Questions about cancer asked by the lay public, and how to answer them.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S Ali.
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We report our experience of the incidence of false-positive (i.e., clinically positive and histologically negative) and false-negative (i.e., clinically negative and histologically positive) neck nodes and define their relationship to the primary site, T-stage, and the histologic grade of the primary lesion. Clinical and pathologic records of 255 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck who underwent 266 radical neck dissections were reviewed. We did not find any relationship between the T-stage of the primary tumor and the incidence of the false-positive and false-negative neck nodes. Regarding the primary site, the benefit of an elective neck dissection is likely to be maximum in oropharyngeal SCC and minimum in supraglottic SCC. The incidence of false-negative neck nodes was lower in well differentiated primary lesions.
The peak and the trough levels of serum gentamicin were determined in 50 cases of neonates and infants by microbiological assay method. The peak levels in the neonates and the infants were 5.98 +/- 0.48 and 4.63 +/- 0.31 mcg/ml respectively. The trough levels in the corresponding group were 1.06 +/- 0.19 and 0.94 +/- 0.23 mcg/ml. The mean values of the peak and trough levels of the antibiotic were 5.57 and 1.02 mcg/ml respectively. It was observed that there was a significant lower peak concentration in the infants than in the neonates. A significantly higher peak concentration of gentamicin was observed in babies aged under 7 days than in those above 7 days. The route of administration (between I/M and I/V) did not seem to have any effect on the peak and trough levels of the antibiotics.
For cross-linking DNA onto nitrocellulose or nylon membranes by using ordinary ultraviolet (UV) light, empirical optimization with respect to exposure time is crucial for obtaining complete hybridization signals. Longer than optimal UV exposure reduces the signal intensity particularly in the larger DNA fragments, whereas shorter exposure due to insufficient immobilization produces incomplete signals. Relevance of using ordinary source of UV light with respect to fixing DNA on a large number of circular filters during library screening is discussed.
Three cases with periodicity and pain profile characteristic of episodic cluster headache, whose headaches were solely confined to the regions of the head and neck outside the trigeminal territory, are reported. Two were females, who had associated nausea and vomiting with severe attacks. The male patient exhibited autonomic symptoms in the eye during the attacks. Alcohol induced headache in one. All three patients responded to anticluster headache therapy. These cases are illustrative of a wider spectrum of clinical manifestations of cluster headache than was originally recognized. They question the theory that cluster headache may be due to a lesion involving the cavernous sinus. One the other hand, it points to involvement of a more complex pain circuit consisting of upper cervical nerves, posterior fossa innervation, trigeminal system and the autonomic pathways.
The cytotoxic effect of conifer Tetraclinis articulata essential oil (TAEO) on a number of human cancer cell lines and peripheral blood lymphocytes was assessed at various concentrations and time exposures. The cytotoxic effect showed the hallmarks of apoptosis confirmed by a variety of techniques including flow cytometry, an apoptosis- specific marker combined to fluorescent staining and DNA laddering. All cell lines tested were inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion and within a contact time of less than eight hours for the higher concentrations. Melanoma, breast and ovarian cancer cells gave IC50s of around 80 micrograms/ml whilst the IC50s on peripheral blood lymphocytes was almost double this value. We conclude that the essential oil contains components that are effective at inducing apoptosis. The advantages of using a mixture of monoterpenes (C10) as present in an EO over a single component, are discussed.
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Repeated blood transfusions in patients with thalassaemia subject them to peroxidative tissue injury by secondary iron overload. To study the relationship between iron overload and antioxidant micronutrient status among children with thalassaemia, we measured serum levels of vitamins A and E, zinc, selenium, and copper in 64 children with beta-thalassaemia major and 63 age- and sex-matched controls. All of these elements were significantly lower in the thalassaemic children compared with controls. There was a highly significant inverse correlation between serum ferritin and serum retinol levels, and significant inverse correlations between serum iron and retinol and between serum iron and selenium. Serum ferritin showed a significant positive correlation with duration of chelation and transfusion treatments. Ways are needed to counteract this oxidative damage and its deleterious effect on the prognosis of thalassaemia.
Neisseria microorganisms (Neisseria lactamica, Neisseria sicca, and Neisseria mucosa) are regarded as normal respiratory commensals. Branhamella catarrhalis (formerly Neisseria catarrhalis) has also been regarded as a normal respiratory commensal, but reports indicate that it can be pathogenic. The role of Neisseria spp was studied in 160 patients with chest infections and symptoms and signs of obstructive respiratory disease. Group I patients (n = 140) had a history of asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. Group II patients (n = 20) had an initially responsive pulmonary tuberculosis but presented with fever and obstructive airway disease. Group I patients had disease that was difficult to control despite increased bronchodilator therapy, but they responded dramatically after two to three days of appropriate antibiotic therapy. Patients in group II showed a similar response to erythromycin. Neisseria infection was responsible for precipitating or exacerbating respiratory distress in both groups. Accordingly, it is concluded that Neisseria can be pathogenic and that patients with fever and obstructive respiratory symptoms require treatment.
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We have looked at the ability of 104 patients to recall their preoperative anaesthetic visit. 26.9% of those seen could not remember ever being assessed by an anaesthetist. We think this has important medical, medico legal and manpower implications which need to be addressed.