Association Of Weight Change In Breast Cancer Patients Undergoing Tamoxifen Treatment At A Tertiary Care Centre, Sindh, Pakistan.

BACKGROUND: Tamoxifen is a selective oestrogen receptor modulator; in the breast, it decreases the growth and proliferation of breast epithelial cells. We assessed the weight change after Tamoxifen use in breast cancer patients. METHODS: This was a single-centred, prospective, observational cohort study. All patients diagnosed with breast cancer with ER and/or PR positivity were enrolled in the study. Out of these, 90 patients who have been prescribed Tamoxifen treatment either in adjuvant or palliative setting gave their consent to participate. Demographic data, treatment plan, menstrual status, weight, BMI, serum fasting lipid profile, change in diet, and change in physical activity were recorded at the time of diagnosis and then quarterly until 1 year of treatment. RESULTS: A mean age of 42.12±8.5 years was reported, and the mean weight was 62.22±10.6 kg. The majority of the patients, i.e., 68 (75.55%) had advanced tumour stages (III and IV). The study reported that the mean weight of the patients changed significantly at different time intervals during the treatment course (p<0.0005). Moreover, there was an upward trend in weight from the time of starting Tamoxifen to 3-months (62.22±1.51 kg vs 62.88±1.45 kg, respectively). There was a statistically significant increase in weight at 6-month, 9-month, and 12-month of Tamoxifen treatment (63.72±1.46 kg, 64.35±1.42 kg, 65.12±1.44 kg, respectively). Also, most of the patients gained weight as time passed by. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicated that Tamoxifen has a significant correlation with the increase in weight in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients in our population.

Frequency Of Hormone Receptors And Her-2/Neu Receptor Positivity In Different Histology In Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to see the frequency of hormone receptors and Her-2/Neu positivity in different histology in breast cancer patients. METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Department of Medical Oncology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre from June 2018- March 2019. Total 373 patients of age 22-81 years of which 360 female and 13 males, with histopathological proven diagnosis of breast cancer were included in the study using non-probability consecutive sampling technique. The immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on biopsy sample for the status of PR, ER and HER-2/Neu and the confirmation of Her-2/Neu was done by Fluorescent In situ Hybridization (FISH) technique if HER-2/Neu was equivocal by IHC testing. Information regarding demographics, family history, histology, grade, stage, metastatic site and other histopathological parameters were noted on predesigned proforma by the researcher. SPSS-23 was used to analyse data. RESULTS: Total of 373 patients were included in the study. The mean patient age was 45.34±12.28 years. ER, PR, Her 2 Neu (IHC) & Her 2 Neu (FISH) were found positive in 206 (55.2%), 182 (48.8%), 121 (32.4%) & 23 (6.2%) patients, respectively. The histology with PR receptor & grade of tumour with ER & PR receptor showed statistical significance (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ER, PR & HER-2/NEU expressions in breast cancer vary among different population and it is very important to find out the frequency among different histopathological types as it is of predictive and prognostic value. So, it is recommended to look for these markers and treat them accordingly.

Cytogenetic Abnormalities In Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Patients.

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is malignant neoplasms of myeloid cells categorized by clonal expansion of hematopoietic blasts of myeloid lineage in peripheral blood and bone marrow. The aim of current study is to identify the common cytogenetic abnormalities in AML patients presenting at a tertiary care hospital of Pakistan. METHODS: It was a cross-sectional study conducted at the department of Medical oncology of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi from Jun 2017- Jan 2019. The non-probability consecutive sampling technique was used to select patients. Total 92 cases of AML of age 15-55 years of either gender were included in the study. The detection of cytogenetic abnormality was done on the bone marrow biopsy. The cytogenetic abnormalities were classified into the three cytogenetic risk groups as favourable, intermediate and unfavourable. For analysis of data SPSS 23 version was used. RESULTS: The cytogenetic abnormalities were detected in 34 (37%) of the AML patients while 58 (63%) patients had normal cytogenetic. Thirty-two females (34.8%) had a normal cytogenetic (46; XX), and 15 females (16.3%) had various cytogenetic abnormalities. Twenty-six males (28.3%) had normal cytogenetic (46; XY) and 19 males (20.7%) had various cytogenetic abnormalities. Most of the patients were in intermediate risk group (67.4%), followed by favourable (17.4%) and unfavourable risk group (15.2%). The most frequent chromosomal abnormalities observed were complex cytogenetic which was detected in 5 AML patients. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study cytogenetic abnormalities were found in 37% of AML patients. Sixty-seven of the AML patients were in intermediate risk group and five patients had complex cytogenetic. Hence the cytogenetic analysis provides significant information regarding prognosis of AML patients and the cytogenetic abnormalities are less than international literature.

Amenorrhea After Chemotherapy In Breast Cancer Patient.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to determine the frequency of amenorrhea after chemotherapy among breast cancer patients". METHODS: Total 201 premenopausal females (having menstruation during the past 6 months at the time of diagnosis) of age 15-45 years and had confirmed diagnosis of breast cancer requiring chemotherapy were included in the study using non-probability consecutive sampling technique. Amenorrhea within 6 months after the completion of chemotherapy was labelled as chemotherapy induced amenorrhea. Data was entered and analysed using SPSS-23. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was reported as 37.06±5.68 years. Majority of the females were married (86.6%) & multigravida (81.1%). Most of the patients (23.9%) received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery and radiotherapy. A total of 129 patients received Adriamycin plus cyclophosphamide followed by paclitaxel as chemotherapy regimen. Out of 201 females, 184 (91.5%) experienced amenorrhea after start or completion of chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of CIA was very high among breast cancer patients in our study, long term follow-up is needed to see input of CIA on future fertility.

Response Rate of Cisplatin Plus Docetaxel as Primary Treatment in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Carcinoma (Squamous Cell Types).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the response rate of Cisplatin plus Docetaxel in the treatment of locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a longitudinal study, conducted at the Department of Medical Oncology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, Karachi, Pakistan from December 2018 to June 2019. One hundred patients of age 14-66 years of age of either gender with histologically proven Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck, Stage III and IV (locally advanced) with no distant metastases were included in the study. Patients who were declared unresectable by the otolaryngologist and those with delayed appointment for radiation were given 3 cycles of Induction Chemotherapy with Cisplatin and Docetaxel, both at a dose of 75mg/m2 3 weekly. After 3 cycles, CT scan was repeated to assess the clinical response. Those patients who had partial or complete response as per RECIST criteria were re-assessed by the otolaryngologist and were planned for surgery if disease became resectable while other patients were referred for Concurrent Chemo-Radiation Therapy (CCRT). SPSS version 23 was used to analyze data. RESULTS: The partial response was achieved in majority of the patients after Induction Chemotherapy with Docetaxel and Cisplatin (62%) with a complete response in 12 %. However, 22% showed progression of the disease, and 4% showed stable disease. The most frequent side effects observed were diarrhea (62%) and neutropenia (57%). CONCLUSION: Induction chemotherapy with Cisplatin and Docetaxel is a promising regimen with good response and favorable toxicity profile and can be considered as a potentially effective outpatient regimen for locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia with Occult Systemic Mastocytosis or Atypical Mast Cells Post-induction.

Systemic mastocytosis (SM) is a state of disease that is related to the clonal, neoplastic proliferation of mast cells. Patients who present with SM-Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) often have the worst outcome. We present a case of an 18-year-old female who was diagnosed with AML (FLT3 (Fms like tyrosine kinase 3) and PML-RARA (promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha) translocation-negative) and after initial treatment with a standard induction regimen of cytarabine and daunorubicin (3+7 regimen), her bone marrow showed blast cells less than 5% and dense aggregates/sheets of atypical/immature mast cells with immunohistochemical stain CD117+ve and toluidine blue positive in mast cell aggregates. Mastocytosis is a clonal neoplastic proliferation of mast cells that accumulate in one or more organ system. Therefore, it is essential to diagnose systemic mastocytosis, particularly in patients of hematological neoplasms.