Displaying publications 1061 - 1080 of 1484 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Taha NA, Ali MM, Abidin IZ, Khader YS
    J Dent, 2024 Dec;151:105408.
    PMID: 39442480 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2024.105408
    OBJECTIVES: To compare pulpal survival and treatment needs following selective and total caries removal in mature permanent teeth.

    METHODS: The design was a parallel double blind, randomized clinical trial. Mature teeth with caries radiographically extending ≥ 2/3 of dentine and without spontaneous pulpitis were included. Teeth were allocated to either selective (SCR) or total caries removal (TCR) using block randomization technique. In the SCR group, caries removal to firm dentine was followed by placement of Biodentine and composite restoration. In TCR group caries removal was to hard dentine; with immediate management by vital pulp therapy (VPT) using Biodentine in case of pulp exposure. Preoperative pain levels were recorded. Teeth were followed up after 6 and 12 months. Data were analyzed using Chi square test and regression analysis.

    RESULTS: 124 teeth with a diagnosis of reversible pulpitis were treated (63 in SCR, 61 in TCR). 17/ 61 teeth (28%) in the TCR had pulp exposure, managed by VPT and were successful at recall. Pulp survival was significantly higher in TCR compared to SCR at 6 months (100 % vs 93.65%, p =0.04 respectively) and at 12 months (98.4% vs 82.5, P= 0.003 respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed the type of procedure (SCR vs TCR) and the preoperative pain levels (above or below 5/10) as significant prognostic factors. The odds of failure increased significantly for teeth treated with SCR (OR 27.6, 3.6-212.4, p=0.001) and if preoperative pain levels were ≥5/10 (OR 0.2, 0.04-0.8, P=0.024).

    CONCLUSION: Selective caries removal for deep carious lesions in mature teeth failed to reveal overt pulp exposures in more than one quarter of cases and led to significantly lower pulp survival over one year, when compared with complete caries removal and immediate VPT.

    CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In deep carious lesions of mature permeant teeth with revrsible pulpitis, total caries removal to hard dentine is recommended for a predictable pulp survival.

    CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered at CliniclTrials.gov (NCT05144711).

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  2. Scelo G, Muller DC, Riboli E, Johansson M, Cross AJ, Vineis P, et al.
    Clin Cancer Res, 2018 Nov 15;24(22):5594-5601.
    PMID: 30037816 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-18-1496
    Purpose: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) has the potential for cure with surgery when diagnosed at an early stage. Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) has been shown to be elevated in the plasma of RCC patients. We aimed to test whether plasma KIM-1 could represent a means of detecting RCC prior to clinical diagnosis.Experimental Design: KIM-1 concentrations were measured in prediagnostic plasma from 190 RCC cases and 190 controls nested within a population-based prospective cohort study. Cases had entered the cohort up to 5 years before diagnosis, and controls were matched on cases for date of birth, date at blood donation, sex, and country. We applied conditional logistic regression and flexible parametric survival models to evaluate the association between plasma KIM-1 concentrations and RCC risk and survival.Results: The incidence rate ratio (IRR) of RCC for a doubling in KIM-1 concentration was 1.71 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.44-2.03, P = 4.1 × 10-23], corresponding to an IRR of 63.3 (95% CI, 16.2-246.9) comparing the 80th to the 20th percentiles of the KIM-1 distribution in this sample. Compared with a risk model including known risk factors of RCC (age, sex, country, body mass index, and tobacco smoking status), a risk model additionally including KIM-1 substantially improved discrimination between cases and controls (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.8 compared with 0.7). High plasma KIM-1 concentrations were also associated with poorer survival (P = 0.0053).Conclusions: Plasma KIM-1 concentrations could predict RCC incidence up to 5 years prior to diagnosis and were associated with poorer survival. Clin Cancer Res; 24(22); 5594-601. ©2018 AACR.
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  3. Sivanesaratnam V
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1998 Sep;27(5):622-6.
    PMID: 9919328
    Although the primary operative mortality following radical hysterectomy for stage IB and early stage IIA cervical carcinoma is less than 1%, survival is poor in those patients with histological evidence of "risk" features--lymph node metastases, lymphatic vascular tumour permeation and clinically undetected parametrial metastases. In the 7-year period 1983 to 1989, 239 patients with stage IB and early IIA disease had radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy. One hundred and eight patients (45.2%) had various poor prognostic histological features and received adjuvant chemotherapy--70 had cisplatin, vinblastine, bleomycin (PVB), 16 had mitomycin C (MMC) and 22 others received mitomycin C + 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Although not randomised, the risk factors present in each group were identical. These patients have now been followed up for periods ranging from 8 to 14 years. All recurrences, except one, occurred within 23 months of surgery; in the remaining this occurred 8 years later. This suggests that very close long-term follow-up is needed. Recurrences were markedly higher in the group who refused adjuvant chemotherapy (31.6%). The 10-year survival in patients without risk factors was 97.2%. In those patients with risk factors refusing adjuvant therapy it was 73.7%. The adjuvant chemotherapy group had a better survival of 86.1% (P = 0.001). The 10-year survivals in patients with positive nodes were similar--66.7% in the MMC group and 71.4% in the PVB group. The 10-year survival in patients with squamous cell carcinoma was significantly better (90.3%) in the mitomycin C (and MMC + 5-FU) group compared to the PVB group (80.1%) (P = 0.005). The 10-year survival in patients with adenocarcinoma and adenosquamous carcinoma was significantly better (96.3%) in the PVB group compared to those receiving MMC (and MMC + 5-FU) (57.1%) (P = 0.01). It would, thus, appear that the adjuvant chemotherapy of choice for patients with squamous cell carcinoma would be MMC (and MMC + 5-FU) and for those with adenocarcinoma, the PVB regime.
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  4. Ong MA, Chai WL, Ngeow WC
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1998 Mar;27(2):258-61.
    PMID: 9663321
    A case of gigantic pyogenic granuloma with three recurrences in the lower anterior gingiva is presented. Surgical wide excision of the lesion is the treatment of choice. The tumour must be excised down to the periosteum and the irritants around it removed to avoid recurrence. A contributing factor to the gigantic lesion is hormonal changes during pregnancy. Long-term review for 18 months after the third surgery showed no evidence of recurrence at the surgical site.
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  5. Chan SP, Hew FL, Jayaram G, Kumar G, Chang KW, Tay A
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 2001 Jan;30(1):66-70.
    PMID: 11242630
    INTRODUCTION: Although the majority of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism have a relatively asymptomatic benign disorder, there are patients who have a more aggressive disorder.

    CLINICAL PICTURE: We report a case of primary hyperparathyroidism presenting during pregnancy complicated by antepartum haemorrhage and severe prematurity. The diagnosis was made postpartum, when her problems rapidly progressed to result in severe neuromuscular weakness, bilateral pathological hip fractures as well as nephrolithiasis.

    TREATMENT: Surgical parathyroidectomy was performed. The underlying lesion was a large solitary parathyroid adenoma with cystic elements.

    CONCLUSION: Primary hyperparathyroidism is not an innocuous disease and can result in severe morbidity if left untreated.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  6. Chiu CL, Ong GS
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 2000 Mar;29(2):256-8.
    PMID: 10895351
    INTRODUCTION: We report a case of subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum that presented postoperatively after tracheal extubation.

    CLINICAL PICTURE: A 51-year-old man had an uneventful anaesthesia lasting about 6.5 hours. Intubation was performed by a very junior medical officer and was considered difficult. He developed sore throat, chest pain, numbness of both hands and palpable crepitus around the neck postoperatively. Chest X-ray revealed diffuse subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum and possible pneumopericardium.

    TREATMENT: He was treated conservatively with bed rest, oxygen, analgesia, antibiotic prophylaxis, reassurance and close monitoring.

    OUTCOME: The patient made an uneventful recovery.

    CONCLUSIONS: We discussed the possible causes.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  7. Jeyamalar R, Pathmanathan R, Wong D, Kannan P
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1992 Nov;21(6):838-40.
    PMID: 1295429
    Amiodarone, a commonly used antiarrhythmic agent, has numerous adverse effects. The purpose of this case report is to highlight its hepatotoxicity, an unusual complication of long term amiodarone therapy. Our patient is a 76-year-old man with underlying ischaemic heart disease and recurrent ventricular tachycardia. Eleven months after commencing amiodarone, he developed asymptomatic raised aminotransferases which resolved following drug withdrawal. Amiodarone was then reintroduced and four years later, the patient developed hepatomegaly, worsening liver biochemistry and histopathological changes consistent with early cirrhosis. His symptoms improved following discontinuation of amiodarone. However, hepatomegaly and a low serum albumin still persist four years later.
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  8. Abdullah S
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1988 Jul;17(3):388-91.
    PMID: 3218930
    The results of speech, language and hearing assessment of repaired cleft palate children and adults over a 4-year period at the Speech/Language therapy unit, Department of ENT, Faculty of Medicine, UKM are reported. The subjects were 33 incomplete cleft lip palate (ICLP), 48 unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCLP) and 26 bilateral complete cleft lip and palate (BCLP). Results obtained for the following assessments are reported and discussed: (i) Hearing assessment, (ii) intelligibility rate, (iii) severity of hyper-nasality and (iv) types of articulation errors and school/behaviour problems and nasal grimace. Due to subject variability in ethnicity, language and dialects and the lack of normal data, it is difficult to compare or repeat previously reported results. Assessment of intelligibility, hypernasality and articulation were conducted using the Malay language. Results obtained were compared among the three groups of subjects. The significant findings were that hypernasality, intelligibility and articulation errors were more severe in the ICLP group than in the UCLP or BCLP groups of patients. This is contrary to expectations and cannot be explained in terms of the type and/or the degree of clefting. Hence, special attention should be paid to the less overt type of cleft patients in so far as their speech assessment and rehabilitation are concerned.
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  9. Ray R, Lim LH, Ling SL
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1994 May;23(3):335-41.
    PMID: 7944246
    The Programme on Prevention and Management of Obesity in Preschool Children, aged three to six years, was implemented in 17 Primary Health Clinics in November 1991. The study sample comprised 1128 preschool children who qualified to enter the obesity register, using the defined criteria for obesity of 2 standard deviations above the normal weight for height and age. This group was divided into three categories, namely, mildly overweight (120% to below 140%), moderately overweight (140% to below 160%), and severely overweight (above 160%). The severely overweight category was referred to dietitians for follow-up management, while the other two categories were managed by the clinic staff through pre-planned nurse-conducted counselling sessions. In this paper, we analysed the first 1128 preschool children aged three to six years on the Programme with respect to their demographic characteristics; medical conditions; family history of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and ischaemic heart disease; number of siblings and parents' educational and occupational status. The Malay children showed significantly more severe grades of obesity compared to the Chinese and Indian children. A family history of obesity and hypertension among the three groups were significant (P < 0.001). After one year of follow-up with the intervention programme, the following were found: 40.4% (456) of the children improved in their obesity status and 20.2% (228) reached normal status. The severe, moderate and mild categories reduced from 6.3% to 5.9%, 29.3% to 23.2% and 64.4% to 50.7% respectively and was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  10. Tan HS, Tan PE
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 1984 Apr;13(2):170-4.
    PMID: 6388486
    One hundred and ten consecutive patients with falciparum malaria were treated with Fansidar and primaquine. Of the 61 patients who were followed up at one week, 4 (6.6%) failed to clear their parasitaemia (1 R III and 3 R II treatment failures). Of the subsequent 40 patients who were seen again at one month, another 3 (7.5%) had recrudesced (R I treatment failure). A total of 7 patients thus experienced some form of treatment failure in the cohort of 40 who completed the one month follow up. Only 1 of these 7 patients (with R III treatment failure) failed to respond to repeat Fansidar treatment, and may be the only one with true Fansidar resistance. The overall treatment failure rate of 17.5% (95% confidence interval: 6-29%) in the cohort who completed the study is consistent with the known clinical efficacy of Fansidar. These results suggest no significant Fansidar resistance in falciparum malaria found in Sabah.
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  11. Hashim SE, Tan HK, Wan-Hazabbah WH, Ibrahim M
    Ann Acad Med Singap, 2008 Nov;37(11):940-6.
    PMID: 19082201
    INTRODUCTION: Refractive error remains one of the primary causes of visual impairment in children worldwide, and the prevalence of refractive error varies widely. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of refractive error and study the possible associated factors inducing refractive error among primary school children of Malay ethnicity in the suburban area of Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A school-based cross-sectional study was performed from January to July 2006 by random selection on Standard 1 to Standard 6 students of 10 primary schools in the Kota Bharu district. Visual acuity assessment was measured using logMAR ETDRS chart. Positive predictive value of uncorrected visual acuity equal or worse than 20/40, was used as a cut-off point for further evaluation by automated refraction and retinoscopic refraction.

    RESULTS: A total of 840 students were enumerated but only 705 were examined. The prevalence of uncorrected visual impairment was seen in 54 (7.7%) children. The main cause of the uncorrected visual impairment was refractive error which contributed to 90.7% of the total, and with 7.0% prevalence for the studied population. Myopia is the most common type of refractive error among children aged 6 to 12 years with prevalence of 5.4%, followed by hyperopia at 1.0% and astigmatism at 0.6%. A significant positive correlation was noted between myopia development with increasing age (P <0.005), more hours spent on reading books (P <0.005) and background history of siblings with glasses (P <0.005) and whose parents are of higher educational level (P <0.005). Malays in suburban Kelantan (5.4%) have the lowest prevalence of myopia compared with Malays in the metropolitan cities of Kuala Lumpur (9.2%) and Singapore (22.1%).

    CONCLUSION: The ethnicity-specific prevalence rate of myopia was the lowest among Malays in Kota Bharu, followed by Kuala Lumpur, and is the highest among Singaporean Malays. Better socio-economic factors could have contributed to higher myopia rates in the cities, since the genetic background of these ethnic Malays are similar.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  12. Karunamuni RA, Huynh-Le MP, Fan CC, Thompson W, Eeles RA, Kote-Jarai Z, et al.
    Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis, 2021 Jun;24(2):532-541.
    PMID: 33420416 DOI: 10.1038/s41391-020-00311-2
    BACKGROUND: Polygenic hazard scores (PHS) can identify individuals with increased risk of prostate cancer. We estimated the benefit of additional SNPs on performance of a previously validated PHS (PHS46).

    MATERIALS AND METHOD: 180 SNPs, shown to be previously associated with prostate cancer, were used to develop a PHS model in men with European ancestry. A machine-learning approach, LASSO-regularized Cox regression, was used to select SNPs and to estimate their coefficients in the training set (75,596 men). Performance of the resulting model was evaluated in the testing/validation set (6,411 men) with two metrics: (1) hazard ratios (HRs) and (2) positive predictive value (PPV) of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing. HRs were estimated between individuals with PHS in the top 5% to those in the middle 40% (HR95/50), top 20% to bottom 20% (HR80/20), and bottom 20% to middle 40% (HR20/50). PPV was calculated for the top 20% (PPV80) and top 5% (PPV95) of PHS as the fraction of individuals with elevated PSA that were diagnosed with clinically significant prostate cancer on biopsy.

    RESULTS: 166 SNPs had non-zero coefficients in the Cox model (PHS166). All HR metrics showed significant improvements for PHS166 compared to PHS46: HR95/50 increased from 3.72 to 5.09, HR80/20 increased from 6.12 to 9.45, and HR20/50 decreased from 0.41 to 0.34. By contrast, no significant differences were observed in PPV of PSA testing for clinically significant prostate cancer.

    CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating 120 additional SNPs (PHS166 vs PHS46) significantly improved HRs for prostate cancer, while PPV of PSA testing remained the same.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  13. Qamruddin I, Alam MK, Fida M, Khan AG
    Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop, 2016 Jan;149(1):62-6.
    PMID: 26718379 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajodo.2015.06.024
    The aim of this study was to see the effect of a single dose of low-level laser therapy on spontaneous and chewing pain after the placement of elastomeric separators.
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  14. Kwang NB, Yee CM, Shan LP, Teik CK, Chandralega KN, Abdul Kadir AK
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(21):9117-23.
    PMID: 25422188
    BACKGROUND: To evaluate the knowledge, perception and attitudes towards human papilloma virus (HPV) among pre-university students in Malaysia.

    STUDY DESIGN: In this cross sectional study, between November 2013 to March 2014, in a public university, a convenient sampling method was used. A total of 716 respondents were recruited and interviewed with a set of standard questionnaires for assessment of knowledge, perception and attitudes towards HPV and predictor variables associated with level of knowledge.

    RESULTS: Almost half (48.9%) of the respondents scored less than 5 and were categorised as having poor knowledge. Three hundred and twelve (43.6%) respondents had moderate knowledge and only 54 (7.5%) respondents exhibited good knowledge with the score of 11 and above. Only 142 (20%) students perceived themselves to be vulnerable to HPV infection though 560 (78.2%) students thought that HPV infection is a serious disease. Perceived benefits and desire to be vaccinated were significantly associated with gender (p=0.000) and knowledge of HPV vaccine and cervical cancer (p=0.000).

    CONCLUSIONS: The level of knowledge regarding HPV among the pre-university students was low. However, student intention for vaccination increased with increasing level of knowledge. Thus, efforts to improve knowledge and awareness should be prioritised to increase uptake of the HPV vaccination programme and hence reduce morbidity and mortality from consequences of HPV infection, including cervical carcinoma.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  15. Zamaniah WI, Mastura MY, Phua CE, Adlinda A, Marniza S, Rozita AM
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(20):8987-92.
    PMID: 25374241
    BACKGROUND: The efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of locally advanced cervical cancer is well established. We aimed to investigate the long-term efficacy of definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer in the University of Malaya Medical Centre.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cohort of 60 patients with FIGO stage IB2-IVA cervical cancer who were treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin followed by intracavitary brachytherapy or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) boost between November 2001 and May 2008 were analysed. Patients were initially treated with weekly intravenous cisplatin (40 mg/m2) concurrent with daily EBRT to pelvis of 45-50 Gy followed by low dose rate brachytherapy or EBRT boost to tumour. Local control rate, progression free survival, overall survival and treatment related toxicities graded by the RTOG criteria were evaluated.

    RESULTS: The mean age was 56. At the median follow-up of 72 months, the estimated 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) (median PFS 39 months) and the 5-year overall survival (OS) (median OS 51 months) were 48% and 50% respectively. The 5-year local control rate was 67.3%. Grade 3-4 late gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicity occurred in 9.3% of patients.

    CONCLUSIONS: The 5-year PFS and the 5-year OS in this cohort were lower than in other institutions. More advanced stage at presentation, longer overall treatment time (OTT) of more than fifty-six days and lower total dose to point A were the potential factors contributing to a lower survival.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  16. Yusof A, Chia YC, Hasni YM
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(19):8095-9.
    PMID: 25338990
    BACKGROUND: Worldwide, over half a million women died of breast cancer in 2011 alone. Mammography screening is associated with a reduction of 20 to 35% in breast cancer mortality. The aim of this study was to determine the awareness and practice of mammography screening and predictors of its uptake in Malaysian women attending a primary care clinic.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out among women aged 40 to 74 years attending a primary care clinic in Selangor, Malaysia. An assisted structured questionnaire included questions on socio-demography, source of information and level of knowledge. An adapted version of the revised Champion Health Belief Model Scale plus other associated factors for mammography screening up-take were also included as part of the questionnaire. Predictors for mammography screening uptake were only determined in those who were aware about mammography screening. Significant predictors were determined by logistic regression.

    RESULTS: 447 women were recruited for this study; 99.1% of them (n: 411) were aware about breast cancer. Only 50.1% (n: 206) had knowledge about mammography screening. Prevalence of clinical breast-examination (CBE) was 23.3% (n: 104) and mammography screening up-take was 13.2% (n: 59). The predictors for the latter were those who have had clinical breast-examination (aOR=17.58, 95%CI: 7.68-39.82) and those aged between 50 to 59 years (aOR=3.94, 95%CI: 1.61-9.66) as well as those aged 60 years and above (aOR=6.91, 95%CI: 2.28-20.94). Good knowledge and positive beliefs about mammography screening were not associated with mammography screening uptake.

    CONCLUSIONS: Half of our Malaysian women were aware about mammography screening. However, the uptake of mammography was low. Previous CBE and older age were significant predictors of mammography screening uptake. Increasing CBE services may increase compliance with guidelines.
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  17. Abougalambou SS, Abougalambou AS
    Diabetes Metab Syndr, 2015 Apr-Jun;9(2):98-103.
    PMID: 25470640 DOI: 10.1016/j.dsx.2014.04.019
    BACKGROUND: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness in the United States and it is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults aged 20-74. It is estimated that about 20% of patients with type 2 DM have evidence of diabetic retinopathy at diagnosis with diabetes.
    OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of DR and to determine risk factors related to diabetic retinopathy among type 2 diabetes patients attending endocrinology clinics at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM).
    SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study design was observational prospective longitudinal follow-up study, the study was conducted with sample of 1077 type 2 diabetes mellitus outpatient recruited via attended the diabetes clinics at HUSM. Diagnosis of retinopathy is based on finding the diagnostic signs of retinopathy on eye exams by fundoscopy. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the independent variables that affect the development of retinopathy.
    RESULTS: The prevalence of retinopathy was 39.3%. It has been noticed from this study findings, that the progression of retinopathy is been influenced by five independent risk factors such as duration of diabetes, presence neuropathy, total cholesterol at second and third visit and createnine clearance.
    CONCLUSION: DR is highly prevalent among type 2 DM. The progression of retinopathy is been influenced by five independent risk factors such as duration of diabetes, presence neuropathy, total cholesterol at second and third visit and createnine clearance. DR is a serious diabetic complication and public health strategies are required in order to reduce its risk factors and decrease its prevalence.
    KEYWORDS: Prevalence; Retinopathy; Risk factors; Type 2 diabetes mellitus
    Study site: Endocrinology clinics, Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM), Kelantan, Malaysia
    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  18. Wan Abdul Rahman WF, Fauzi MH, Jaafar H
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(19):8441-5.
    PMID: 25339043
    BACKGROUND: Paired-like homeodomain transcription factor 2 (PITX2) is another new marker in breast carcinoma since hypermethylation at P2 promoter of this gene was noted to be associated with poor prognosis. We investigated the expression of PITX2 protein using immunohistochemistry in invasive ductal carcinoma and its association with the established growth receptors such as estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and human epidermal growth receptor 2 (HER2).

    METHODS: We conducted a cross sectional study using 100 samples of archived formalin-fixed paraffin embedded tissue blocks of invasive ductal carcinoma and stained them with immunohistochemistry for PITX2, ER, PR and HER2. All HER2 with scoring of 2+ were confirmed with chromogenic in-situ hybridization (CISH).

    RESULTS: PITX2 protein was expressed in 53% of invasive ductal carcinoma and lack of PITX2 expression in 47%. Univariate analysis revealed a significant association between PITX2 expression with PR (p=0.001), ER (p=0.006), gland formation (p=0.044) and marginal association with molecular subtypes of breast carcinoma (p=0.051). Combined ER and PR expression with PITX2 was also significantly associated (p=0.003) especially in double positive cases. Multivariate analysis showed the most significant association between PITX2 and PR (RR 4.105, 95% CI 1.765-9.547, p=0.001).

    CONCLUSION: PITX2 is another potential prognostic marker in breast carcinoma adding significant information to established prognostic factors of ER and PR. The expression of PITX2 together with PR may carry a very good prognosis.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  19. Athirajan V, Razak IA, Thurairajah N, Ghani WM, Ching HN, Yang YH, et al.
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2014;15(19):8183-9.
    PMID: 25339003
    BACKGROUND: A comparative cross-sectional study involving oral cancer patients and healthy individuals was designed to investigate associations between retinol, α-tocopherol and β-carotene with the risk of oral cancer.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included a total of 240 matched cases and controls where subjects were selected from the Malaysian Oral Cancer Database and Tissue Bank System (MOCDTBS). Retinol, α-tocopherol and β-carotene levels and intake were examined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) respectively.

    RESULTS: It was found that results from the two methods applied did not correlate, so that further analysis was done using the HPLC method utilising blood serum. Serum levels of retinol and α-tocopherol among cases (0.177±0.081, 1.649±1.670μg/ml) were significantly lower than in controls (0.264±0.137, 3.225±2.054μg/ml) (p<0.005). Although serum level of β-carotene among cases (0.106±0.159 μg/ml) were lower compared to controls (0.134±0.131μg/ml), statistical significance was not observed. Logistic regression analysis showed that high serum level of retinol (OR=0.501, 95% CI=0.254-0.992, p<0.05) and α-tocopherol (OR=0.184, 95% CI=0.091-0.370, p<0.05) was significantly related to lower risk of oral cancer, whereas no relationship was observed between β-carotene and oral cancer risk.

    CONCLUSIONS: High serum levels of retinol and α-tocopherol confer protection against oral cancer risk.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
  20. Phua VC, Wong WQ, Tan PL, Bustam AZ, Saad M, Alip A, et al.
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2015;16(4):1449-53.
    PMID: 25743814
    BACKGROUND: Oral capecitabine is increasingly replacing intravenous 5-fluorouracil in many chemotherapy regimens. However, data on the risk of febrile neutropaenia (FN) and treatment related death (TRD) with the drug remain sparse outside of clinical trial settings despite its widespread usage. This study aimed to determine these rates in a large cohort of patients treated in the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC).

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical notes of all patients prescribed with oral capecitabine chemotherapy for any tumour sites in University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC) from 1st January 2009 till 31st June 2010. Information collected included patient demographics, histopathological features, treatment received including the different chemotherapy regimens and intent of treatment whether the chemotherapy was given for neoadjuvant, concurrent with radiation, adjuvant or palliative intent. The aim of this study is to establish the pattern of usage, FN and TRD rates with capecitabine in clinical practice outside of clinical trial setting. FN is defined as an oral temperature >38.5°or two consecutive readings of >38.0° for 2 hours and an absolute neutrophil count <0.5 x 109/L, or expected to fall below 0.5 x 109/L (de Naurois et al., 2010). Treatment related death was defined as death occurring during or within 30 days of last chemotherapy treatment.

    RESULTS: Between 1st January 2009 and 30th June 2010, 274 patients were treated with capecitabine chemotherapy in UMMC. The mean age was 58 years (range 22 to 82 years). Capecitabine was used in 14 different tumour sites with the colorectal site predominating with a total of 128 cases (46.7%), followed by breast cancer (35.8%). Capecitabine was most commonly used in the palliative setting accounting for 63.9% of the cases, followed by the adjuvant setting (19.7%). The most common regimen was single agent capecitabine with 129 cases (47.1%). The other common regimens were XELOX (21.5%) and ECX (10.2%). The main result of this study showed an overall FN rate of 2.2% (6/274). The overall TRD rate was 5.1% (14/274). The FN rate for the single agent capecitabine regimen was 1.6% (2/129) and the TRD rate was 5.4% (7/129). All the TRDs were with single agent capecitabine regimen were used for palliative intent.

    CONCLUSIONS: Oral capecitabine is used widely in clinical practice in a myriad of tumour sites and bears a low risk of febrile neutropaenia. However, capecitabine like any other intravenous chemotherapeutic agent carries a significant risk of treatment related death.

    Matched MeSH terms: Follow-Up Studies
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links