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Fulltext A rare invasive male breast cancer of nonspecific type presenting at a primary care clinic: Importance of early diagnosis and management

Mansoor NS, Arifin F, Kornain NKM, Razalli MM

J Family Community Med, 2023;30(1):65-67.
PMID: 36843866 DOI: 10.4103/jfcm.jfcm_210_22

Male breast cancer is a rare disease with an incidence rate of <1% of all breast cancer cases, and only 1% of all male malignancies. Men tend to present at an older age and with more advanced stages compared to women. We report a case of a 74-year-old man who presented at a primary care clinic with a right subareolar painless breast mass. A mammogram and core biopsy were performed. A diagnosis of right invasive breast carcinoma was rendered. The patient underwent a right total mastectomy with ipsilateral axillary lymph node dissection, which revealed an invasive ductal carcinoma of no special type (NST). Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and hormonal therapy were included in the adjuvant treatment plan. In this report, we discuss the important role of the primary care physician (PCP) in early diagnosis and referral for definitive management. The PCP also plays an essential role in the holistic care of male breast cancer patients, including the management of physical, psychological, social, and underlying chronic diseases.
Molecular diagnostics for tuberculosis

Noor KM, Shephard L, Bastian I

Pathology, 2015 Apr;47(3):250-6.
PMID: 25719854 DOI: 10.1097/PAT.0000000000000232

The phenotypic methods of smear microscopy, culture and indirect drug susceptibility testing (DST) remain the 'gold standard' diagnostics for tuberculosis (TB) in 2015. However, this review demonstrates that genotypic methods are in the ascendancy. Current-generation nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are important supplementary tests for the rapid direct detection of (multidrug-resistant) TB in specific clinical settings. Genotypic detection is already the preferred method of detecting rifampicin and pyrazinamide resistance. Next-generation NAATs able to detect about 10 colony forming units/mL of sputum could replace culture as the initial test for detecting TB. Whole genome sequencing could also plausibly replace phenotypic DST but much work is required in method standardisation, database development and elucidation of all resistance gene determinants. The challenge then will be to rollout these increasingly complex and expensive diagnostics in the low-income countries where TB is prevalent.
Fulltext Congenital Knee Dislocation at Birth - An Extraordinary Case of Spontaneous Reduction

Kumar A, Arumugam M, Azuatul N, Noor K

Rev Bras Ortop (Sao Paulo), 2023 Feb;58(1):164-167.
PMID: 36969790 DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1718512

Congenital knee dislocation (CKD) is a rare malformation characterized by hyperextension deformity of the knee with anterior tibia displacement, present at birth. Rarely reported, CKD might occur as an isolated deformity or commonly associated with musculoskeletal abnormalities, with the most common ones being developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and clubfoot. The etiology is unknown, but CKD has been associated with certain intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Treatment with conservative methods at an early stage is most likely to yield successful results. We report here a rare case of successful spontaneous reduction of CKD in an infant within 24 hours of life.
Breast imaging in focus: A bibliometric overview of visual quality, modality innovations, and diagnostic performance

Abdulwahid Mohammad Noor K, Mohd Norsuddin N, Che Isa IN, Abdul Karim MK

Radiography (Lond), 2024 Jul;30(4):1041-1052.
PMID: 38723445 DOI: 10.1016/j.radi.2024.04.019

INTRODUCTION: Breast imaging plays a crucial role in the early detection and management of breast cancer, with visual quality, modality innovation and diagnostic performance being key factors in achieving accurate diagnoses and optimal patient outcomes. This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature on the three above elements focusing on breast imaging, aiming to uncover publication trends, identify influential works and authors, and highlight future research directions.
METHODS: We employed a methodical bibliometric approach, making use of Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases for gathering literatures. We planned our search strategy, concentrating on terms linked to "breast imaging," "image quality," and "diagnostic accuracy" to ensure a systematic examination of the subject. The enhanced search functions in these databases enabled us to narrow down and improve our findings, choosing only the articles, conference papers, and book sections that are most relevant. After conducting a thorough screening process to remove duplicates and evaluate significance, we utilized ScientoPy and VOSviewer software for an in-depth bibliometric analysis. This helped to explore trends in publications, patterns of citations, and thematic groups, giving us a better understanding of how the field has changed and where it currently stands. Our approach prioritized assessing methodological quality and bias in the studies we included, guaranteeing the reliability of our findings.
RESULTS: We reviewed 2984 relevant publications, revealing a consistent annual growth rate of 2.8% in breast imaging research, with the United States and Europe leading in contributions. The study found that advancements in radiological technologies and international collaboration are driving forces behind the field's expansion. Key subject areas such as 'Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Medical Imaging' dominated, underscoring their impact on diagnostic quality. Notable authors and institutions have been identified for their influential research, characterized by high citation metrics and significant scholarly impact.
CONCLUSION: The study shows a continuous increase in research on breast imaging, considered by new technologies and teamwork defining the present time. The assessment highlights a key move towards utilizing digital imaging methods and computational analysis, affecting the improvement of future diagnostic procedures and patients' results. The study highlights the importance of continued international collaborations to tackle the new barriers in breast imaging and make the most of technological progress.
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study shows a focus on using interdisciplinary methods and cutting-edge technology in breast imaging to help healthcare professionals improve their performance and accuracy in diagnosis. Recognizing vital research and emerging trends should guide clinical guidelines, radiology training, and patient care plans to encourage the use of effective techniques and stimulate innovation in diagnostic approaches.
The paths toward non-viral CAR-T cell manufacturing: A comprehensive review of state-of-the-art methods

Metanat Y, Viktor P, Amajd A, Kaur I, Hamed AM, Abed Al-Abadi NK, et al.

Life Sci, 2024 May 01.
PMID: 38702027 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122683

Although CAR-T cell therapy has emerged as a game-changer in cancer immunotherapy several bottlenecks limit its widespread use as a front-line therapy. Current protocols for the production of CAR-T cells rely mainly on the use of lentiviral/retroviral vectors. Nevertheless, according to the safety concerns around the use of viral vectors, there are several regulatory hurdles to their clinical use. Large-scale production of viral vectors under "Current Good Manufacturing Practice" (cGMP) involves rigorous quality control assessments and regulatory requirements that impose exorbitant costs on suppliers and as a result, lead to a significant increase in the cost of treatment. Pursuing an efficient non-viral method for genetic modification of immune cells is a hot topic in cell-based gene therapy. This study aims to investigate the current state-of-the-art in non-viral methods of CAR-T cell manufacturing. In the first part of this study, after reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of the clinical use of viral vectors, different non-viral vectors and the path of their clinical translation are discussed. These vectors include transposons (sleeping beauty, piggyBac, Tol2, and Tc Buster), programmable nucleases (ZFNs, TALENs, and CRISPR/Cas9), mRNA, plasmids, minicircles, and nanoplasmids. Afterward, various methods for efficient delivery of non-viral vectors into the cells are reviewed.
The rate of blood culture contamination and common organisms isolated in Malaysian public hospitals

Mokhtar NA, Ting SY, Zainol Abidin NZ, Abdul Hameed A, Mohamed Z, Mustapa NI, et al.

Malays J Pathol, 2024 Aug;46(2):307-314.
PMID: 39207008

INTRODUCTION: Blood culture contamination remains a dilemma issue in the diagnosis of bloodstream infection. However, to date, there is no national data on blood culture contamination and the common organism isolated in Malaysia. This is a pioneer multi-centre study involving public hospitals with medical microbiologists in Malaysia to determine the blood culture contamination rate and the common organism isolated.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cross-sectional study involved record review of all blood culture results over 9 months period from 1st January 2018 until 30th September 2018 in 27 government hospitals in Malaysia. For each positive culture result, the type of isolated organism was classified to represent true bacteraemia or contamination.
RESULTS: We analysed 448,109 blood culture records from the participating hospitals. The blood culture positivity rate was 12.5% (57395 of 448109) and 25.0% (14367 of 57395) of the positive blood culture represents contamination. The national blood culture contamination rate in Malaysia was 3.2%. The contamination rate in the adult population was significantly higher than the paediatric population (3.6% vs. 2.6%; p<0.001). The blood contamination rate by institution ranged from 1.5% to 6.8%. The most frequently isolated microorganisms in the contaminated cultures were coagulase-negative staphylococci (71.0%).
CONCLUSION: Blood culture contamination is a major issue that warrants priority in recognition, and interventions should be implemented to reduce the blood contamination rate in Malaysia.