Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome among Young Women of a University in Central Gujarat - A Cross-sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common reproductive endocrinological disorders affecting 6%-8% of women in reproductive years. An early liberal PCOS screening appears to be a cost-effective strategy, benefiting earlier diagnosis and intervention. OBJECTIVES: The objectives are to measure the prevalence of PCOS and factors associated with PCOS among young girl students of a University in Central Gujarat. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All consenting girl medical students enrolled in MBBS curriculum during 2013-2017 were given a self-administered questionnaire (for signs and symptoms of PCOS), taking due prior permissions; during January 2018-June 2019. Using Rotterdam (2006) criteria, those who were screened for PCOS were subjected to abdominal ultrasonography (USG) and if required, laboratory investigations (random blood sugar, thyroid-stimulating hormone, and free testosterone). The proportion of young women having PCOS as per the Rotterdam and European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology (EHSRE) Criteria are reported. RESULTS: The study enrolled 308 girl medical students. More than one-tenth of the study participants (11.7%, 36/308) had confirmed PCOS (Rotterdam Criteria). As per the EHSRE criteria, 24/36 had classic PCOS, 11/36 had ovulatory phenotype, and 01/36 had the non-hyperandrogenic phenotype PCOS. USG was required in 123/308 (39%); of which 91 consented and 16/91 (18%) had conclusive PCOS. Twenty-three girls required laboratory investigations, of which two had abnormal values suggestive of PCOS. Irregular menses and hirsutism were significantly associated with the PCOS (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The proportion of young medical students with PCOS was 12%. Irregular menses and hirsutism were significantly associated with PCOS.

DNA defects, epigenetics, and gene expression in cancer-adjacent breast: a study from The Cancer Genome Atlas.

Recurrence rates after breast-conserving therapy may depend on genomic characteristics of cancer-adjacent, benign-appearing tissue. Studies have not evaluated recurrence in association with multiple genomic characteristics of cancer-adjacent breast tissue. To estimate the prevalence of DNA defects and RNA expression subtypes in cancer-adjacent, benign-appearing breast tissue at least 2 cm from the tumor margin, cancer-adjacent, pathologically well-characterized, benign-appearing breast tissue specimens from The Cancer Genome Atlas project were analyzed for DNA sequence, copy-number variation, DNA methylation, messenger RNA (mRNA) sequence, and mRNA/microRNA expression. Additional samples were also analyzed by at least one of these genomic data types and associations between genomic characteristics of normal tissue and overall survival were assessed. Approximately 40% of cancer-adjacent, benign-appearing tissues harbored genomic defects in DNA copy number, sequence, methylation, or in RNA sequence, although these defects did not significantly predict 10-year overall survival. Two mRNA/microRNA expression phenotypes were observed, including an active mRNA subtype that was identified in 40% of samples. Controlling for tumor characteristics and the presence of genomic defects, this active subtype was associated with significantly worse 10-year survival among estrogen receptor (ER)-positive cases. This multi-platform analysis of breast cancer-adjacent samples produced genomic findings consistent with current surgical margin guidelines, and provides evidence that extratumoral RNA expression patterns in cancer-adjacent tissue predict overall survival among patients with ER-positive disease.