Biomedical subjects

H Al-Sayer

Publications and source records attributed to H Al-Sayer.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Serum changes in trace elements during thyroid cancers.

The objective was to examine changes in trace elements due to thyroid cancer in humans. Serum levels and tissue contents of trace elements (Zn, Cu, Mn, Mg, Fe and Se) were measured in 43 patients with thyroid cancer before and 4 days after surgery were compared to normal values. The serum levels of zinc in cancer patients were lower than those of normal subjects. Surgical removal of the cancer resulted in the restoration of these levels. Although serum Cu levels in patients were not different from normal, but post-operatively these levels rose significantly (p < 0.001). Levels of Fe, Mg and Mn were significantly lower (p < 0.001) post-operatively. There was no significant change in Serum Se levels. The thyroid tissue contents of these trace elements did not show a difference between the normal (Juxta-tumor) thyroid tissue and the cancerous lesion. Out of the six trace elements examined, the decrease of serum levels of zinc in cancer patients may be linked to the disease condition. It is suggested that this change: (a) may be used to demonstrate successful cancer surgery and (b) may have implications for a long-term follow-up of thyroid cancer patients.

Adenocarcinoma, Follicular↗

PubMed2003

Expression of CD44s in human colorectal cancer.

CD44s is a cell adhesion molecule, which belongs to the family of hyaluronan binding proteins. Anti-body to CD44s is used to establish the association of its expression with the clinicopathological characteristics of colorectal cancer using immunohistochemical methods. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of the standard form of CD44 (CD44s) in colorectal cancer tissues as compared to adjacent normal colonic tissues. Furthermore, the level of expression of CD44s in colorectal cancer tissues was correlated with the degree of histological differentiation, Duke s classification, sex, size and site of the tumor. Immunohistochemical analysis for CD44s was carried out in 49 paraffin-fixed sections of neoplastic colorectal tissues and non-neoplastic ones adjacent to the lesion, by the standard peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. Expression of these antigens were compared in normal and malignant epithelium and stromal cells. The results show that the level of CD44s in the epithelial and stromal cells was significantly higher in the colorectal cancer tissues than the normal ones. However, there was no association between the percentages of expressions of CD44s and the degree of histological differentiation, Duke s classification, sex or size of the tumor. There was however, a significantly higher expression of CD44s in the epithelium of rectal cancer than that of colonic cancer. This study indicates that the expression of CD44s is significantly higher in colorectal cancer tissues. However, further studies are required to understand its role in tumor progression and metastasis of this disease.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Breast cancer in women aged 35 and under: prognosis and survival.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer comprises 22% of all cancers occurring in females but only 2% of cases occur in women aged 35 years and less. The presentation, behaviour and prognosis of breast cancer in such women, when compared with older women, are unclear and conflicting results have been reported. This study has audited clinical and pathological features in patients aged 35 years and under with breast cancer. METHODS: One hundred and thirteen patients were identified. The details of clinical staging, local and distant disease recurrence and overall survival were obtained for all patients. Histological sections of tumours were examined for type, grade, size, presence of surrounding intraductal carcinoma, presence of vascular space invasion, lymph node involvement and oestrogen receptor (ER) status. RESULTS: Histological examination of the tumours revealed that 94% were invasive ductal carcinoma. In 73% of the cases the tumours were grade 3, 49% of patients who underwent axillary surgery had lymph node involvement and 20% of tumours expressed ERs. The overall 5-year survival was 64%. Predictors of a poorer survival (univariate analysis) were: increasing tumour size, absence of ERs, presence of lymphovascular space invasion, axillary lymph node involvement and detectable metastases at the initial presentation. Multivariate analysis revealed that only lymphovascular space invasion was an independent predictor of a poor survival. CONCLUSION: Breast cancer in young (< or = 35 years) women is biologically aggressive, compared with older women. Factors predicting survival and overall survival rates, however, were comparable with those previously reported for older women with breast cancer.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Serum antioxidant and cholesterol levels in patients with different types of cancer.

Serum antioxidant (urate, alpha-tocopherol) activity and cholesterol concentration in 142 patients of Indian and Arab (Kuwaitis and other Arabs) origin with different types of cancer (breast, colon, stomach, thyroid, oral, rectal, pancreatic, and renal) were compared to 100 age- and sex-matched control subjects. Values were expressed as medians (interquartile range). Urate concentration was significantly decreased in male patients compared to male controls (P < 0.0001) and in female patients and female breast cancer cases compared to female controls; P < 0.0001 and P = 0.001, respectively. Alpha-tocopherol concentration decreased significantly in total cancer, stomach, colon, rectal, and breast cancer cases than the controls; P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.012, and P = 0.022, respectively. Cholesterol concentration decreased significantly in stomach, oral, colon, and total cancer cases compared to the controls; P < 0.0001, P < 0.0001, P = 0.002, and P = 0.012, respectively. Among controls, females had significantly (P < 0.0001) lower concentrations of alpha-tocopherol than males. Among patients, cholesterol, urate, and alpha-tocopherol concentrations decreased significantly in smokers than in nonsmokers; P < 0.0001, P = 0.004, and P = 0.047, respectively. Generally, changes in alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratios mimicked changes in alpha-tocopherol concentration. Concentrations of all parameters decreased significantly in male patients compared to male controls. Age was positively associated with all three analytes with respect to the controls. Alpha-tocopherol correlated with cholesterol in cancer patients (r = 0.367; P < 0.0001) and with urate in the controls (r = 0.342; P < 0.0001). The data suggest cancer-related diminished synthesis of cholesterol and, generally, a greater antioxidant burden for alpha-tocopherol than urate in cancer-generated oxidative stress. The increased incidence of pancreatic cancer in Kuwaitis warrants further study.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and urate in patients with different types of cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To measure plasma concentrations of alpha-tocopherol and urate to determine whether there is any relationship with different types of cancer before treatment. METHOD: Plasma concentrations of those two antioxidants were measured in cancer patients and sex- and age-matched controls. Plasma total cholesterol concentration was measured to derive an alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratio. RESULTS: Alpha-tocopherol and urate concentrations as well as alpha-tocopherol/cholesterol ratios were significantly lower in the cancer patients as whole, in gastrointestinal cancer and in breast cancer compared to the controls. There was no significant relationship between alpha-tocopherol and urate levels in either the plasma of patients (r=0.048; P=0.653) or controls (r=0.073; P=0.406). Alpha-tocopherol was more positively correlated with cholesterol in the plasma of controls (r=0.539; P < 0.0001) in comparison with the patients (r=0.456; P < 0.0001). There was no significant correlation between urate and cholesterol levels in both patient and control plasma samples. CONCLUSION: The data suggest that although alpha-tocopherol and urate provide important antioxidant defence in cancer, the association between their levels is weak.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Plasma micronutrient antioxidant in cancer patients.

The distribution of breast, colon, gastric, thyroid, oral, rectal, pancreatic and renal cancers were determined in 71 Kuwaitis, 45 other Arabs, and 26 Indians. Plasma levels of micronutrient antioxidants, retinol, alpha-tocopherol, lycopene, and beta-carotene were measured in the groups and in 90 matched controls for comparison. Cholesterol was measured to determine its association with the micronutrient antioxidants. Pancreatic cancer occurred exclusively in Kuwaitis, while breast and colon cancers were disproportionately higher in Kuwaitis than in the other groups. Micronutrient antioxidant levels were similar in the groups, except for higher lycopene levels in Kuwaitis. In most instances, the micronutrient antioxidants, except beta-carotene, decreased significantly in levels in patients than in controls. Low levels of retinol, lycopene, and beta-carotene were strongly associated with pancreatic cancer. Compared to controls, significantly increased levels of beta-carotene occurred in breast, colon, thyroid, and renal cancers; increased lycopene occurred in oral cancer, and increased alpha-tocopherol occurred in pancreatic cancer. Alpha-tocopherol strongly correlated with cholesterol. Generally, changes in alpha-tocopherol/ cholesterol ratios mimicked those of alpha-tocopherol levels. Micronutrient antioxidant levels were significantly lower in male patients than female patients. Age showed a negative but statistically insignificant relationship with micronutrient antioxidants. Lycopene strongly correlated with alpha-carotene and alpha-tocopherol with retinol. Among the patients, all micronutrient antioxidants except retinol decreased significantly in levels in smokers than nonsmokers, suggesting susceptibility to cigarette smoke oxidative stress. We conclude that micronutrient antioxidant depletions and altered associations may imply tumor utilization or antioxidant burden in oxidative stress or both. Furthermore, the incidence of pancreatic, colon and breast cancers among Kuwaitis warrants further study.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

Cholangiocarcinoma and liver cirrhosis in relation to changes due to thioacetamide.

Different doses of thioacetamide (0.05%, 0.1% and 0.15%) were used to induce liver cirrhosis in Wistar rats. Thioacetamide at 0.5% caused cirrhosis by the twelfth week of treatment. A severe bile duct proliferation and cholangiocarcinoma was seen at longer intervals. Animals treated with higher doses (0.1% and 0.15%) of thioacetamide developed more severe intense degenerative changes in the liver and died in the twelfth and eighth week respectively. The serum and tissue contents of Zn and Cu changed in a characteristic fashion that was consistent with the severity of the liver damage. Serum Zn and Cu concentrations were at their lowest in the animals that developed severe degenerative liver and died at higher dose (0.15%) of thioacetamide. This study indicates that treatment of rats with 0.05% thiocetamide is more effective and appropriate for the induction of liver cirrhosis. Continued administration of the drug at this dosage led to the development of further changes in the liver. This model may be suitable for studying these long term changes that occur in the liver and lead to cirrhosis. Events that precede the development of severe bile duct proliferation and cholangiocarcinoma may also be studied.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Antimicrobial susceptibility profile of soil isolates of Nocardia asteroides from Kuwait.

OBJECTIVES: To find the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of 42 soil isolates of Nocardia asteroides against 14 antimicrobial agents representing beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, ciprofloxacin, minocycline, erythromycin and third generation cephalosporins. METHODS: The antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by the disk diffusion method using Mueller-Hinton agar medium. A homogeneous suspension giving an inoculum of 106-108 CFU/mL was used to streak the plates. The zone of inhibition was read after 36-48 h of incubation at 37 degrees C. RESULTS: All the soil isolates of N. asteroides were susceptible to amikacin, imipenem and tobramycin. Susceptibility to cephalosporins was quite variable; 86% of the isolates were susceptible to cefotaxime, 57% to ceftriaxone and 40% to cefamandole. Fifty-seven per cent of the isolates showed intermediate susceptibility to cefamandole, 33% to ceftriaxone and 5% to cefotaxime. Ninety-three per cent of the isolates were resistant to sulfamethoxazole alone or in combination with trimethoprim. CONCLUSIONS: The study reports a wide variation in the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of soil isolates of N. asteroides originating from a single geographical area. Of interest is the finding that over 90% of N. asteroides isolates were resistant to sulfamethoxazole without any previous exposure to this drug. This may have serious therapeutic implications as sulphonamides or the combination of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the therapy of choice for nocardiosis. Demonstration of resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics may be attributed to the presence of beta-lactamases which was detectable in > 90% of the soil strains of N. asteroides. The study underscores the importance of antimicrobial susceptibility testing for clinical isolates of Nocardia since individual strains show considerable differences in their susceptibility patterns necessitating therapeutic adjustments.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1998

Elevated levels of IL-8 in dengue hemorrhagic fever.

Dengue virus causes dengue fever, a mild febrile illness, and at times dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), a severe illness the pathogenesis of which is not fully understood. Given the crucial roles played by interleukin-8 (IL-8) as a chemoattractant cytokine and in inflammatory processes, levels of circulating IL-8 in the sera and IL-8 mRNA in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were measured in 99 patients of a recent dengue epidemic that occurred in India in 1996 and in 21 normal healthy controls. Twenty-six of the patients had dengue fever (DF) and the remaining 73 were diagnosed as having different grades of DHF. All the control normal sera were negative for IL-8, so were their PBMC for IL-8 mRNA. Increased levels of IL-8 in the sera and IL-8 mRNA in their PBMC were observed in patients with severe illness of DHF grades III and IV. Only two out of 26 patients of DF and one out of 10 DHF grade I patient were positive for IL-8 and all three deteriorated to DHF grade IV within 24 hr. All six patients of DHF grade IV who died had higher serum level of IL-8 above 200 pg/ml, the highest being 5,568 pg/ml in one patient; the presence of mRNA for IL-8 was very high in all patients. A striking correlation was observed between increased levels of IL-8 and severe DHF, with greater levels in patients with increased grade of the disease and death. These results suggest that IL-8 may have an important role and may be an indicator of increasing severity of the disease and death.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Nocardia asteroides in the soil of Kuwait.

A pilot study was undertaken to determine the occurrence and distribution of pathogenic nocardiae in Kuwaiti soil. A total of 102 soil samples collected from two localities were investigated by the paraffin bait technique. Nocardia asteroides was the only species isolated from 42 (41%) soil samples. None of the isolates fulfilled the criteria required for identification of N. farcinica or N. nova. Thirty one (73.8%) isolates showed equivalent growth at 45 degrees C and 35 degrees C, 17 (40.4%) isolates utilized acetamide for carbon and nitrogen requirements and 3 (7.1%) isolates showed delayed arylsulphatase activity. Only a solitary isolate was resistant to cefamandole. Soil samples originating from the Kuwait University Campus, Shuwaikh, which were rich in humus/organic matter, were more productive for N. asteroides (67%) than the samples which were devoid of it but were mixed with crude oil (39%). Sand samples that lacked organic matter and crude oil samples were least productive of N. asteroides. These preliminary findings do not suggest that massive oil contamination of soil in the Ahmadi oil field area during the Gulf war promoted the natural occurrence of N. asteroides. However, isolation of N. asteroides in as many as 41% of the soil sample is a significant observation warranting further epidemiologic studies including its possible role in the operation desert storm sickness syndrome. This is the first report on the natural occurrence of N. asteroides in Kuwait.

Fuel Oils↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Prognostic significance of CEA and CA 19-9 in colorectal cancer in Kuwait.

Preoperative CEA and CA 19-9 levels have been used in the past as prognostic indicators in colorectal cancer, but Dukes' stage is still considered to be the most important prognostic factor. Recent survival estimates may have been influenced by the fact that in the last decade adjuvant chemotherapy and postoperative irradiation have been included in the routine management of advanced-stage disease. In a heterogeneous Kuwaiti population higher reference levels (95th percentile) of CEA and CA 19-9 have been found than those usually employed. In the present study 62 patients with Dukes' stage B + C could be analyzed for two-year disease-free survival (DFS). Relapse was observed in 19 patients, 28 patients were disease free and 15 patients with censored observations were included. No significant difference in DFS was observed in Dukes' B (69%) versus Dukes' C (48%) patients (p = 0.09). On the other hand, Dukes' stage B + C patients with elevated preoperative levels of CEA or CA 19-9 had a significantly poorer DFS than patients with normal levels. For CEA levels below or above the cutoff the DFS was 74% versus 23% (p = 0.003); for CA 19-9 levels below or above the cutoff the DFS was 71% versus 33% (p = 0.004). In 54 patients with Dukes' stage B + C for whom preoperative levels of both CEA and CA 19-9 were available multivariate analysis revealed a decreasing risk of relapse in the following order: CEA and/or CA 19-9 elevated (chi-square 7.09; p = 0.008), CA 19-9 elevated (chi-square 6.27; p = 0.01), CEA elevated (chi-square 5.47; p = 0.02), and Dukes' C (chi-square 2.08; p = 0.15 n.s.). Hence, novel treatment protocols may have improved the disease-free survival, but the use of adjuvant chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is of questionable benefit in patients who have elevated levels of CEA and/or CA 19-9 prior to treatment.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗