Estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and nuclear size features in female breast cancer in Libya: correlation with clinical features and survival.

BACKGROUND: The features of Libyan patients with breast cancer have not been fully investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression patterns of estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), as well as nuclear morphometric features, in patients with breast cancer, and to correlate them with clinicopathological features and prognosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data for a total of 62 female Libyan patients with breast cancer, diagnosed between 2000 and 2006, were retrospectively studied. Their clinical and pathological data were collected and analysed. Immunohistochemical evaluation of ER and PR expression was also performed. Further more nuclear morphometry was carried out. RESULTS: Of the 62 patients, disease in 10 was of the lobular type, 43 had invasive ductal and 9 had other carcinoma types; 47 out of 62 had lymph node involvement. Positive hormonal receptor expression was more common among those with lymph node-negative than lymph node-positive tumours. ER- and PR-positive patients appeared to have a better survival than ER- and PR-negative patients. The most significant difference, with respect to survival, was found between those bearing tumors with completely negative hormonal staining (J score 0) and those with positive staining (J score 1, 2 and 3). Larger nuclear size was associated with lymph node involvement and high-grade tumours (p<0.01 and p<0.0001, respectively), with shorter survival, larger tumour size and higher stage. CONCLUSION: The cut-off points for defining the groups with good or worse prognosis might be set, between score 0 and 1 (corresponding to 1% or fewer positive cells). Patients with ER- and PR-positive cancer had better overall survival than patients with hormonal receptor-negative cancer. In our hospital setting, ER and PR expressions and mean nuclear area (MNA) in breast carcinoma may be prognostically useful markers in guiding future treatment in prospective studies.

Percutaneous ultrasound-guided renal biopsy.

This study was done to assess the safety and efficacy of real-time ultrasound-guided percutaneous renal biopsy (PRB) and to determine the optimal period of observation required as well as to ascertain the risk factors for any ensuing complications. Between 1 st February 2006 and 31 st January 2008, a total of 86 PRBs were performed by the radiologist using an automated biopsy gun with 16-gauge needle at the National Organ Transplant Centre, Central Hospital, Tripoli, Libya. Prior to the procedure coagulation profile was done in all the patients. All patients were kept on strict bed rest for 6-hours post-procedure. Of the 86 renal biopsies performed, 78 patients were referred from Rheumatology Department and 8 were post-kidney transplant recipients. There were 23 males with age ranging from 15 to 56 years and 63 females with age ranging from 16 to 66 years. A mean of 17.5 glomeruli were present in each specimen. A glomerular yield of less than five glomeruli was seen in only four biopsies. Class I lupus nephritis (LN) was seen in one patient, class II LN in seven patients, class III LN in 13 patients and class IV LN in 29 patients. All the eight renal allografts were diagnosed as either acute tubular necrosis or acute interstitial rejection. The overall complication rate was 5.8% and these complications were observed within 6 hours of biopsy. No late complications were seen. PRB under real-time ultra-sound guidance is a safe and efficacious procedure to establish the histological diagnosis of the renal disease and may be done as an out-patient procedure. A post-biopsy observation time of 6 hours appears to be optimal.

Correlation of nuclear morphometry of breast cancer in histological sections with clinicopathological features and prognosis.

BACKGROUND: The relation of nuclear morphometry measurements with clinicopathological features was evaluated along with prognosis in invasive female breast carcinoma in Libyan patients. Data was compared with corresponding results on Finnish, and Nigerian female breast cancer patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Histological samples from 131 patients of breast carcinoma were retrospectively studied by computerized nuclear morphometry. In each case, 50 nuclei were measured and the mean nuclear morphometric features were calculated and compared with different clinicopathological features, and patient's survival. RESULTS: There was statistically significant correlation between the mean nuclear area (MNA) and most clinicopathological features, with the strongest association observed for nuclear grade (p<0.0001). There was also correlation between nuclear area and tumor stage (p<0.04), tumor size (p<0.03) and lymph node (LN) status (p<0.001). A corresponding relationship was found between other size related features and clinical factors. The univariate analysis and survival analysis indicated that short survival time was associated with high nuclear morphometric values. MNA had negative correlation with length of survival (Pearson's test r=-0.29, p=0.019). Morphometric shape features did not show significant association with clinical features or survival. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that nuclear size features are reliable prognostic indicators in Libyan female breast carcinomas, as they were among Finnish and Nigerian females. The nuclear morphometric parameters can identify the aggressive tumor phenotype and provide significant prognostic information in predicting survival and tumors at risk of progression. The cut-off (71.0 mum(2)) of MNA might be applied as quantitative criterium for Libyan nuclear grading to separate patients into good and poor prognosis groups.