EGFR and HER-2/neu expression in gallbladder carcinoma: an institutional experience

Background: Gallbladder cancer [GBC] is the most common malignancy of the biliary tract in India. Despite the recent advancement in the understanding of the cancer biology, the disease still remains a therapeutic challenge with poor prognosis and low survival. Surgery is the primary modality of treatment and rest of the modalities are basically adjuvant in nature. This study was performed to evaluate the epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR] and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 [HER-2/neu] expression in GBC

Methods: The present study was prospective and done in tertiary super-specialty institute of northern India. This was a pilot study, and at the time of completion, 29 samples were found suitable which were later submitted for EGFR and HER-2/neu evaluation. The sample includes both cases of GBC [n=18] and cholecystitis [n=11] as control. [Table 1] After performing necessary processing, slides were incubated with primary antibody [EGFR] ready to use [RTU] BioGenex, India and HER-2/neu dilution 1: 600, Dakopatts [Denmark]. Then slides were incubated with secondary antibody [Real Envision Detection Kit, Dakopatts, Denmark]. Finally in mounted slides, cell membrane staining was used to assess positivity for EGFR and HER-2/neu

Results: EGFR was positive in 21/29 [72.41%] overall, out of which 14/18 [77.78%] positive in cases and 7/11 [63.64%] positive in control. [Table 1, 3][Figure 2]. For HER-2/neu, it was positive in 21/29 [72.41%] overall, just like in EGFR mentioned above, but positive 12/18 [66.67%] in cases and 9/11 [81.82%] in control respectively. [Table 1, 3][Figure 3]

Conclusion: Despite the efforts by many investigators, GBC continues to represent a major challenge in oncology. Surgical resection remains the only curative treatment for this disease. The roles of radiation, chemoradiation, and chemotherapy in neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings remained to be defined in prospective studies. With further studies based on molecular understanding and developing new targeted therapies, we will be in better position to manage GBC and increase the survival rate

Cervical cancer in women diagnosed at the national health laboratory, Sudan: a call for screening

Cancer of the cervix is the second most prevalent cancer of women to date in the Sudan, in a concerted review of the records of the hospital-based cancer registry of the Radiation and Isotope Centre of Khartoum [RICK]. However, in spite of a wealth of data, this is the first study to date describing the histopathologic prevalence of cervical cancer in the Sudan. To identify the percentage and clinicopathological pattern of cervical cancer cases diagnosed at Histopathology Department, National Health Laboratory [NHL] in Khartoum, Sudan. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study conducted at the NHL. All cases with histopathological diagnosis of cervical neoplasm in the period from 2004-2009 were reviewed. Patients' clinical data were obtained from clinical records. Exclusion criteria included inadequate clinical information and unavailability of both Hematoxylin and Eosin stained [H and E] sections and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded [FFPE] blocks. The WHO classification of cancer of the cervix [2003] was used to describe disease type. SPSS data analysis was applied. A total of 287 cases were reviewed and 195 cases were included in the study. The mean of cervical cancer cases diagnosed per year at NHL is 7.9%. The commonest age group affected was patients grouped between 41-60 years [52%] followed by 61-80 years [26.3%]. Histologically, 95.9% of the cases were carcinomas. Squamous cell carcinomas were 90.9%, Adenocarcinomas 4.8%, and other epithelial tumours were 4.3%. Of the Squamous carcinomas, 98.8% were invasive and 1.2% intraepithelial [cervical intraepithelial neoplasia]. The majority of case presentations were that of a protruding cervical mass. We noticed the commonest symptom being bleeding per vagina. To determine the incidence of cervical cancer in the Sudan a national populationbased registry is necessary. The mean age of patients presenting with cervical cancer to NHL is 53.25 years. This is in keeping with the natural history of the human papilloma virus [HPV]. The late presentation of patients with aggressive disease necessitates health education and cervical cancer screening as well as strict guidelines for medical record keeping in line with good medical practices, enabling good data collection for the newly established population-based cancer registry