Clinical pattern and spectrum of endometrial pathologies in patients with abnormal uterine bleeding in Pakistan: need to adopt a more conservative approach to treatment.

Background: Abnormal uterine bleeding (AUB) is one of the most common debilitating menstrual problems and has remained one of the most frequent indications for hysterectomy in developing countries. Approximately in 40% of hysterectomy specimens, no definite organic pathology could be established. The problem is common worldwide but causes may vary from one region to another.

Morphologic spectrum of glial tumors: an increased trend towards oligodendroglial tumors in Pakistan.

Background: Glial tumors are most common brain tumors in our population. While the exact etiology and pathogenesis is unknown, the evaluation of current trends in the frequency and morphology of glial tumors is imperative to constitute better diagnostic and treatment protocols. Data pertaining to frequency and spectrum of glial tumors is scarcely available in our population.

A large parosteal ossifying lipoma of lower limb encircling the femur.

Introduction: Lipoma is a benign soft tissue neoplasm that may contain mesenchymal elements, as a result of metaplastic process. Ossification in benign and malignant soft tissue tumors can also manifest due to metaplastic process.

Case Presentation: A 45 year old woman presented with a large thigh mass.

Ki67 index in breast cancer: correlation with other prognostic markers and potential in pakistani patients.

Introduction: Breast cancer aggressiveness can be correlated with proliferation status of tumor cells, which can be ascertained with tumor grade and Ki67 indexing. However due to lack of reproducibility, the ASCO do not recommend routine use of Ki67 in determining prognosis in newly diagnosed breast cancers. We therefore aimed to determine associations of the Ki67 index with other prognostic markers like tumor size, grade, lymph node metastasis, ER, PR and HER2neu status.

Accuracy of frozen section analysis of sentinel lymph nodes for the detection of Asian breast cancer micrometastasis - experience from Pakistan.

Background: Intraoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy has now become the standard of care for patients with clinically node negative breast cancer for diagnosis and also in order to determine the need for immediate axillary clearance. Several large scale studies confirmed the diagnostic reliability of this method. However, micrometastases are frequently missed on frozen sections.

Cancer stem cells and resistance to chemo and radio therapy.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs, or tumor initiating cells) are responsible for tumor initiation. If cancer treatment kills most of cancer cells in the stage of transit amplifying and differentiation without killing the stem cells, the surviving CSCs will eventually lead to recurrence of tumors. Studies have suggested that CSCs may be the primary mediators of resistance to chemo- and radio-therapy, leading to failure in cancer therapy.

Extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, Pakistan.

Frequency of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in Pakistan increased from 1.5% in 2006 to 4.5% in 2009 (p<0.

Frequency of intestinal parasitic infestation in children of 5-12 years of age in Abbottabad.

Background: Worm infestation is a major problem in children from developing countries due to bad hygienic conditions. It produces nutritional deficiencies and anaemia in children, especially when hookworm infestation is present.

Methods: This cross-sectional study deals with investigation of the frequency of intestinal parasitic infestation in children between the ages 5-12 years.