HER-2 Positive Breast Cancer - a Mini-Review

Breast cancer is one of among all cancers with increased incidence, high mortality rate, and high economic and social costs. The the most common type of cancer among females worldwide, breast cancer is actually the uncontrolled proliferation of cells which attain malignancy. Recently it has shown that breast cancer contributes 11% among all types of cancer diagnosed globally on an annual basis and it is one of the leading causes of death among women. The human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) is a receptor tyrosine-protein kinase erbB-2 normally involved in the proliferation and division of breast cells. In some abnormal cases the HER2 gene does not work correctly and makes too many copies of itself. HER2-positive (HER2) breast cancers constitute an aggressive type of breast cancer and tend to grow faster and are more likely to spread. However, therapies that specifically target HER2, such as Herceptin (traztuzumab), are very effective. HER2 targeted therapies, has significantly improved the therapeutic outcome for patients with HER2 positive breast cancer.     

Does Breast Cancer Drive the Building of Survival Probability Models among States? An Assessment of Goodness of Fit for Patient Data from SEER Registries

Background: Breast cancer is a worldwide public health concern and is the most prevalent type of cancer in women in the United States. This study concerned the best fit of statistical probability models on the basis of survival times for nine state cancer registries: California, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington. Materials and Methods: A probability random sampling method was applied to select and extract records of 2,000 breast cancer patients from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database for each of the nine state cancer registries used in this study. EasyFit software was utilized to identify the best probability models by using goodness of fit tests, and to estimate parameters for various statistical probability distributions that fit survival data. Results: Statistical analysis for the summary of statistics is reported for each of the states for the years 1973 to 2012. Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Anderson-Darling, and Chi-squared goodness of fit test values were used for survival data, the highest values of goodness of fit statistics being considered indicative of the best fit survival model for each state. Conclusions: It was found that California, Connecticut, Georgia, Iowa, New Mexico, and Washington followed the Burr probability distribution, while the Dagum probability distribution gave the best fit for Michigan and Utah, and Hawaii followed the Gamma probability distribution. These findings highlight differences between states through selected sociodemographic variables and also demonstrate probability modeling differences in breast cancer survival times. The results of this study can be used to guide healthcare providers and researchers for further investigations into social and environmental factors in order to reduce the occurrence of and mortality due to breast cancer.     

Addition of pomegranate juice (Punica granatum) in tris‐based extender improves post‐thaw quality,motion dynamics and in vivo fertility of Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa

The aim of the present study was to determine the protective effects of pomegranate juice in tris‐based extender on semen parameters, computer‐assisted sperm analysis (CASA) motion characteristics and field fertility of post‐thawed Nili Ravi buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) bull spermatozoa. Two consecutive ejaculates/collection from each of the five adult Nili Ravi buffalo bulls were collected with artificial vagina at 42°C for a period of 7 weeks, diluted in extender containing different concentrations of pomegranate juice (0.0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%). Diluted samples were packed and frozen in 0.54 ml French straws. The addition of 10% pomegranate juice in extender significantly improved post‐thaw sperm morphology (%), motilities (CASA total motility, progressive motility (%) as well as VAP, VSL, VCL, STR, DAP, DSL) compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Plasma membrane, acrosome membrane and DNA integrity were significantly higher in extender with 10% pomegranate juice than the control group (p < 0.05). Field fertility rate (60.39% vs. 46.53%) was higher (p < 0.05) in extender with 10% pomegranate juice as compared to the control. It is therefore concluded that the addition of 10% pomegranate juice in tris‐based extender improves post‐thaw semen parameters, CASA motion dynamics and field fertility in Nili Ravi buffaloes.     

Descripción de los pacientes que reciben biológicos como primer tratamiento sistémico en el registro BIOBADADERM durante el periodo 2008-2016

Introduction and objectives

Biologic drugs are usually prescribed as second-line treatment for psoriasis, that is, after the patient has first been treated with a conventional psoriasis drug. There are, however, cases where, depending on the characteristics of the patient or the judgement of the physician, biologics may be chosen as first-line therapy. No studies to date have analyzed the demographics or clinical characteristics of patients in this setting or the safety profile of the agents used. The main aim of this study was to characterize these aspects of first-line biologic therapy and compare them to those observed for patients receiving biologics as second-line therapy.

Efalizumab: ¿un tratamiento seguro para una enfermedad crónica?

Psoriasis is a chronic disease that has a very negative impact on the quality of life of those suffering it. Therefore, treatments that make it possible to satisfactorily control the disease in the long term and maintain a good safety profile are needed. Efalizumab fulfills both requirements. In this article, the potential risks involved in treatment with efalizumab, specifically the acute flu-like syndrome, alterations in laboratory data (leukocytosis, lymphocytosis, thrombocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, elevation of alkaline phosphatase and hepatic biochemistry), infections, neoplasms, skin disorders related with psoriasis (localized papular rash, generalized inflammatory rash, changes in the morphology of psoriasis, rebound phenomenon), joint manifestations, acute inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy and hypersensitivity reactions are reviewed. The contraindications, presence of antiefalizumab antibodies, their drug interactions, use of vaccines and relationship with pregnancy and breast-feeding are also discussed. An adequate selection of the patient, detailed information to the patient on the benefits and risks and correct knowledge of the potential adverse effects by the clinician are essential requirements for satisfactory use of efalizumab in long-term continued therapy.     

Enoxacin: in vitro efficacy and its future therapeutic role in the Pakistani health-care system

Because laboratory microbiological diagnosis is not readily available for 80% of the total population of Pakistan (120 million people), clinicians in large rural areas have been compelled to use several antibiotics in any individual case of resistant and severe infection. This practice has resulted in an increasing number of resistant strains, particularly those of Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Staphylococcus, and Shigella. Also, multiple resistance to penicillin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, cotrimoxazole, chloramphenicol, fosfomycin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, vancomycin, amoxicillin, cefotaxime, and cloxacillin has been recognized. In view of this limitation in antimicrobial therapy, enoxacin, a second-generation quinolone, has been assessed in vitro against resistant and other organisms, and its breakpoint sensitivity has been compared with another quinolone, ofloxacin. The findings indicate that new quinolones such as enoxacin may prove to be helpful in the treatment of individuals suffering from severe and resistant bacterial infections for which no microbiologic diagnosis is available.