Evaluating the prevalence of the epidermal growth factor receptor in transitional cell carcinoma of bladder and its relationship with other prognostic factors

Background: The most common malignancy in the urinary system has been bladder cancer and the most predominant histologic subtype has been transitional cell carcinoma [TCC]. There were many molecular risk factors, related with poor prognosis. One of these factors was expression of epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of the epidermal growth factor receptor in transitional cell carcinoma of bladder and its relationship with other prognostic factors

Patients and Methods: This analytic descriptive study has performed with 61 patients with TCC of bladder after radical cystectomy whom have been hospitalized in Labbafinejad hospital in Tehran, Iran between 2007 and 2010. We have used Chi-square and t-test to analyze our data samples

Results: Records of 61 patients have studied. Fifty three of the total samples were positive for EGFR expression [86.9%]. Fifty samples of these fifty-three belonged to men and three others were women's samples [P = 0.46]. Among the group with EGFR expression the results were as follows: 25 patients [47.2%] were 60 years old or less and 28 patients [52.8%] were older than 60 [P = 0.023], 16 patients [30.2%] had invasion to lamina properia, and the rest of them had invasion to deeper layers [P = 0.56]. For most patients we could not determine the invasion of tumoral cells into the lymph nodes [Nx] [P = 0.067]. Thirty four patients [64.2%] had not lymphovascular invasion [P = 0.44] and in forty three of patients [81.1%], perineural invasion have not seen [P = 0.23]. Finally, 36 patients [67.9%] were grade 3 [P = 0.27]

Conclusions: In this study we have concluded that most patients had EGFR positive expression. Also, except for the age, there was not any significant relation between expression of EGFR and the other prognostic factors such as, gender, invasion of the tumor into the layers, involving the lymph nodes, lymphovascular or perineural invasion, and grading

Frequency of human papillumavirus among women with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and invasive cervical cancer attending Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Clinics, Tehran, Iran

The previous studies reported some information about prevalence release of high-risk HPV types in HSIL or cervical cancer globally and in Iran, however, this information is not enough for final judgment about vaccination against HPV or any screening program. The aim of the present study was to assess the HPV type distribution in HSIL and ICC specimens of women attending Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences teaching hospitals, Tehran, Iran for treatment during 10 years. This retrospective- descriptive study evaluated the HPV type distribution of pathologic specimens of Iranian women with invasive cervical cancer [ICC] and high-grade squamous cell intraepithelial lesions [HSIL]. Formalinfixed tumor biopsies that were retrieved from women presenting with histological confirmation for ICC and 17 pathologic confirmation for HSIL specimens. The most frequently identified HPV type 16 among both groups, women with invasive cervical cancer [42.18%] and women with High Grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion [29.41%], followed by HPV18, HPV31 and 26. HPV16 and / or 18 accounted for 82.2% of all infected samples. The dominance of HPV16 over other high-risk types might be even higher than in a region with low HPV exposure. However, there was no strong evidence for any judgment that show to the policy makers; which one is cost-effectiveness and feasibility for cervical cancer prevention in Iran, vaccination, screening or both? More population based study and national meta-analysis needed for better understanding of HPV prevalence and HPV DNA patterns in Iran

Effectiveness and complications of [153]Sm-EDTMP in palliative treatment of diffuse skeletal metastases

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of bone palliative therapy following administration of [153]Sm-EDTMP in patients with intractable metastatic bone pain. Sixteen patients [9 male, 7 female] aged 29-80 years [57.3 +/- 16.7 years] with severe metastasis-related bone pain resistant to analgesic medications were enrolled in the study. All patients having multiple bone metastases, positive bone scans, and estimated life expectancy of more than 2-3 months were entered the study. All patients received intravenous injection of 1.5 mCi [56 MBq]/kg of [153]Sm-EDTMP. Four subscales for the intensity of pain were recorded: one as the present pain score [PPS] and the other three as maximum pain score [Max PS], minimum pain score [Min PS] and average pain score [APS] over the last 24 hours. Also the mean value of these 4 subscales was calculated as the mean total pain score [MTPS]. The pain mental interference [PMI] was also assessed in 9 separate. Seven patients with breast cancer [43.75%], seven with prostate cancer [43.75%], one with papillary thyroid carcinoma [6.25%] and one with malignant paraganglioma [6.25%] were included in the study. A significant response to therapy, i.e. 2-point reduction in pain score and/or remarkable reduction [>/=25%] in the equivalent narcotic dose, was observed in 11 out of 16 patients [68.7%] by the 2nd week and in 12 patients [75%] by the 8[th] week. Regarding the palliative response to treatment and equivalent narcotic dose reduction, no significant difference between two major types of underlying malignancies [breast and prostate cancer] was found. There was no significant difference regarding response to therapy between two genders and among different age groups. The severity of bone marrow suppression was graded

Relation between HER-2 gene expression and gleason score in patients with Prostate Cancer

HER-2 is a proto-oncogene of the tyrosine kinase receptor family on chromosome 17. Overexpression of this gene affects the growth and prognosis of some tumors. This study was performed to evaluate the expression of the HER-2 gene in patients with prostate cancer and its relation with the Gleason score. Pathology specimens of all men with prostate cancer who had undergone radical prostatectomy without any supportive treatment were studied. The Gleason scores of the specimens and the expression of HER-2 gene were examined. The expression of HER-2 was scored between zero and 3+ in accordance with the Hercep Test method. Patients with scores of 2+ and 3+ were considered to be positive for HER-2 overexpression. Of 150 cancerous prostate specimens evaluated, 20 [13.3%] were positive for HER-2 gene overexpression. A weakly positive HeR-2 overexpression [2+] was seen in 15 of them [75%] and the remaining 5 [25%] were strongly positive. The Gleason score was not different between the HER-2-positive and HER-2-negative patients [P=.08]. Fourteen out of 97 patients [14.4%] with a Gleason score less than 7 and 6 out of 53 [11.3%] with scores of 7 or greater were positive for HER-2 overexpression. The frequency of HER-2 gene overexpression is not very high in our patients with prostate cancer, and we failed to show any association of HER-2 expression and the Gleason score