immunohistochemical study of tumour necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand [TRAIL] in lung cancer patients

Lung cancer is a global problem and its incidence is dramatically increasing and expected to become the leading cause of cancer deaths. Several molecular genetic abnormalities have been described in lung cancer, one of the most recent such markers is tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand [TRAIL]. To throw an outlook on tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand [TRAIL] expression in tissue specimens obtained from lung cancer patients. Fifty Patients were included in this work selected on basis of being presenting with clinical and/or radiological picture suggestive of lung cancer. They were classified histop-athologicallyl into two groups, Group I comprised [37] non smalUimg cancer patients [NSCLC], and Group II comprised [13] small lung cancer patients [SCLC]. All patients were subjected to thorough medical history, clinical examination and radiological examination. Fiberoptic broncho-scopic examination was done with different endoscopic sampling and the obtained specimens were subjected to special staining procedure for TRAIL expression by immunohistochemistry. Bronchial biopsy carried the highest diagnostic yield for lung cancer in both groups [60%] and [24%] in groups I and II, respectively. Histopathologically, the majority of cases [86.48%] of group I were adenocarcinoma, [13.5%] were squamous, while all cases of group II [100%] were SCLC. TRAIL expression was positive in 67.6% of group I and in 23% of group II cases. 62.5% of adenocarcinoma patients were TRAIL positive, as well as 40% of squamous cell carcinoma patients while 23.1% only of SCLC were TRAIL positive. There was no statistical significant difference in the degree of cigarette smoking between TRAIL positive and negative subjects. The sensitivity of TRAIL immunostaining in lung cancer was 67.6%, while its specificity was 76.9% with accuracy of 70% in the studied groups. TRAIL is overexpressed in the majority of NSCLC mainly adenocarcinoma which indicate that it may become a new adjuvant line for treatment of such cases

Bronchial asthma and convulsive seizures [a case report]

A two years old boy who had an attack of acute severe bronchial asthma complicated by stuporous consciousness and serial clonic hemiconvulsive seizures is reported. The most probable precipitating factor was the damaging effect of hypoxic hypoxia on both gray and white matters of the brain as evidenced by EEG, C.T. of the brain and blood gas analysis. Vigorous treatment of asthma could control seizures and prevented the further damaging effect of hypoxic hypoxia on the brain

Pulmonary compliance in smokers with special reference to goza smoking

As a material for this work 150 males were studied. 120 of them were smokers and 30 were non-smokers controls. They were studied through the following methods: a] careful history taking and thorough clinical examination. b] radiologic study. c] spirometry. d] static pulmonary compliance measurements. From this work it can be concluded that: 1- smoking is associated with reduction of the pulmonary compliance in subjects with normal ventilatory function [the mean values of pulmonary compliance in smokers and non-smokers were 0.028 L/CmH[2]O/L V.C. and 0.037 L/CmH[2]O/L.V.C. respectively]. The pulmonary compliance is correlated with the subjects, total consumption of cigarettes, goza and both cigarettes and goza together. Its values differ according to the type of smoking, it has the lowest values in goza smokers [0.043 +/- 0.015] and the highest values in both cigarette and goza consumers [0.062 +/- 0.025]. In cigarette smokers its values occupied intermediate position [0.045 +/- 0.015 L/CmH[2]O/L. V.C.]. 2- Reversed relationship was found between the pulmonary compliance and each of MBC% and FEV% in all subjects of the study while a direct relationship was found between the pulmonary compliance and FVC in subjects with normal ventilatory function. 3- The subjects of total consumption of each of cigarettes, goza and both cigarettes and goza were found to be directly related to the severity of dyspnea and reversely related to each of FEV% and MBC%