Types, frequency, morphology and risk factors of breast cancer in modified radical mastectomy

Objective: To evaluate the types, morphology, frequency and risk factors of breast carcinoma in modified radical mastectomy specimens

Design: Cross Sectional study

Place and Duration of Study: In Shaukat Khanum Laboratory Lahore, within 10 months from January 2012 to December 2012

Patients and Methods: By using non probability, convenient sampling technique 90 patients between 30-80 years, who underwent modified radical mastectomy, were recruited in the study from Lahore Medical University. Specimens were taken and fixed in 10% formalin. Gross and microscopic examination was done. To minimize the risk of diagnostic error slides were observed by two Histopathologists from Shaukat Khanum Laboratory Lahore

Results: 35.5% patients with breast carcinoma belonged to 4th to 5th decades, 50% patients [45/90] had carcinoma on right side, 66.6% [60/90] cases were infiltrating ductal carcinoma and 26.6 [24/90] cases were lobular type. Women with positive family history shows 33% [30/90] of breast carcinoma, of these samples 24% [22/90] females gives history of using oral contraceptive, whereas 22% [20/90] of them have positive history of smoking, 20% [n=18] had undergone radiation exposure

Conclusions: Highest frequency of breast cancer was found in 40-50 year old women. Ductal Carcinoma was the most common type. Factors highly associated with breast cancer in local population were found to be Positive family history, Oral Contraceptives and radiation exposure

Effects of intake of nitrate, nitrite and isosorbid dinitrate (ISDN) on plasma nitrate/nitrite contents in rabbits

Background: The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the changes in plasma levels of nitrate and nitrite in rabbits after oral [intragastric] administration of inorganic nitrate [KNO[3]], inorganic nitrite [NaNO[2]] and organic nitrate [isosorbide dinitrate, ISDN]

Material and Methods: Twenty eight rabbits were divided into four groups [7 in each group] and various doses of these solutions were given via intragastric route. Group-1 [control] was given 6 ml distilled water. Group-11 [nitrate] was given 500 mg nitrate, group-Ill [nitrite] 50 mg nitrite and group-IV 20 mg ISDN per kg body weight per day. The experiment was conducted for 12 weeks and blood samples were taken at regular intervals. Plasma nitrate and nitrite levels were determined as stable metabolites of nitric oxide [NO] formation

Results: Results indicate 28.2+/-3.3 pmoles/dL nitrate and 21.24+/-2.8 pmoles/dL nitrite, a nitrite/nitrate ratio of 0.75 in all 28 rabbits at zero-day. After 1-day of nitrate intake, an 8.1-fold increase in nitrate content [from 29.3+/-3.32 to 238.5+/-48.9 pmoles/dL, p<0.05] and 2.3-fold increase in nitrite content [from 20.67+/-2.88 to 48.75+/-6.36 pmoles/dL] in group-ll animals was seen. No significant change was observed in their levels in group-Ill and IV animals during this period. On 2-day, plasma nitrate content decreased to 165.4+/-18.3 pmoles/dL and nitrite contents dropped to normal in group-ll animals. After 1-week, nitrate content in group-ll also decreased to normal values. However, nitrite content in group-Ill animals increased 3-fold [from 18.43+/-3.06 to 57+/-4.96 moles/dL] during 1-week with no increase in nitrate content. No sudden rise or fall in contents was observed for 12-weeks in all the groups

Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the plasma nitrate and nitrite contents are not changed significantly in all four groups in 12-weeks duration [except the initial rise in week-1] and I animals may possess some adaptive metabolic mechanisms to normalize these levels

Coffee intake and elevated lipid profile in humans

Coffee intake from two months diet records was studied in association with serum lipid profile concentrations in a cross- sectional sample of 60 middle aged men and women to determine the significance and form of their inter-relationships. The number of coffee cups consumed per day correlated positively with the levels of total cholesterol [p< 0.05], and LDL- cholesterol [p < 0.05], and negatively with the levels of HDL- cholesterol [P< 0.05]. Graphic analysis revealed that serum concentrations of total cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol were unrelated to intake of up to 3 cups of coffee per day and positively associated with intake exceeding 3-4 cups. These results suggest that heavy coffee drinkers have lipoprotein profiles suggestive of increased cardiovascular disease risk, although the causality remains to be determined