Background
Claudin-18 (CLDN18) is a recently identified anticancer therapeutic target with promising results for various gastrointestinal malignancies. The role of CLDN18 in prostatic carcinoma has ...not been investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate CLDN18 and androgen receptor (AR) expression in prostatic carcinoma and to link these findings with other clinicopathological characteristics. This retrospective study was carried out on 120 cases of prostatic lesions, including 100 cases of prostatic carcinoma and 20 cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia. The immunohistochemical staining technique was used to evaluate the expression of both CLDN18 and AR in prostatic carcinoma in relation to clinicopathological parameters.
Results
CLDN18 expression was completely absent in benign prostatic tissue, while it was detected in the membrane of 30 (30%) of studied carcinoma cases, with a statistically significant difference (
p
= 0.046). In contrast to other variables, a statistically significant relationship was identified between CLDN18 expression and Gleason Grade group (
p
= 0.000), stage (
p
= 0.03), and nodal metastasis (
p
= 0.000). The expression of the androgen receptor was detected in the nucleus of 96 (96%) of the cancer cases under study, with no statistically significant difference between the studied groups (
p
= 0.427). A statistically significant relation was found between AR expression and Gleason Grade group (
p
= 0.03) and stage (
p
= 0.01), while no relation with other variables was detected. AR expression and CLDN18 expression were shown to be statistically significantly correlated (
p
= 0.002).
Conclusions
CLDN18 was expressed in prostatic carcinoma and correlated with an adverse tumor outcome. CLDN18 may be regulated by AR. CLDN18 could be a candidate therapeutic marker for the treatment of prostatic carcinoma.
Introduction: Gall Bladder Carcinoma (GBC) is a diagnostic and a therapeutic challenge. Although it is increasing, chronic cholecystitis remains the most worldwide gall bladder lesions, harbouring ...many epithelial changes that may end in carcinoma. Aim: To investigate the expression of HER2/neu (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2), Ki-67 and MUC1 (Mucin 1) in malignant and non-malignant gall bladder lesions, and to evaluate its relation with clinicopathologic parameters of GBC. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 40 cases of GBC, eight cases of gall bladder dysplasia, 10 cases of gall bladder metaplastic changes and 25 cases of chronic cholecystitis as a control group. The blocks were collected from the Department of Pathology of Benha University Hospital, from January 2012 to December 2019. Immunohistochemical staining results of HER2/neu, Ki-67 and MUC1 were analysed and correlated by Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16 and Chi-square test or Fisher’s-exact tests. Results: Positive HER2/neu expression (+2, +3) was detected in 47.5% (19/40) of malignant cases and 12.5% (1/8) of dyspastic group, at the same time it was completely absent in the metaplastic and cholecystitis cases (p<0.01). Similarly, Ki-67 Labeling Index (LI) (≥20%) expression was found in 55% (22/40) of malignant group, while it was completely absent in the other three studied groups. All cases of malignant group 100% (40/40), 50% (4/8) of dysplastic one, one case of metaplastic (1/10) showed cytoplasmic expression of MUC1, at the same time it was completely absent in control group (0/25) (p<0.01). High MUC1 expression was found in 75% of both malignant (30/40) and dysplastic (6/8) studied cases and only one case (10%) of metaplastic group (p<0.01). There was a significant correlation between MUC1 expression and studied parameters of GBC. Conclusion: HER2/neu, and Ki-67 are overexpressed in GBC cases compared with control and dysplastic group. The study also highlights that MUC1 would be a better marker of malignant transformation of gall bladder epithelium and its depolarised expression would be reliable for detection of invasive carcinoma, so a new therapeutic agent can target these cell surface adhesion molecule (MUC1). HER2/neu can be considered as a candidate for targeted therapy in GBC treatment strategy.
Blockchain technology (BT) has become popular in the firms in the present time, however, implementation of BT includes several risk factors from various points of view. Some of these risks can be ...serious for the processes of firms. These risks should be cautiously recognized and analyzed to reduce the negative impacts of them. Assessment of the risks can be recognized as a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) problem. In this work, the risks that will occur when implementing BT are assessed by using MCDM methodology built on Single Valued Neutrosophic Sets (SVNSs), Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Decision Making and Trial Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methods. The main and sub-criteria risks are collected via a company in the smart village in Egypt and from previous research, hence, the hierarchical form of the problem is built. AHP is used to show the importance of risk factors and the relationships between risk factors obtained by using the DEMATEL method. The main goal of this study is to aid the firms mainly and the firm in Egypt especially to determine which risks are more serious and to which of them causing effect and are being affected. In this study 8 main criterion and 28 sub-criteria, risks are used. As result, the security risk is important in the main risks but energy costs and data leaks are important in sub risks. Keywords: Blockchain technology (BT), Risks, SVNSs, AHP, DEMATEL
Introduction: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death worldwide, and its incidence has been rising. It is important to identify novel markers that could predict the prognosis of the ...disease. Aim: To identify the impact of Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), Beclin 1, and Fascin 1 immunohistochemical expression on CRC behaviour and disease prognosis. Also, to assess the different surgical options (laparoscopic versus open) in the management of these patients. Materials and Methods: This cohort study included 72 cases of CRC, conducted in the Pathology, General Surgery, Internal Medicine, Clinical Oncology, and Medical Oncology Departments of the Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University Hospitals, Egypt between June 2018 and June 2022. PD-L1, Beclin 1, and Fascin 1 expression were assessed immunohistochemically, and their prognostic significance were evaluated. Data were analysed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 23.0 for Windows (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and NCSS 11 for Windows (NCSS LCC., Kaysville, UT, USA) in the Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt. Results: A significant association was found between PDL1 expression and grading (p-value=0.02), lymphovascular invasion, distant metastasis (p-value=0.001), peritoneal spread (p-value=0.002), tumour budding (p-value=0.005), lymph node metastasis, and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage (p-value<0.001). A significant association was also found between Beclin 1 expression and distant metastasis (p-value=0.001), lymphovascular invasion (p-value=0.004), lymphocytic infiltration (p-value=0.006), perineural invasion (p-value=0.01), peritoneal spread (p-value=0.002), and AJCC stage (p-value=0.007). A highly significant association between Fascin 1 expression and grading, lymphovascular invasion, tumour budding, lymph node metastasis, lymphocytic infiltration, perineural invasion, metastasis, peritoneal spread, and AJCC stage (p-value<0.001) was detected. In patients with negative PD-L1 or high Fascin 1 expression, survival rates were lower. Beclin 1 expression was not associated with a favourable prognosis (p-value>0.05). Conclusion: PD-L1, Beclin 1, and Fascin 1 expression are significantly elevated in CRC tissues and closely associated with adverse prognostic factors. PD-L1 and Fascin 1 expression have important prognostic value and may be of great help in identifying high-risk patients who will benefit the most from treatment.
Background
Inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract and includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Inflammatory bowel disease has always ...seemed to be rare in the Middle East and Northern Africa. In this study, we explored the clinical characteristics of inflammatory bowel disease patients in our center.
Methods
This retrospective study was conducted on patients with an established diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease over 10 years from September 2009 to September 2019 who were referred to our inflammatory bowel disease center. Clinical information was obtained from medical records and patient interviews. We included all patients in whom the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease was confirmed by clinical, laboratory, endoscopic, and histological examination over a 10-year period from 2009 to 2019.
Results
Our study had one hundred and sixty-nine inflammatory bowel disease patients; one hundred and thirty-six ulcerative colitis patients and the remaining thirty-three patients had Crohn’s disease. The main presenting symptom was bloody diarrhea (78 patients) representing 46.2% of the patients in our study. The majority of ulcerative colitis patients (55.9%) had moderate disease (Truelove & Witts score), while the majority of Crohn’s disease patients (66.7%) had moderate to severe disease (Crohn’s Disease Activity Index).
Conclusions
The prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease is still low in Egypt despite the rising curve of newly diagnosed cases.
Background
Patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are not systematically screened against depression as well as anxiety, although there are high prevalence and adverse influence on ...the quality of life. The aim of this work was to determine generalized anxiety disorder and major depressive disorder prevalence in patients with IBD, and the secondary objective was to identify patient properties linked to higher psychiatric disorder rates.
Results
We determined anxiety and depression prevalence in 105 IBD patients (82 having ulcerative colitis and 23 suffering from Crohn’s disease) through a psychiatric interview using the Arabic version of Structured Clinical Interview for DSM IV Axis I diagnosis (SCID I), in addition to severity assessment of major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder using the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), respectively. Patient data, disease characteristics, and drug information were also gathered. We found a high depression prevalence of 56.2% (
n
= 59), followed by 37.1% (
n
= 39), with no significant association between IBD severity and anxiety and depression severity.
Conclusion
Depression and/or anxiety affected a large number of IBD patients. Such psychiatric disorders’ frequency would warrant detection as well as referral to psychiatric treatment.
Background and Aim
After a decrease of COVID‐19 cases in summer, Europe faced the appearance of a COVID‐19 second wave. IBD patients are more vulnerable to various emotional and psychological ...stresses than normal individuals. The aim of this study explored the emotional state, perception, and coping strategies of patients with IBD during the COVID 19 pandemic period.
Methods
A cross‐sectional study was conducted between 15 November and 15 December 2020. Patients presented to IBD Study Group Clinic, Department of Tropical Medicine, Ain Shams University Hospitals. The study included 105 IBD patients. A predesigned questionnaire was used that focused on patients’ knowledge of the COVID‐19 pandemic, and how it influenced patient care. Patient demographics, disease characteristics, and medication type were analyzed.
Results
We found 10.5% of patients stopped or delayed their medications owing to the COVID‐19 pandemic second wave and 61% reported that their clinic visits were affected. Seven patients were tested, and two patients reported having been diagnosed with COVID‐19, and 18 patients reported having relatives diagnosed with COVID‐19.
Conclusion
A considerable number of patients with IBD had an interruption to their care because of the second wave COVID‐19 pandemic. So, patients with IBD should take attention before, during, and after such pandemics to avoid undesirable disease‐related outcomes.
During COVID‐19 second wave, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are at risk of pandemic‐related care interruptions. So, attention should be paid to IBD patients before, during, and after any infectious epidemics.
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