Metastatic basal cell carcinoma to the bone and bone marrow

Background  Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common carcinoma in the community, but the incidence of metastatic events is exceedingly low. The few reported cases most often appear in regional nodes or the lungs, and patients usually exhibit multiple concurrent organs of spread at the time of diagnosis.
Methods  We report a case of primary BCC located on the left forehead of a 48-year-old man, which metastasized exclusively to the bone and bone marrow, associated with hematologic disorders. A short review of the literature is included.
Results  Pathologic examination of the tumor located on the left forehead showed BCC. The patient underwent two surgical excisions because of local recurrence. Three years later, the patient developed a bicytopenia (anemia and thrombocytopenia). The bone marrow biopsy revealed metastasis of BCC. There were no abnormal findings in the other routine laboratory tests and radiologic investigations, except for the bone scan which showed multifocal skeletal metastases. The patient received two cycles of chemotherapy with cisplatin 75 mg/m² before he died as a result of hemorrhagic complications and progressive disease.
Conclusion  Metastasis of BCC is a very rare condition that should not be overlooked. The prognosis remains very poor. We emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up of such patients.     

Skin cancer knowledge and attitudes in the region of Fez,Morocco: a cross-sectional study

Background

The prevalence of skin cancers is constantly increasing in Morocco, and they have gradually become more aggressive due to a significant delay in the diagnosis. Our aim was to assess the levels of awareness and the influencing factors related to skin cancer knowledge in Morocco.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out in Morocco through the medium of a validated questionnaire, which contained several items – demographics, skin cancer knowledge and attitudes towards skin cancer patients– during a period of 1 year (2014).

Results

Out of the 700 participants enrolled in the study, 17.9% had never heard of skin cancer, 32.5% had a low score of skin cancer knowledge, 66.7% had a moderate score, and only 0.85% had a high score of skin cancer knowledge. Further, 15.1% of the participants were under the assumption that this cancer is contagious. The sun was the most incriminated risk factor in skin cancer occurrence by 74.3% of the participants, and 57.9% of them believed that prevention is important through using various means of photoprotection. After univariate and multivariate analysis, the influencing factors related to the skin cancer knowledge in Morocco were: the socioeconomic status (P?=?0.003, OR?=?7. 3) and the educational level (p?<?0.001, OR?=?20. 9).

Conclusions

Due to the lack of knowledge or the underestimation of skin cancer in our study population, efforts are needed to promote skin cancer surveillance behaviors in Morocco.

     

Allergenic changes in β-lactoglobulin induced by microwave irradiation under different pH conditions

The allergenicity of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) was assayed by Ussing chamber after microwave irradiation of whey proteins at different pH values, in a murine model of BLG allergy. BALB/c mice were sensitised intraperitoneally with BLG. Serum levels of BLG-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2a and IgE were analysed by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Local anaphylactic responses and residual allergenicity of various treated whey proteins were performed in vitro in Ussing chamber. BLG immunisation was associated with strong IgG, IgG1, IgG2a and IgE production, a significant increase in short current circuit (Isc) and high conductance (G) response. The allergenic potential of BLG was markedly reduced after microwave irradiation at 300 or 700 W of whey proteins at pH values 6.8 or 4.6 (Isc and G remained unchanged after intestine challenge with treated whey proteins). The application of microwave irradiation of whey proteins at the natural milk pH (pH 6.8) or pH 4.6 induces a significant decrease in the BLG allergenicity.     

Assessment of the drug susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum clinical isolates from africa by using a Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase immunodetection assay and an inhibitory maximum effect model for precise measurement of the 50-percent inhibitory concentration

The extension of drug resistance among malaria-causing Plasmodium falciparum parasites in Africa necessitates implementation of new combined therapeutic strategies. Drug susceptibility phenotyping requires precise measurements. Until recently, schizont maturation and isotopic in vitro assays were the only methods available, but their use was limited by technical constraints. This explains the revived interest in the development of replacement methods, such as the Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) immunodetection assay. We evaluated a commercially controlled pLDH enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; the ELISA-Malaria antigen test; DiaMed AG, Cressier s/Morat, Switzerland) to assess drug susceptibility in a standard in vitro assay using fairly basic laboratory equipment to study the in vitro resistance of malaria parasites to major antimalarials. Five Plasmodium falciparum clones and 121 clinical African isolates collected during 2003 and 2004 were studied by the pLDH ELISA and the [8-(3)H]hypoxanthine isotopic assay as a reference with four antimalarials. Nonlinear regression with a maximum effect model was used to estimate the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) and its confidence intervals. The two methods were observed to have similar reproducibilities, but the pLDH ELISA demonstrated a higher sensitivity. The high correlation (r = 0.98) and the high phenotypic agreement (kappa = 0.88) between the two methods allowed comparison by determination of the IC(50)s. Recently collected Plasmodium falciparum African isolates were tested by pLDH ELISA and showed drug resistance or decreased susceptibilities of 62% to chloroquine and 11.5% to the active metabolite of amodiaquine. No decreased susceptibility to lumefantrine or the active metabolite of artemisinin was detected. The availability of this simple and highly sensitive pLDH immunodetection assay will provide an easier method for drug susceptibility testing of malaria parasites.     

Increased radiation sensitivity of an eosinophilic cell line following treatment with epigallocatechin-gallate, resveratrol and curcuma

Ionizing radiation is widely used in radiotherapy, in order to promote an apoptotic response in cancerous cells. Since the need to find new substances that would enhance the radiation-induced apoptosis in cancerous cells is great, we studied the effect of epigallocatechin-gallate (EGCG, a tea component), resveratrol (a wine component) and curcuma on cell proliferation and radiation-induced apoptosis in the human leukaemic cell line, EOL-1, derived from a patient with eosinophilic leukaemia. Cells were X-irradiated with 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 Gy and cultured in the presence of EGCG, resveratrol or curcuma (concentrations ranging from 0 to 200 microM) for 1, 2 or 3 days of culture. Cell proliferation was measured using trypan blue exclusion. Apoptosis was evaluated using light microscopy (morphology study after May-Grunwald Giemsa staining) and flow cytometry (annexin-V staining). Irradiation alone induced a dose-related reduction in cell proliferation and the appearance of polyploid cells in EOL-1 cells. Additionally, EOL-1 cells underwent a dose-related increase of apoptosis which, from the second day on, was accompanied by a dose-related increase of necrosis. When cells were exposed to EGCG, resveratrol or curcuma alone, a decrease in cell proliferation was observed, beginning from 25 microM EGCG and 50 microM resveratrol and curcuma, while an increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells was noted from 50 microM EGCG, 100 microM resveratrol and curcuma in EOL-1 cells, after only one day of culture. Simultaneous exposure to X-irradiation and, EGCG, resveratrol or curcuma resulted in a synergistic decrease of cell proliferation as well as in a synergistic increase of apoptosis and necrosis. These results suggest that, depending on the concentration, EGCG, resveratrol and curcuma enhance radiation-induced apoptosis in the leukaemic cell line, EOL-1 (EGCG >resveratrol >curcuma). In order to further characterise the radiation-induced apoptosis of this leukaemic cell line, other flow cytometrical analyses are in progress.