Intramedullary spinal tuberculoma

Spinal intradural intramedullary tuberculoma is extremely rare entity of tuberculosis involving the nervous system. Because of its atypical symptomatology, it must be considered in differential diagnosis of spinal cord lesions, especially where prevalence of tuberculosis is high. In this case report this atypical disease is described where good outcome was achieved by surgical excision of the intramedullary lesion followed by antituberculous therapy

Scientific importance of circumcision in the light of Islam

Islam is the religion, which mentions all aspects of life in detail, most of the principles of life are now proved on scientific parameters, and some principles are described in the Holy Qur'an and some in the Hadith. Circumcision is one of the important Sunnah of Prophet Mohammad [and], which has most significance in medical point of view. It is nothing but excision of prepuce of glans penis, it is practically essential for all Muslims and Jews. Circumcision provides local hygiene and prevents from local infective disorders, so that 'it can help in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases as well as diseases of prepuce or penis e.g. phyrnosis, paraphymosis, balanitis, posthitis prepucial wart, even carcinoma of penis is common in those communities who do not perform circumcisions. By adopting this Sunnah of Mohammad [and], we can prevent from several diseases as mentioned above and this will help mankind. Keeping these facts in mind the present paper will discuss the scientific significance of circumcision with special reference to Islamic concepts

Male breast cancer

To review cases of male breast cancer. Histopathology Section, Department of Pathology, The Aga Khan University, Karachi. Fifty one cases of male breast cancer specimens, received during a period of 10 years, routinely processed and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin were analyzed. Special stains and Immunohistochemistry were used in difficult cases. Male breast cancer affected individuals in the sixth and seventh decades of life with a mean age of 56.2 years. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma [IDC] was the predominant type. Skin involvement was seen in 27.45% of the cases. Breast lump was the most common presenting symptom followed by skin ulceration. At the time of presentation 43.13% patients had a tumour size of more than 3 cm. Male breast cancer is a rare disease. Most of our findings correspond to the published local and international data

survival analysis of metastatic breast cancer in Pakistani patients

OBJECTIVE: To determine the overall survival of metastatic breast cancer in the Pakistani patients and compare it with published information. METHOD: The design was a retrospective analysis of metastatic breast cancer patients from breast cancer database. A total of 137 patient based information was available for review and analysis. An overall median survival of 2.83 years was noted in metastatic breast cancer patients. This survival figure in this study compares favorably to those published in the literature

Hypothermic cancer treatment and molecular events associated with the immunocytolytic potential of cancer cells: a review

A review of the current state of knowledge on the effect of hyperthemmia on molecular aspects of the killing of cancer cells by imntunocytolysis is presented. The effect of hypenherthermia, fractionated heat and the synthesis of heat shock proteins, following heat or chemical stress, was examined on the density and lateral diffusion of murine cell surface histucompatibility antigens [H-2K]. These two properties of cell surface antigens are essential for the cell mediated killing of tumour cells. The results suggest that: [1] after an initial decrease following a heat shock, there is an increase in the antigen density of surviving cells. A remarkable 10-25 fold increase of antigens was observed in a sub-population of heat treated cells: [2] heat induced membrane modification, as shown by antigen protection; is far more rapid than the development of thermotoleranee; [3] heat shock proteins do not affect the thermal response of these antigens; [4] an unexpected observation was that CH-1 cells do not synthesize heat shock proteins under chemical or thermal stress-.cs. Heat effects on the diffusion patterns of membrane antigens of all the cell lines showed a temperature dependent decrease in the mobile fraction of the membrane. This "freezing" phenomenon was unaffected by the presence or absence of heat or chemically induced heat shock proteins. After 48-60 hr. following a heat shock, the diffusion patterns of the heat shocked cells were similar to those of unheated control cells. These data show that immediately after heat treatment, cells may be refractory to immnnumocytolysis. However, 96 hr. after heating, a striking increase in antigen density and normalization of the mobility properties of the membrane should render them susceptible to cytolysis. This review presents an explanation for the conflicting claims from different laboratories around the world regarding cancer cures and the susceptibility of tumours to inutuumocytolysis after heat treatment