The gulf journal of oncology最新文献

The effectiveness of radiotherapy treatment is influenced by the position of beam focal spot; therefore, it is important to verify the beam focal spot periodically. In this study the beam focal spot offset is measured using an electronic portal imaging (EPID) based technique and co- rotational penumbra modulation technique(CPM).

Materials and methods: This method utilizes one set of jaws and the multileaf collimator (MLC) to form a symmetric field and then a 180o collimator rotation was utilized to determine the radiation isocenter defined by the jaws and the MLC, respectively. The difference between these two isocentres is then directly correlated with the beam focal spot offset of the linear accelerator. In the current study, the method has been used for Varian ClinaciX and Elekta Versa HD linear accelerators. Since an Elektalinac with the Agility® head does not have two set of jaws, a modified method that making use of one set of diaphragms, the MLC and a full 360o collimator rotation is implemented.

Result: The method is validated against CPM and found to be in agreement within 0.00923± 0.009360 mm ( SD) also the method has been found to be reproducible to within 0.0365 mm (SD).

Conclusion: The method could be used for routine quality assurance (QA) to ensure that the beam focal spot offset is in tolerance.

Introduction: In the realm of oncology, the development of TIVAD (chemoport) has been a blessing for cancer patients, freeing them from having to undergo numerous recurrent venepunctures throughout their treatment. The External Jugular Vein cut-down has been the standard procedure for administering chemotherapy to cancer patients at our institution. Here, we discuss our experience with the External Jugular Vein cut-down Chemoport Insertion Technique and the outcomes it produced.

Materials and methods: We performed a prospective observational study and included all patients who underwent the open External Jugular Vein cut-down technique of Chemoport Insertion from January 2019 to January 2022 in the Department of Surgical Oncology at our hospital.

Results: Out of 136 patients, 3 (2.2%) had failed external jugular vein (EJV) cannulation, and alternative access (Internal Jugular Vein) was chosen for cannulation. The most common indication for chemoport insertion in our study was carcinoma of the breast, around 72.93% (97/133), and hence the majority of patients were females, about 84.21% (112/133). Only 18.04% (24/133) were male patients. The age distribution ranged from 2 years to 84 years. Out of 133 patients, complications were observed in 14 patients (10.52%). Around 6 patients (4.5%) had problems with catheter blockage after one cycle of chemotherapy. 4 patients (3%) had port infections at the chamber region (pectoral region). 3 patients (2.2%) had catheter tip displacement into the brachiocephalic vein. 1 patient (0.75%) had extravasation of chemotherapy.

Conclusion: In conclusion, our study demonstrates that the External Jugular Vein cut-down technique offers several advantages in the realm of oncology, as it is a safe, efficient, and straightforward technique for chemoport insertion. With its minimal learning curve and simplicity, this technique represents a favorable initial option for successfully implanting chemoports in cancer patients. Further research and comparative studies are needed to validate and further explore the benefits of this technique in diverse patient populations and healthcare settings.

Urinary tract hemangiomas are uncommon entity to urologists, despite their benign nature and course; they can cause significant patient's hemodynamic instability or distress if not recognized and managed properly. Here, we present a case of urethral hemangioma with its treatment, follow-up course and review of literature of similar cases. Introduction: Bloody urine or urethral bleeding can be the initial presentation of a number of different medical and surgical conditions, some of which are benign and others are malignant, when encountered, they are alarming and must be evaluated thoroughly. As a cause, urethral hematomas are faced rarely, among all urinary tract sites; they are the second least common(1). Due to their paucity in clinical practice, there is no agreed approach on their management and each case has to be individualized. In the literature, different assessment and treatment methods were tried with satisfactory outcomes in each one. Here we report a case with detailed, concise explanation of such pathology and a comprehensive comparison in light of previous literature. Keywords: Urethral hemangioma, urethral bleeding, benign urinary tract tumors.

Background: Bladder cancer (BC) is the most common malignant tumor of the urinary tract and the 11th most frequent cancer worldwide. BC is the 2nd most common cancer in Lebanon in men and women.

Materials and methods: After searching for patients records in the pathology and oncology database, we identified those who underwent a cystectomy between 2017 and 2019 in our hospital, Hotel Dieu de France - Beirut. We selected for the study the patients who have undergone a cystectomy for MIBC. We excluded patients who initially had a pelvic tumor, or a prostate cancer invading the bladder, and patients with absent medical record from the study. We also noted the gender of the patients, if they are smokers and the number of pack years at the time of diagnosis, as well as their age, the histological type of the tumor, its stage according to the TNM classification and its grade. We also noted whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy was taken by the study 's subjects.

Results: The total number of patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria was 38. The median age of the population was 66 (± 10) years and the median number of pack years at diagnosis was 60 (± 36). 79% of study 's patients were males and 21% were females. Regarding the tumor 's histological type, the urothelial type predominated with 92% while the remaining 8% were of the squamous type. Regarding treatment modalities, only 20% of patients in the study received neoadjuvant chemotherapy before cystectomy. 80% of patients underwent a cystectomy directly without neoadjuvant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy. No patient received adjuvant chemotherapy. Among the 7 patients, 2 patients (29%) presented a pathological complete response (pCR; equivalent to pT0N0M0). 14% had a pT3 stage post-neoadjuvant chemotherapy and 43% had a pT4 stage.

Discussion and conclusions: We can note a reluctance of urologists at our institution to prescribe neoadjuvant chemotherapy. It would therefore be interesting to extend the study to the national level with a larger number of patients, as well as to evaluate survival in patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy, especially in those presenting a pCR. Our study can serve as a point of change in the practice of urologists in Lebanon regarding BC.

Introduction: For post-mastectomy patients, radiation treatment with conventional fractionation with a treatment duration of five weeks was the frequently used regimen, whereas hypofractionated regimens are recently used in the adjuvant treatment, which has a shorter treatment time over three weeks. We determined to estimate the treatment outcome by survival analysis between these two fractionation schedules to determine if any difference exists between these two groups.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of 348 breast cancer patients who had received adjuvant radiation treatment to the breast from January 2010 to December 2013. After assessing the eligibility criteria, 317 patients had received post-mastectomy radiation treatment to the chest wall and axilla and followed up till December 2018. The conventional fractionation schedule consisted of 50 Gy in 25 fractions, 2 Gy per fraction over five weeks, whereas the hypofractionated schedule was 42.6 Gy in 16 fractions with 2.66 Gy per fraction, over 3.2 weeks. Survival outcomes using 5- year Overall survival and 5-year Disease-free survival between these two fractionations were estimated and compared between the conventional and hypofractionated radiation treatment.

Results: All patients were females with a median age of 50 [IQR 45 to 58] and a median follow-up of 60 months. Of the 317 patients, 194 (61%) received hypofractionated radiation and 123(39%) conventional fractionation. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of the 5- year survival rate were 81% (95% CI = 74.9 to 87.6%) for the hypofractionated group (n = 194) and 87.8% (95% CI = 81.5 to 94.6%) for the conventional fractionation group (n = 123). The log-rank test revealed no evidence of a difference between the survival rates over time (p= 0.1 ). Restricted mean survival time in the hypofractionated group was 54.5 months, and in the conventional fractionation group was 57 months. Further investigation with cox proportional hazards regression analysis, which controlled for age, N stage, and T stage, showed that patients with conventional fractionation radiotherapy were 0.6 times less likely to die than those with hypofractionated radiation (95% CI for the hazard or risk ratio = 0.31 to 1.21; P = 0.2). However, there is no statistical evidence to say the reduction in mortality is different from null. 5-year disease-free survival for the hypofractionated group (n= 194) was 62.6% (55.7-70.2) whereas that for the conventional fractionation group (n=123) was 67.8% (59.8-76.8). However, there was no evidence to say any difference between the disease-free survival rates on the log-rank test (p=0.39). Restricted mean diseasefree survival time in the hypofractionated group was 45.1 months compared to 46.9 months for the conventional fractionation group.

Conclusion: In post-mastectomy breast cancer patients receiving radiation treatment, the survival outcome w

Background: There is no reliable prognostic and predictive biomarkers for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (cc-RCC).

Methods: DNA from 47 cc-RCC tissue samples were sequenced using next generation sequencing and a customized gene panel testing for tumor-driver genes including 19 Mucin genes.

Results: Distinctive variants in 12 Mucin genes were present in all samples. These genes are: MUC2, MUC3A, MUC4, MUC5AC, MUC5B, MUC6, MUC7, MUC12, MUC16, MUC17, MUC19, and MUC22. The numbers of distinctive and non-distinctive variants were counted for each sample. The median number of variants was 455. High variant number (HVN) (>455) was associated with shorter overall survival compared to low variant number (≤455) [Median 50 months vs. not reached; P=0.041]. In the 11 patients who received anti-angiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), HVN was associated with a trend of shorter progression free survival.

Conclusion: Alterations in Mucin family genes are common in ccRCC. HVN is associated with worse prognosis and may predict decreased benefit from anti-angiogenic TKIs.

Key words: Mucin; Variants; Renal cell carcinoma; Biomarker; Tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

Pancreatoblastoma is a rare malignant epithelial neoplasm of the pancreas. It primarily occurs in the pediatric population and is extremely uncommon in adults. A 64-year-old male patient with no known systemic disease presented to our clinic with abdominal pain and dyspeptic complaints. On physical examination, a tender epigastric mass was palpated. The patient was operated on with a preliminary diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Enbloc resection of the mass was performed. The transverse colon was segmentally resected with wedge resection of the gastric corpus. A stapled side-to-side anastomosis was performed. The macroscopic examination of the case revealed a tumoral lesion of approximately 16x13.5x10m, located in the submucosal area between the gastric corpus and the transverse colon. The microscopic examination showed acini, which have a highly cellular appearance, contain areas of necrosis, and form nested structures in places, stratification in places. The immunohistochemical examination demonstrated positive Trypsin expression, while focal positive expression of neuroendocrine markers such as Synaptophysin, Chromogranin, and Insulinomaassociated protein 1 (INSM-1) was observed. In betacatenin staining, aberrant nuclear and cytoplasmic positive expression was observed, and this staining pattern and morphology confirmed the diagnosis of pancreatoblastoma. Pathological Stage:pT3,N0,Mx the patient had an uneventful postoperative period and was referred to the oncology department for adjuvant chemotherapy. Pancreatoblastoma is an extremely rare type of pancreatic cancer and there are no established guidelines for the treatment of this aggressive disease. Surgical resection is recommended if anatomically possible. Pancreatoblastoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of asymptomatic masses containing cystic-solid components and reaching very large sizes. Key words: Pancreas,Rare tumor, Pancreatoblastoma.

Neuroendocrine breast cancers are rare tumors that were recognized as a distinct entity by WHO classification in 2003. It is much rarer in male breast cancer. Diagnosis is based on immunochemical analysis in which the expression of at least one neuroendocrine marker is required, associated with the exclusion of another primary site of the tumor. These tumors have a worse long-term outcome compared to other breast cancers. Small cell carcinoma of the breast is a high-grade subtype, presents with more advanced disease, and has a poorer prognosis compared with other neuroendocrine breast subtypes. A proper therapeutic strategy is still not well established. In the herein reported case, a 62-year-old male patient was diagnosed with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast, metastatic to the liver, lung, bone and lymph node, and was treated with a first-line Platinum-Etoposide chemotherapy combination with a good clinical and radiological response. Only four previous cases of male small cell breast carcinoma were reported. Keywords: Neuroendocrine Breast Carcinoma, Small Cell Carcinoma, Diagnosis, Prognosis, Treatment.

Objective: Gallbladder carcinoma is the most frequent biliary tract carcinoma with over all very poor prognosis. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is known to be involved in carcinogenesis and overexpressed in various malignancies including head and neck, breast, lung and colon carcinomas. This study was done to explore the expression of EGFR in gallbladder carcinoma cases in the north Indian population so that it may be used as a therapeutic target in these patients.

Materials and methods: 59 cases of gallbladder carcinoma diagnosed by histopathological examination were included in study. Expression of EGFR was seen by immunohistochemistry method on histopathology slides.

Results: Out of 59 gallbladder carcinoma cases 46 (78%) were female and 13 (22%) were male with female to male ratio of 3.54:1. Mean age was 51.71±11.32 years. On histopathological examination 51 (86.4%) cases were conventional adenocarcinoma, 2 (3.4%) adenosquamous carcinoma, 2 (3.4%) mucinous adenocarcinoma, 2 (3.4%) papillary adenocarcinoma, 1 (1.7%) signet ring cell carcinoma and 1 (1.7%) squamous cell carcinoma histological subtypes. EGFR expression was present in 31 (52.5%) of gallbladder carcinoma cases and strong EGFR expression was significantly associated with poor differentiation of tumour.

Conclusion: In our study EGFR was positive in the majority of gallbladder carcinoma cases. There was inverse correlation between differentiation of tumor and EGFR expression. Strong EGFR expression was significantly higher in poorly differentiated tumors compared to well differentiated tumors suggesting its role in prognosis. This also suggest that EGFR might have a role in tumor progression and aggressiveness. Therefore, EGFR have potential to be used as therapeutic target in significant number of patients. More larger sample studies are required to confirm our findings. EGFR may be further studied as therapeutic target in clinical trials in the Indian population to improve morbidity and mortality of gallbladder carcinoma patients.

Key words: EGFR Expression, Gallbladder Carcinoma, Immunohistochemistry, Targeted Therapy.

Background: Advanced gastric cancer is associated with poor survival despite chemotherapy. Maintenance chemotherapy has been successfully tried in lung cancer and colorectal cancers however there is scarce literature on maintenance therapy in advanced gastric cancer. We report a prospective non-randomized single-arm trial of capecitabine maintenance after response to docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-Flurouracil-based chemotherapy.

Methods: 50 patients with advanced gastric cancer, who had achieved response or had stable disease after 6 cycles of Docetaxel, Cisplatin, and 5-Flurouracil (D 75 mg/m2, C 75 mg/m2, FU 750 mg/m2/d d1-d5, q3 weeks) chemotherapy were prospectively selected to receive maintenance chemotherapy with capecitabine (1000mg/ m2 bid d1-d14 q21 days) until progression.

Results: During the median follow-up period of 18 months all patients had progressed, however, there was no treatment-related death, the median time to tumor progression was 10.3 months, with grade 3 and 4 toxicities in 10-15% of patients, and treatment delays in 75% of patients.

Conclusions: Our study has shown that maintenance chemotherapy with capecitabine post-first-line docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-FU-based chemotherapy is effective and delays tumor progression. However, toxicity was a concern in our study which led to treatment-related delays but without any treatment-related death. Most patients continued therapy till progression.