intensity was observed in well differentiated PAC and moderate intensity was seen in moderately differentiated PAC. Overexpression of MMP-2 in the form of positive cytoplasmic aggregates was shown in poorly differentiated PAC. The results suggest the implication of the altered expression of E-cadherin and MMP-2 in increased aggressiveness of the tumor with its subsequent increased invasiveness and progression. Also show that increased expression of collagenase type IV [MMP-2] and decreased expression of E-cadherin are associated with increasing Gleason score and that the expression of MMP-2 and E-cadherin exhibited strongest association with advanced prostate cancer

Assessment of quality of life for adult cancer patients in Alexandria

Quality of life issues for patients with cancer have taken on new emphasis and importance in cancer treatment and care for the purpose of tertiary cancer prevention. The concern for assessing the psychological, social, functional, and spiritual needs of cancer patients has extensively increased in recent years for better palliative and curative treatments. Thus, the present study was designed to assess the quality of life for adult cancer patients in order to characterize them and their needs across multiple 'domains and age grouping. One hundred twelve adult cancer outpatients from Oncology Unit, University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria, Egypt, constitute the subjects for this study. Patients were interviewed to fill out sheets of EORTC QLQ-C30 plus sheets with other domains to characterize demographics, functional status, primary diagnosis, presence of metastatics, pain, disease duration, home setting and social support, and type of treatment and its duration. Data were analyzed using the program of MS-Excel 2003. Adult subjects [n = l 12, 100%] were divided into male [n = 38, 33.9%] and female [n = 74, 66.1%] groups and into three age groups: younger than 40 years [20.5%], 40 to 60 years [65.2%], and older than 60 years [14.3%]. Quality of life was moderate for almost all patients. However, no statistical significant difference was found between variables of quality of life for age or gender groups. Statistical significant association was found only between QOL total score and duration of the disease, showing poor QOL more prevalence at disease duration of less than 2 years. The results suggest that quality of life can be assessed and conducted through an outpatient cancer community using a self-report format. Despite variations in demographics across different gender and age groups, the present study demonstrated remarkable similarities between male and female, and younger and older cancer patients in terms of functional status and quality of life. However, newly diagnosed cancer patients need special care in order to adapt them to the new disease especially that the QOL among them was the worst

Assessment of occupational injuries in Montaza district, Alexandria, Egypt

Work-related injuries through accidents or diseases have a considerable impact on workers' health, and thus on the public and community health that can affect the national economy. The costs of workplace-related injuries, illness, and deaths were estimated to be billions of dollars in the United States. In the present study, a data for occupational injuries in Montaza district of Alexandria was collected from Montaza Bureau for Labor from 2000 to 2005. A total of 10392 work injuries were recorded in Monatza District, Alexandria, from 2000 to 2005 that resulted in 145917 days away from work for the injured workers. Injuries of lower limbs represented 48%; upper limbs 37%; internal body organs 14%; and head and trunk 1%. Great fatal accidents, like fires ..etc., resulted in death of 10 workers and permanent impairments for 19 workers from 2000 to 2005 in the industrial sector of Montaza District. Occupational diseases also analyzed during this six year period; exzemas represented 64%; skin allergic reactions 4%; eye inflammation and cataract 10%; occupational deafiness 7%; and respiratory disorders 15%

in vivo protective effects of silymarin on DMN-induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Dimethyl nitrosamine [DMN] is a very potent chemical carcinogen which occurs naturally in the environment and in a wide variety of food stuffs, and can be formed in the body by nitrosation of secondary or tertiary amines in the presence of nitrite, nitrate or nitrogen oxides. Silymarin is a powerful antioxidant and has a potent free radical scavenging activity, said to protect cells of liver, brain and other cells in the body from toxins. To examine the in vivo protective effects of silymarin on the induced oxidative damage in livers of DMN-intoxicated rats histologically and immunohistochemically. The ability of silymarin to protect and detoxify DMN toxicity was examined in rat livers. Dietary pretreatment of rats [body weight 125-135 g] with silymarin [0.9 mg/g body weight] for two weeks prior to the intraperitoneal injection of DMN, reversed the hepatotoxic effects of DMN, as examined histologically. DMN in two doses of 15 micro g/kg or 25 micro g/kg was injected. After DMN treatment, the animals were fed with diet with silymarin or without for 48 hours. Rats were sacrificed 48 hours after DMN injection. The immunoreactivity of cells of rats' livers was examined for antibodies of heat shock protein 70 [HSP70] [HSPs are a family of proteins that are triggered to be induced when a cell undergoes environmental stresses including oxidative stress, pathogenic conditions ...etc]. The histological evaluation revealed prominent changes in groups received DMN in high dose more than low dose. Treatment with silymarin reversed this effect. The immunohistochemical assay for the stress-protective proteins "HSP70" showed that treatment with silymarin triggered more expression of this protein. Silymarin can provide substantial protective effect against DMN-induced hepatic oxidative damage with therapeutic potential to be used in human

Biomonitoring environmental stresses in female endometrial carcinoma versus hyperplasia using HSP70 and HER-2/neu proteins

The intracellular distribution of heat shock or stress-response proteins [HSP], that are triggered to be induced when a cell undergoes environmental stresses, has presumably protective function to enable cells to increase resistance to the harmful effects of pathogens, heavy metal, heat shock, chemical mutagens or carcinogens. HER-2/neu proto-oncogene is a member of epidermal growth factor receptor or erb gene family that plays a key role in the regulation of normal oncogenic cell growth and has been linked to prognosis and response to therapy. To examine the in vivo environmental stresses in female endometrial carcinoma versus hyperplasia using immunohistochemical staining of HSP70 and HER-2/neu proteins. In the present study, 25 cases of formalin-fixed, paraffin embedded human endometrial tissue sections were examined for the expression of HSP70 and HER-2/neu by immunohistochemistry using a rabbit antihuman HSP70 monoclonal antibody and a rabbit anti-human HER-2/neu polyclonal antibody, respectively. The tissue specimens comprise samples of endometrial hyperplasia and cancers, of which five cases were normal control, four cases were simple hyperplasia, five cases were complex hyperplasia with two cases having atypia, five cases were well differentiated endometrial carcinoma [EC], three cases were moderately differentiated EC, and the last three cases were poorly differentiated EC. Positive staining for HSP70, seen as fine dark brown granules mainly confined to the cytoplasm, was observed in all sections examined. There was marked cellular heterogeneity, ranging from cells completely devoid of staining or with faint staining in poorly differentiated endometrial carcinoma to cells with very intense nuclear and cytoplasmic staining [4+] in normal tissue adjacent to the dysplastic epithelium and in cases of simple endometrial hyperplasia, suggesting a possible protective role of HSP70 in the different stages of carcinogenesis. On the other hand, immunoreactivity for HER-2/neu showed different pattern. Positive strong staining was identified cytoplasmic and/or in cell membrane in poorly, moderately and well differentiated endometrial carcinomas. No immunostaining was observed in normal epithelium and in two cases of simple endometrial hyperplasia. The results suggest that HER-2/neu expression may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of endometrial carcinoma and together with HSP70 could prove useful biomarkers for diagnosis or disease stratification

comparative study on the medical waste disposal in some hospitals in Alexandria

Though healthcare services aim to reduce the health problems and prevent the potential risks to the health of the community. These services create wastes which are considered as hazardous materials due to the higher potential of infection and injury possessed by these wastes than any other type of waste. Healthcare waste management is an integral part of healthcare services, and can create harm through inadequate waste management; thus reducing the overall benefits provided by healthcare centers. In the current study, a survey for medical waste disposal was performed in order to examine the current status of medical waste disposal in some hospitals in Alexandria and to properly assess management of this type of hazardous waste. A questionnaire was designed for hospitals to assess the quantity of medical waste, collection, sorting, storage, transportation and way of final disposal. From the total waste generated by healthcare activities, almost 80% are waste similar to domestic waste. The remaining approximate of 20% is considered as hazardous waste. As Alexandria has about 3911 healthcare facilities providing medical services for people, a huge amount of medical waste are generated daily with about 208 tons generated per month. The results revealed that the most common problems associated with healthcare wastes are the absence of waste management, lack of awareness about their health hazards, insufficient financial and human resources for proper management, and poor control of waste disposal. The current situation of medical waste disposal in Alexandria is depending on incinerators. Some of these incinerators are not working anymore. Incinerations as a system is not accepted at the time being in most developed countries due to the risks associated with it and suitable substitution management system for medical waste disposal is now taking its place

Quality assessment and food safety of market potato chips in Egypt

Frying of food in oil or lard has detrimental health effects. Because market potato chips is one of the most public snack food, three different types of potato chips common in the local markets were subjected to different analytical methods in order to evaluate its quality and health safety. Samples of potato chips from the three different factories were studied over a storage period of 6 months at ambient temperature. Oils were extracted from the different samples of potato chips. Peroxide value [PV], thiobarbituric acid [TBA] free fatty acids [FFA] and conjugated diene [CD] were assessed in each oil sample. Fatty acid composition and lipid classes were also determined in the extracted oils. Chemical properties, amino acids composition and mineral contents for the different types of potato chips were determined. The results indicated a significant increase [P<0.05] in the PV, TBA and FFA for the oils of the three types of potato chips especially over storage. Thin layer chromatography [TLC] technique showed different patterns of lipid classes for the three oil samples. Also, fatty acid compositions for the potato chips-extracted oils were different from one oil to another

Site distribution and incidence rates of cancer in Alexandria, Egypt: thirty-year experience [1972-2001]

Information on the size and nature of the cancer problem is essential in planning of cancer control programs and development of etiological hypotheses. In Egypt, cancer registry is an important informative source for cancer incidence. Alexandria Cancer Registry is a hospital-based cancer registry covering all the governorate. During 1972-2001, 76,028 cases were accessioned into the registry and stored on the computer using the ICD-9 code. In males [37,851 cases], cancer of the urinary bladder accounted for 15.2% of all cancers, lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues were 19.3%, brain and nervous system were 9.2%, digestive system and peritoneum were 17.7%, respiratory system was 14.4%, oral cavity and pharynx were 5%, skin was 2%, bones were 2.5%, soft tissue was 1.9%, and breast was 1.6%. In females [38,177 cases], breast cancer accounted for 40.9%, urinary bladder was 3.4%, genital organs were 10%, oral cavity and pharynx were 2.7%, lymphatic and hematopoietic tissues were 11.9%, brain and nervous system were 6.6%, digestive system and peritoneum were 10.3%, skin was 1.1%, soft tissue was 1.6%, bones were 1.7% and respiratory system was 3.3%. Incidence rates were calculated for total cancers and for each type of cancer separately in each year of the studied period. Total cancer incidence rates showed increase in cancer incidence by-4 fold in 2001 compared to cancer incidence in 1972. Breast cancer incidence increased-6.6 fold. Digestive organs and peritoneum cancers increased -3.6 fold, while lymphatic and hematopoietic increased -7.9 fold

prediction model for the incidence patterns of female breast cancers in Alexandria, Egypt

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the world. Female breast cancer incidence has historically increased all over the world during the past decades. The purpose of this study was to estimate the patterns of female breast cancer incidence in Alexandria, Egypt, from 1972 to 2001. An up-to-date perspective systematically collected data on the incidence of female breast cancers was used. Age categories-estimated incidence over the 30 years period were computed. Time series analysis showed that incidence of breast cancers is increasing significantly during the studied period. Linear trend model was best fitted with the studied interval and the estimated cancer cases per year taken into account. Age-incidence correlation showed a nigh correlation between age group of 40-50 years old and incidence. Analysis of the patterns for cancer incidence indicates that the highest occurrence of female breast cancer is shown in the age category of 45-50 years, followed respectively by the age categories of 40-45 years, 50-55 years, 35-40 years and then 55-60 years. These findings support the growing body of evidence from female breast cancer incidence suggesting that age is a well-known risk factor for breast cancer susceptibility

Patterns in the incidence of pediatric cancer in Alexandria, Egypt, from 1972 to 2001

Cancer among children is a substantial public concern. The epidemiology of childhood cancer is not fully understood. The descriptive epidemiology for cancer incidence has been a subject of considerable debate in order to identify and clarify the role of the etiological factors and the environmental exposure in cancer. An up-to-date perspective systematically collected data on the incidence of childhood cancer in Alexandria was used. The statistical analysis revealed that the overall cancer incidence rate increased from 1972 to 2001. The incidence of lymphatic and haemopoietic cancers increased dramatically over the specified period. The lymphatic and haemopoietic cancer incidence in 2001 have increased approximates 11 times the cancer incidence in 1972. The incidence of leukemia among infant less than 5 years increased exponentially with a higher incidence among boys. A slight increase was observed in cancers of oral cavity, digestive organs and respiratory system over the specified period. The incidence of genitourinary cancers increased 3.7 times the cancer incidence in 1973. Brain and central nervous system cancers showed an increase of 4.5 fold during the 30 years studied period. The trends in some cancer types suggest the need of a closer examination of the underlying factors and environmental contaminants that lead to this disease in children

Influence of cancer on the enzyme performance of DNA-ALKYL transferase, lactic dehydrogen, acid and alkaline phosphatase in human blood

Since it was reported that cancer exhibits a greater rate of aerobic glycolysis than normal tissue, there have been numerous efforts to identify enzymatic defects in cancer tissue. Attempts have been made to use enzyme assays as a diagnostic tool in cancer and cancer follow up. Abnormal enzyme activity patterns of human plasma frequently reflect those of tissues in disease conditions. In our study, human serum acid phosphatase [AcP], lactic dehydrogenase [LDH], and alkaline phosphatase [AIP] were studied biochemically to evaluate the total enzyme activity among fifty cancer patients in comparison to twenty healthy individuals. Cancer cases involved cases of breast, liver, bone, prostate, lung and oral cancers. The results showed that 46% of cancer patients had elevated levels of AcP, 68% had elevated levels of LDH and 36% had elevated levels of AIP. Since cancer reflect to a greater extent the environmental exposure background, the intensity of human serum O [6]-alkyl guanine DNA-alkyl transferase [ATase] was detected by western blotting immuno-assay in sera of cancer patients in comparison to healthy individuals. The levels of ATase were higher among cancerous patients. The results suggest that the assay of enzymes in serum of cancer patients may serve as a useful tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of cancer and to study the degree of cancer progression or the feasibility of cancer treatment