Molecular profiling of breast cancer in Nigerian women identifies an altered p53 pathway as a major mechanism underlying its poor prognosis compared with British counterpart

Advances in breast cancer (BC) research have demonstrated differences between black and white women with regarding tumour behaviour, patient outcome and response to treatment which can be explained by underlying genetic changes. The tumour suppressor gene p53 has been speculated to be involved in tumour biology of triple negative and/or basal –like BC and more commonly observed in black than caucasian women. Materials and methods: In this study, the protein expression of p53 was investigated in tissue samples from a series of 308 Nigerian women, prepared as a tissue microarray (TMA), using immunohistochemistry. Clinicopathological parameters, biomarkers of functional significance in BC and patient outcome of tumours expressing p53 in Nigerian women were correlated with UK grade matched series. Results: A significantly large proportion of BC from Nigerian women showed high p53 expression compared with UK women (p<0.001). In those tumours showing positive p53 in the Nigerian series, a significant proportion were premenopausal, diagnosed before 50 years, larger in size, with evidence of metastasis into lymphatic vessels ( all p<0.001). In addition, p53 positive expression was also significantly correlated with negative expression of ER and PgR (p<0.001, p<0.03 respectively), BRCA1, MDM2 (all p<0.001), p21 (p=0.006) and E-cadherin (p=0.001) and positively associated with P-cadherin (p=0.001), triple negative phenotype, basal cytokeratin (CK) 5/6 expression (p<0.04) and basal phenotype compared with the UK series (p<0.001). Survival analyses showed Nigerian women with BC were significantly associated with poor BC specific survival (p<0.001, but no significant association with disease free interval was observed. Conclusion: In this study, protein expressions of p53 pathways are different between Nigerian and UK BC women and this may also contribute to differences in tumour biology. Therefore, targeting these p53 pathways for therapeutic usage might improve the poor outcome observed in Black Nigerian women.

Tumours of the submandibular salivary gland: a clinicopathologic review of cases over a 17-year period / Tumores de la glándula salival submandibular: una revisión clínico-patológica de casos por un período de 17 Años

OBJECTIVE: This study presents a clinicopathologic review of cases of submandibular salivary gland tumours at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, over a period of 17 years. METHODS: The records of all patients with histological diagnosis of submandibular salivary gland tumours at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital over a period of 17 years (January 1990 to December 2006) were retrospectively reviewed. Parameters studied were; age and gender of patients, symptoms and duration ofsymptoms, and histological diagnosis. RESULTS: A total of 36patients with submandibular gland tumours were seen during the period. Maleto-female ratio was 1.8:1 (male = 23, female = 13). Mean age (± SD) at presentation was 43 (± 19) years (age range, 17-84 years). There were 19 malignant tumours and 17 benign ones. Pleomorphic adenoma (36.1%) was the most frequent tumours, followed by adenoid cystic carcinoma (11.1%), anaplastic carcinoma (11.1%) and malignant lymphoma (11.1%). Patients with histological diagnosis of malignant tumours were significantly older than those with benign tumours (p = 0.01). Most patients (80.6%) presented with painless swelling. CONCLUSION: Malignant submandibular salivary gland tumours were slightly more than the benign ones in the studied population. Painful swelling or ulceration is indicative ofa malignant submandibular gland tumour.

OBJETIVO: Este estudio presenta una revisión clinicopatológica de casos de tumores de la glándula salival submandibular en el Hospital Docente de la Universidad de Lagos, Nigeria, por un periodo de 17 años. MÉTODOS: Se revisaron retrospectivamente las historias clínicas de todos los pacientes con el diagnóstico histológico de los tumores de la glándula salival submandibular en el Hospital Docente de la Universidad de Lagos, correspondientes a un periodo de 17 años (de enero de 1990 a diciembre de 2006). Los parámetros estudiados incluyeron: la edad y el género de los pacientes, síntomas y duración de síntomas, y diagnóstico histológico. RESULTADOS: Un total de 36 pacientes con tumores de la glándula de submandibular fueron atendidos durante ese periodo. La proporción varón:hembra fue 1.8:1 (varones = 23, hembras = 13). La edad promedio (± SD) al momento de su presentación fue 43 (± 19) años (rango de edad, 17-84 años). Hubo 19 tumores malignos y 17 benignos. El adenoma pleomórfico (36.1%) fue el tipo de tumor más frecuente, seguido por el carcinoma cístico adenoideo (11.1%), el carcinoma anaplástico (11.1%) y el linfoma maligno (11.1%). Los pacientes con diagnóstico histológico de tumores malignos eran significativamente de más edad que los que tenían tumores benignos (p = 0.01). La mayoría de los pacientes (80.6%) presentaban hinchazón sin dolor. CONCLUSIÓN: Los tumores malignos de la glándula salival submandibular fueron ligeramente mayor en número que los benignos en la población estudiada. Hinchazón dolorosa o la ulceración dolorosas son indicios de un tumor maligno de la glándula submandibular.