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Fulltext Expression and mutational analysis of GATA3 in Malaysian breast carcinomas

Bong PN, Zakaria Z, Muhammad R, Abdullah N, Ibrahim N, Emran NA, et al.

Malays J Pathol, 2010 Dec;32(2):117-22.
PMID: 21329183 MyJurnal

The GATA3 gene is a potential tumour marker and putative tumour suppressor gene in breast cancer. Its expression is associated with better prognosis and disease free survival in breast cancer patients. We aimed to evaluate GATA3 transcriptome expression and mutation in breast carcinomas and correlate its expression with oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), lymph node (LN) status, tumour grade and c-erbB-2 expression. Twenty-two breast infiltrating ductal carcinomas and paired normal tissues were used in Branch DNA assay to detect GATA3 mRNA expression. Normalized data for GATA3 mRNA expression were grouped according to the ER, PR and LN status, tumour grade and c-erbB-2 expression of the tumours. Statistical significance was tested using t-test and ANOVA at 95% confidence interval level. Mutational analysis of GATA3 was performed by direct sequencing of the coding regions of GATA3 mRNA. Our findings showed that GATA3 gene were over-expressed and under-expressed by > 2 fold change in 12 and 4 tested samples, respectively. Eighty per cent of ER positive breast carcinomas were GATA3 positive. There was a statistically significant correlation between GATA3 expression and ER at 95% confidence interval level between the study groups. On the contrary, GATA3 expression was not statistically significant with PR, LN, tumour grade and c-erbB-2 expression in our study. In addition, we observed that there was no mutation in mRNA coding region in 16 breast carcinomas that showed GATA3 differential gene expression. Our preliminary results suggested that GATA3 is linked to the ER. This scenario suggests that GATA3 may play a crucial role in oestrogen receptor positive breast cancer patients. Whether GATA3 expression is involved in regulating tumour cell growth in oestrogen responsive breast cancer is a key question that remains to be answered.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/genetics*; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/metabolism
Chronic nonhealing ulcer of the right thumb with multiple subcutaneous nodules

Manohar A, Nizlan MN

Orthopedics, 2008 Jul;31(7):710.
PMID: 19292371

A 60-year-old man presented with a 3-month history of nonhealing ulcer over the tip of his right thumb. The ulcer started as a blister over the tip of the thumb that later ruptured and spread proximally to cover the whole pulp area of the thumb. There was no history of trauma, fever, weight loss, or loss of appetite. He is a pensioner and an avid gardener. He has a few cats as pets. The patient initially presented to a private orthopedic surgeon with a nonhealing ulcer of the right thumb. Multiple debridements were unsuccessful in ameliorating the ulcer. Three months after the onset of the initial lesion, multiple painless erythematous nodules had developed on his right arm, and one on the right thigh. All routine blood investigations were nondiagnostic. Swab culture from the ulcer failed to grow any organism and a course of antibiotics did not resolve the problem. Cultures of the biopsy specimen using Sabouraud's dextrose agar and potato carrot medium grew dark brown plaques that microscopically appeared to be branching hyphae. A diagnosis of sporotrichosis of the right upper limb was made and the patient was started on antifungal treatment immediately (T. Itraconazole [Sporanox] 200 mg BD). One month after commencement of antifungal treatment, the ulcer began to dry up and at 3 months all the lesions including the one on the right thigh had healed.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Basal Cell/diagnosis; Carcinoma, Basal Cell/surgery
Fulltext Immunohistochemical study of p16 INK4A and survivin expressions in cervical squamous neoplasm

Tan GC, Norlatiffah S, Sharifah NA, Razmin G, Shiran MS, Hatta AZ, et al.

Indian J Pathol Microbiol, 2010 Jan-Mar;53(1):1-6.
PMID: 20090212 DOI: 10.4103/0377-4929.59173

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer affecting Malaysian women. Despite the implementation of pap smear screening, many women are still diagnosed only in the advanced stage of cervical cancer. This could partly be due to failure of detection of its precursor lesions; hence the need to search for novel biomarkers to assist in the screening and diagnosis of cervical neoplasia. This study aims to determine the expression of p16INK4A and survivin as possible predictive biomarkers in cervical squamous neoplasm.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnosis*; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology*
Factors associated with HER2 overexpression in breast cancer: Experience in an Asian developing country

Tan GH, Choo WY, Taib NA, Yip CH

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2009;10(5):837-40.
PMID: 20104975

INTRODUCTION: The HER2 gene is amplified in up to 30% of human breast cancers, leading to overexpression of the HER2 protein on the cell surface. Overexpression of HER2 is associated with a more aggressive cancer and hence a poorer overall survival.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between clinico-pathological features and HER2 overexpression in breast cancer.
METHODS: This is a retrospective study conducted in the Department of Surgery, University Malaya Medical Centre. The association between HER2 overexpression, determined by immunohistochemistry, and other clinicopathological factors was evaluated in 996 patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer treated from 2005 to 2007 using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.
RESULTS: HER2 overexpression occurred in 30.3% of patients. On bivariate analysis, HER2 overexpression was inversely related to ER expression (p<0.01) and PR expression (p<0.01). This overexpression was associated with a higher tumour grade, lymphovascular positivity and infiltrating ductal carcinoma subtype. On multivariate analysis, HER2 overexpression was significantly associated with higher tumour grade (p= 0.018, CI 1.25-11.04), PR negativity (p= 0.002, CI 0.30-0.77) and lymphovascular positivity (p= 0.042, CI 1.01-2.12).
CONCLUSIONS: HER2 overexpression was observed in 30.3% of Malaysian female breast cancer patients. This group of patients represents a more aggressive subtype of breast cancer with higher tumour grade, PR negativity and lymphovascular positivity. No significant relationship was established between HER2 overexpression and age, race, lymph node, ER, pathology subtype and stage of disease from this study.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/metabolism*; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/pathology
Fulltext Utility of Ki-67 and p53 in distinguishing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3 from squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix

Tan GC, Sharifah NA, Shiran MS, Salwati S, Hatta AZ, Paul-Ng HO

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2008 Oct-Dec;9(4):781-4.
PMID: 19256776

The differentiation between cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 3 (CIN 3) and early squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the cervix may be difficult in certain situations. Identification of invasion beyond the basement membrane is the gold standard for the diagnosis of the latter. The objective of this study was to determine whether the use of Ki-67 and p53 could help in solving the above dilemma. This was a retrospective study on 61 cases of cervical neoplasms comprising of 25 cases of CIN 3 and 36 SCC. All cases were evaluated by immunohistochemistry using Ki-67 and p53 monoclonal antibodies. Results showed that the differences of Ki-67 and p53 expression between CIN 3 and SCC were statistically significant. In conclusion, Ki-67 and p53 may serve as helpful adjuncts to routinely-stained histological sections in differentiating between CIN 3 and SCC.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/chemistry*
Expression of p53, bcl-2 and Ki-67 in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Looi ML, Dali AZ, Ali SA, Ngah WZ, Yusof YA

Anal. Quant. Cytol. Histol., 2008 Apr;30(2):63-70.
PMID: 18561741

To assess the expression of p53, bcl-2 and Ki-67 in the progression of cervical neoplasia.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism*; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology
Fulltext Isolation, identification and quantification of differentially expressed proteins from cancerous and normal breast tissues

Othman MI, Majid MI, Singh M, Man CN, Lay-Harn G

Ann. Clin. Biochem., 2008 May;45(Pt 3):299-306.
PMID: 18482919 DOI: 10.1258/acb.2007.007104

Infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDCA) is the most common type of breast cancer accounting for 85% of all invasive breast cancers.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/diagnosis*; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/metabolism
Typhonium flagelliforme inhibits cancer cell growth in vitro and induces apoptosis: an evaluation by the bioactivity guided approach

Lai CS, Mas RH, Nair NK, Majid MI, Mansor SM, Navaratnam V

J Ethnopharmacol, 2008 Jun 19;118(1):14-20.
PMID: 18436400 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2008.02.034

Typhonium flagelliforme (Lodd.) Blume (Araceae) is a Malaysian plant used locally to combat cancer. In order to evaluate its antiproliferative activity in vitro and to possibly identify the active chemical constituents, a bioactivity guided study was conducted on the extracts of this plant.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/drug therapy; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/metabolism
Gene expression in human oral squamous cell carcinoma is influenced by risk factor exposure

Cheong SC, Chandramouli GV, Saleh A, Zain RB, Lau SH, Sivakumaren S, et al.

Oral Oncol, 2009 Aug;45(8):712-9.
PMID: 19147396 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2008.11.002

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a world health problem and is associated with exposure to different risk factors. In the west, smoking and alcohol consumption are considered to be the main risk factors whilst in India and southeast Asia, betel quid (BQ) chewing is predominant. In this study, we compared the gene expression patterns of oral cancers associated with BQ chewing to those caused by smoking using Affymetrix microarrays. We found that 281 genes were differentially expressed between OSCC and normal oral mucosa regardless of aetiological factors including MMP1, PLAU, MAGE-D4, GNA12, IFITM3 and NMU. Further, we identified 168 genes that were differentially expressed between the BQ and smoking groups including CXCL-9, TMPRSS2, CA12 and RNF24. The expression of these genes was validated using qPCR using independent tissue samples. The results demonstrate that whilst common genes/pathways contribute to the development of oral cancer, there are also other gene expression changes that are specific to certain risk factors. The findings suggest that different carcinogens activate or inhibit specific pathways during cancer development and progression. These unique gene expression profiles should be taken into consideration when developing biomarkers for future use in prognostic or therapeutic applications.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/chemically induced; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics*
Fulltext The utility of hepatocyte paraffin 1 antibody in the immunohistological distinction of hepatocellular carcinoma from cholangiocarcinoma and metastatic carcinoma

Shiran MS, Isa MR, Mohd Sidik S, Rampal L, Hairuszah I, Sabariah AR

Malays J Pathol, 2006 Dec;28(2):87-92.
PMID: 18376797 MyJurnal

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer and its diagnosis on routine stains is usually straightforward, except in some cases where there may be difficulty in distinguishing HCCs from metastatic carcinomas (MC) and cholangiocarcinomas (CC). Hepatocyte Paraffin 1 antibody (Hep Par 1) is a new monoclonal antibody which reacts with normal and neoplastic hepatocytes, and this study aims to determine its specificity and sensitivity in distinguishing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) from cholangiocarcinoma (CC) and metastatic carcinomas (MC). Hep Par 1 antibody was applied to 28 cases of HCC, 22 cases of MC from varying sites and 8 CCs, and produced a strong, diffuse, granular, cytoplasmic staining of all benign hepatocytes. 23 out of 28 cases of HCC showed heterogeneously positive staining for Hep Par 1 irrespective of their degree of differentiation, while 2 out of 8 cases of cholangiocarcinoma were positive for Hep Par 1, and all 22 cases of metastatic carcinoma were negative. The sensitivity and specificity of Hep Par 1 for HCC was 82.1% and 93.3% respectively; whereby the antibody was noted to show occasional false positivity in cases of cholangiocarcinoma and non-neoplastic bowel mucosa, while its variable staining in HCC produced false negative results in some small biopsies. Thus, Hep Par 1 should be used in a panel with other antibodies to obtain useful information in distinguishing HCC from CC and MC.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis*; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/chemistry
Fulltext Genome wide analysis of chromosomal alterations in oral squamous cell carcinomas revealed over expression of MGAM and ADAM9

Vincent-Chong VK, Anwar A, Karen-Ng LP, Cheong SC, Yang YH, Pradeep PJ, et al.

PLoS One, 2013;8(2):e54705.
PMID: 23405089 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054705

Despite the advances in diagnosis and treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), mortality and morbidity rates have not improved over the past decade. A major drawback in diagnosis and treatment of OSCC is the lack of knowledge relating to how genetic instability in oral cancer genomes affects oral carcinogenesis. Hence, the key aim of this study was to identify copy number alterations (CNAs) that may be cancer associated in OSCC using high-resolution array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). To our knowledge this is the first study to use ultra-high density aCGH microarrays to profile a large number of OSCC genomes (n = 46). The most frequently amplified CNAs were located on chromosome 11q11(52%), 2p22.3(52%), 1q21.3-q22(54%), 6p21.32(59%), 20p13(61%), 7q34(52% and 72%),8p11.23-p11.22(80%), 8q11.1-q24.4(54%), 9q13-q34.3(54%), 11q23.3-q25(57%); 14q21.3-q31.1(54%); 14q31.3-q32.33(57%), 20p13-p12.3(54%) and 20q11.21-q13.33(52%). The most frequently deleted chromosome region was located on 3q26.1 (54%). In order to verify the CNAs from aCGH using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), the three top most amplified regions and their associated genes, namely ADAM5P (8p11.23-p11.22), MGAM (7q34) and SIRPB1 (20p13.1), were selected in this study. The ADAM5P locus was found to be amplified in 39 samples and deleted in one; MGAM (24 amplifications and 3 deletions); and SIRPB1 (12 amplifications, others undetermined). On the basis of putative cancer-related annotations, two genes, namely ADAM metallopeptidase domain 9 (ADAM9) and maltase-glucoamylase alpha-glucosidase (MGAM), that mapped to CNA regions were selected for further evaluation of their mRNA expression using reverse transcriptase qPCR. The over-expression of MGAM was confirmed with a 6.6 fold increase in expression at the mRNA level whereas the fold change in ADAM9 demonstrated a 1.6 fold increase. This study has identified significant regions in the OSCC genome that were amplified and resulted in consequent over-expression of the MGAM and ADAM9 genes that may be utilized as biological markers for OSCC.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/enzymology; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics*
Chemiluminescence as a diagnostic aid in the detection of oral cancer and potentially malignant epithelial lesions

Ram S, Siar CH

Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 2005 Jul;34(5):521-7.
PMID: 16053872

Chemiluminescence was evaluated as a diagnostic aid in the detection of oral cancer and potentially malignant epithelial lesions (PMELs) by comparing it against 1% tolonium chloride mouth rinse. Forty-six clinically identified lesions [14 primary squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 26 PMELs and 6 benign lesions] and five cases of normal oral mucosa from 40 subjects (inclusive of 10 previously treated SCC cases) were examined with a commercial chemiluminescent kit (Vizilite) and tolonium chloride. Biopsy and histological verification of 31 lesions disclosed 14 SCC (45.2%), 10 epithelial dysplasias (32.3%), 5 lichen planus (16.1%) and 2 benign lesions (6.4%). For the remaining 15 lesions, a biopsy was not performed owing to patient's lack of consent or ill-health. The five cases of normal oral mucosa which tested negative for both tools were also not biopsied for ethical reasons. Sensitivity for Vizilite and tolonium chloride was 100% and 70.3%, respectively; and specificity was 14.2% for Vizilite and 25% for tolonium chloride. Their accuracy was 80.6% and 64.5%, respectively. Current findings suggest that chemiluminescence is a more reliable diagnostic tool than tolonium chloride in the detection of oral cancer and PMELs, and for follow-up of patients treated for the same.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnosis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology
Fulltext Neutron Activated Samarium-153 Microparticles for Transarterial Radioembolization of Liver Tumour with Post-Procedure Imaging Capabilities

Hashikin NA, Yeong CH, Abdullah BJ, Ng KH, Chung LY, Dahalan R, et al.

PLoS One, 2015;10(9):e0138106.
PMID: 26382059 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138106

Samarium-153 (153Sm) styrene divinylbenzene microparticles were developed as a surrogate for Yttrium-90 (90Y) microspheres in liver radioembolization therapy. Unlike the pure beta emitter 90Y, 153Sm possess both therapeutic beta and diagnostic gamma radiations, making it possible for post-procedure imaging following therapy.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/radionuclide imaging; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/therapy*
Nanostructured lipid carrier in photodynamic therapy for the treatment of basal-cell carcinoma

Qidwai A, Khan S, Md S, Fazil M, Baboota S, Narang JK, et al.

Drug Deliv, 2016 May;23(4):1476-85.
PMID: 26978275 DOI: 10.3109/10717544.2016.1165310

Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising alternative for malignant skin diseases such as basal-cell carcinoma (BCC), due to its simplicity, enhanced patient compliance, and localization of the residual photosensitivity to the site of application. However, insufficient photosensitizer penetration into the skin is the major issue of concern with topical PDT. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to enable penetration of photosensitizer to the different strata of the skin using a lipid nanocarrier system. We have attempted to develop a nanostructured lipid carrier (NLC) for the topical delivery of second-generation photosensitizer, 5-amino levulinic acid (5-ALA), whose hydrophilicity and charge characteristic limit its percutaneous absorption. The microemulsion technique was used for preparing 5-ALA-loaded NLC. The mean particle size, polydispersity index, and entrapment efficiency of the optimized NLC of 5-ALA were found to be 185.2 ± 1.20, 0.156 ± 0.02, and 76.8 ± 2.58%, respectively. The results of in vitro release and in vitro skin permeation studies showed controlled drug release and enhanced penetration into the skin, respectively. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and cell line studies respectively demonstrated that encapsulation of 5-ALA in NLC enhanced its ability to reach deeper skin layers and consequently, increased cytotoxicity.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Basal Cell/drug therapy*; Carcinoma, Basal Cell/pathology
Earthworm-mediated synthesis of silver nanoparticles: A potent tool against hepatocellular carcinoma, Plasmodium falciparum parasites and malaria mosquitoes

Jaganathan A, Murugan K, Panneerselvam C, Madhiyazhagan P, Dinesh D, Vadivalagan C, et al.

Parasitol Int, 2016 Jun;65(3):276-84.
PMID: 26873539 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2016.02.003

The development of parasites and pathogens resistant to synthetic drugs highlighted the needing of novel, eco-friendly and effective control approaches. Recently, metal nanoparticles have been proposed as highly effective tools towards cancer cells and Plasmodium parasites. In this study, we synthesized silver nanoparticles (EW-AgNP) using Eudrilus eugeniae earthworms as reducing and stabilizing agents. EW-AgNP showed plasmon resonance reduction in UV-vis spectrophotometry, the functional groups involved in the reduction were studied by FTIR spectroscopy, while particle size and shape was analyzed by FESEM. The effect of EW-AgNP on in vitro HepG2 cell proliferation was measured using MTT assays. Apoptosis assessed by flow cytometry showed diminished endurance of HepG2 cells and cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. EW-AgNP were toxic to Anopheles stephensi larvae and pupae, LC(50) were 4.8 ppm (I), 5.8 ppm (II), 6.9 ppm (III), 8.5 ppm (IV), and 15.5 ppm (pupae). The antiplasmodial activity of EW-AgNP was evaluated against CQ-resistant (CQ-r) and CQ-sensitive (CQ-s) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. EW-AgNP IC(50) were 49.3 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 55.5 μg/ml (CQ-r), while chloroquine IC(50) were 81.5 μg/ml (CQ-s) and 86.5 μg/ml (CQ-r). EW-AgNP showed a valuable antibiotic potential against important pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Concerning non-target effects of EW-AgNP against mosquito natural enemies, the predation efficiency of the mosquitofish Gambusia affinis towards the II and II instar larvae of A. stephensi was 68.50% (II) and 47.00% (III), respectively. In EW-AgNP-contaminated environments, predation was boosted to 89.25% (II) and 70.75% (III), respectively. Overall, this research highlighted the EW-AgNP potential against hepatocellular carcinoma, Plasmodium parasites and mosquito vectors, with little detrimental effects on mosquito natural enemies.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy*; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/parasitology
Fulltext Dietary fat, fat subtypes and hepatocellular carcinoma in a large European cohort

Duarte-Salles T, Fedirko V, Stepien M, Aleksandrova K, Bamia C, Lagiou P, et al.

Int J Cancer, 2015 Dec 01;137(11):2715-28.
PMID: 26081477 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.29643

The role of amount and type of dietary fat consumption in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poorly understood, despite suggestive biological plausibility. The associations of total fat, fat subtypes and fat sources with HCC incidence were investigated in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) cohort, which includes 191 incident HCC cases diagnosed between 1992 and 2010. Diet was assessed by country-specific, validated dietary questionnaires. A single 24-hr diet recall from a cohort subsample was used for measurement error calibration. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated from Cox proportional hazard models. Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV/HCV) status and biomarkers of liver function were assessed separately in a nested case-control subset with available blood samples (HCC = 122). In multivariable calibrated models, there was a statistically significant inverse association between total fat intake and risk of HCC (per 10 g/day, HR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.65-0.99), which was mainly driven by monounsaturated fats (per 5 g/day, HR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.55-0.92) rather than polyunsaturated fats (per 5 g/day, HR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.68-1.25). There was no association between saturated fats (HR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.88-1.34) and HCC risk. The ratio of polyunsaturated/monounsaturated fats to saturated fats was not significantly associated with HCC risk (per 0.2 point, HR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.73-1.01). Restriction of analyses to HBV/HCV free participants or adjustment for liver function did not substantially alter the findings. In this large prospective European cohort, higher consumption of monounsaturated fats is associated with lower HCC risk.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/etiology*; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/epidemiology*
Fulltext Homozygous Wildtype of XPD K751Q Polymorphism Is Associated with Increased Risk of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Malaysian Population

Lye MS, Visuvanathan S, Chong PP, Yap YY, Lim CC, Ban EZ

PLoS One, 2015;10(6):e0130530.
PMID: 26086338 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0130530

The xeroderma pigmentosum group D (XPD) gene encodes a DNA helicase, an important component in transcription factor IIH (TFIIH) complex. XPD helicase plays a pivotal role in unwinding DNA at the damaged region during nucleotide excision repair (NER) mechanism. Dysfunctional XPD helicase protein from polymorphic diversity may contribute to increased risk of developing cancers. This study aims to determine the association between XPD K751Q polymorphism (rs13181) and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in the Malaysian population. In this hospital-based matched case-control study, 356 controls were matched by age, gender and ethnicity to 356 cases. RFLP-PCR was used to genotype the XPD K751Q polymorphism. A significant association was observed between XPD K751Q polymorphism and the risk of NPC using conditional logistic regression. Subjects with homozygous Lys/Lys (wildtype) genotype have 1.58 times higher odds of developing NPC compared to subjects with recessive combination of heterozygous Lys/Gln and homozygous Gln/Gln genotypes (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.05-2.38 p = 0.028) adjusted for cigarette smoking, alcohol and salted fish consumption. Our data suggests that Lys/Lys (wildtype) of XPD K751Q contributes to increased risk of NPC in the Malaysian population.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma/genetics*; Carcinoma/pathology
The causes of haemoptysis in malaysian patients aged over 60 and the diagnostic yield of different investigations

Wong CM, Lim KH, Liam CK

Respirology, 2003 Mar;8(1):65-8.
PMID: 12856744

OBJECTIVE: In southeast Asia, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is the most frequently presumed diagnosis for haemoptysis. This study was designed to assess the causes of haemoptysis, the diagnostic yield of causes in different diagnostic modalities and the distribution of older patients.
METHODS: All patients presenting to the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with haemoptysis were recruited prospectively and evaluated.
RESULTS: One hundred and sixty patients were evaluated for haemoptysis; 71 (44.4%) were aged 60 years or more. Significantly more patients smoked in the older age group (P = 0.002). The main causes of haemoptysis in the older patients were bronchogenic carcinoma (49.3%), pneumonia (11.3%), bronchiectasis (8.6%), cryptogenic (5.6%) and active TB (4.2%). Significantly more older patients had carcinoma (P < 0.001), while the younger patients more often had TB (P < 0.001). Chest pain was significantly more common in the older patients (P = 0.025), particularly in patients with carcinoma. Bronchoscopy alone or combined with CT of the thorax was significantly more diagnostic in the older patient (P = 0.006).
CONCLUSION: Bronchogenic carcinoma is the commonest cause of haemoptysis in patients aged 60 years and above. Presumptive anti-TB therapy should not be encouraged despite the regional high prevalence of TB.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Bronchogenic/complications; Carcinoma, Bronchogenic/diagnosis
Fulltext Combination chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer

Sufarlan AW, Zainudin BM

Med J Malaysia, 1993 Jun;48(2):166-70.
PMID: 8394502

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) disseminates early and has poor prognosis. However, SCLC is highly chemosensitive, thus chemotherapy has been established as the primary mode of treatment. Seventeen patients (15 males and 2 females) with median age of 60 years (range 49 to 74 years) were treated with combination cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2, adriamycin 40 mg/m2, vincristine 1.4 mg/m2 on day 1 and etoposide (VP 16) 75 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3 (CAVE). This combination was given in 6 courses at 3 weekly intervals. The response to the chemotherapy and the quality of life of patients was assessed at the third cycle and after the completion of therapy (sixth cycle). The overall response rate was 76.4%; 52.9% achieved complete response and 23.5% had partial response. The survival rate at 6 months was 70.8% and 4 patients (23.5%) were still alive after 1 year of chemotherapy. The median survival after therapy was 36 weeks. There was a 30% overall improvement in the Karnofsky performance score at the completion of chemotherapy. This study illustrated that the CAVE regimen is effective and beneficial in the majority of our patients with small cell lung cancer.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Small Cell/drug therapy*; Carcinoma, Small Cell/mortality
Factors involved in the diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma in Malaysia

Khoo SP, Shanmuhasuntharam P, Mahadzir WM, Tay KK, Latif A, Nair S

Asia Pac J Public Health, 1998;10(1):49-51.
PMID: 10050209 DOI: 10.1177/101053959801000111

The delay in the diagnosis of oral cancer has been variously reported as being contributed by the clinicians, patients or both. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the referral pattern of 65 patients eventually diagnosed as having oral squamous cell carcinoma. The results showed that 50% of the patients delayed seeking professional help for more than 3 months after being aware of the lesion. The majority of the patients consulted medical practitioners as the first source of help. The mean clinicians' and patients' delay were 10.3 weeks and 28.9 weeks respectively. Dental practitioners showed a tendency to refer more advanced lesions compared to the medical practitioners. The findings raise the concern that lack of patients' awareness, misdiagnosis by clinicians and late detection by dental practitioners prevail thus calling for urgent measures towards early detection of the disease.

Matched MeSH terms: Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/diagnosis*; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/psychology

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