Multiparametric flow cytometric analysis of estrogen receptor: a study on Egyptian breast cancer patients

Precise prognostication of breast cancer based on immunohistochemical features is a challenging assay. Thus, there is a need for more sophisticated prognostic determinants. This work aims to investigate the sensitivity of flow cytometry for the accurate evaluation of steroid receptor positive, tumor cells in formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue sections. These sections from forty breast cancer patients were subjected to multiparametric flow cytometric analysis for simultaneous assessment of estrogen receptor and DNA content analysis as well as immunohistochemical staining for steroid receptors. Moreover, tumor markers were estimated in the preoperable sera of these patients. About fifty seven percent of tumors were aneuploid. Seven tumors were interpreted positive for ER by FCM and negative by IHC. Flow cytometric results were confirmed by the traditional prognostic factors. Higher levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 occurred predominantly in aneuploid tumors with lymph nodal metastasis and positively immunostained for both estrogen and progesterone receptors. Multiparametric flow cytometric analysis may allows the detection of specific subset of patients that would otherwise escapes detection

Prognostic value of serum ferritin and erythropoietin in protein energy malnutrition in infants and young Egyptian children

Erythropoiesis was evaluated in 40 infants and young Egyptian children from 6 months up to 3 years old, diagnosed as protein energy malnutrition and in 10 healthy infants and young children as controls. The hemoglobin and hematocrit values were significantly lower than the control group. While the mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were decreased, but not to a significant level. The white blood cell count increased to a significant level. To evaluate liver function, alanine aminotransferase was increased, but not to a significant level than the control. The serum albumin was decreased significantly. While the serum ferritin and erythropoietin were increased significantly. A low concentration of serum ferritin is characterized only in iron deficiency anemia, however in certain states as liver affection, serum ferritin concentration may be elevated out of proportion to changes in storage in iron. The anemia of protein energy malnutrition is due to mixed deficiencies [e.g. riboflavin, iron deficiency] resulting in ineffective erythropoietin despite of its increased level