Publications by authors named "Matalka I"

Translational research serves as the bridge between basic research and practical applications in clinical settings. The journey from "bench to bedside" is fraught with challenges and complexities such as the often-observed disparity between how compounds behave in a laboratory setting versus in the complex systems of living organisms. The challenge is further compounded by the limited ability of in vitro models to mimic the specific biochemical environment of human tissues.

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Background: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has attracted considerable attention since its recent endorsement by the Food and Drug Administration, as it has emerged as a promising immunotherapeutic modality within the landscape of oncology. This study explores the prognostic utility of [F]Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ([F]FDG PET) in lymphoma patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy. Through meta-analysis, pooled hazard ratio (HR) values were calculated for specific PET metrics in this context.

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Introduction: Incretin-based therapies have emerged as effective treatments for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity. However, not all patients achieve optimal outcomes with existing treatments, highlighting the need for more effective solutions.

Areas Covered: We present a comprehensive evaluation of Tirzepatide (TZP), a novel dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide/glucagon-like peptide-1 (GIP/GLP-1) receptor agonist, for managing obesity and T2D.

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Cancer metabolism is now a key area for therapeutic intervention, targeting unique metabolic reprogramming crucial for tumor growth and survival. This article reviews the therapeutic potential of addressing metabolic vulnerabilities through glycolysis and glutaminase inhibitors, which disrupt cancer cell metabolism. Challenges such as tumor heterogeneity and adaptive resistance are discussed, with strategies including personalized medicine and predictive biomarkers to enhance treatment efficacy.

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Obesity has emerged as an important global health challenge, significantly influencing the incidence and progression of various cancers. This comprehensive review elucidates the complex relationship between obesity and oncogenesis, focusing particularly on the role of dysregulated signaling pathways as central mediators of this association. We delve into the contributions of obesity-induced alterations in key signaling cascades, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, JAK/STAT, NF-κB, and Wnt/β-catenin to carcinogenesis.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Imaging tests revealed a solid mass with cystic features in the right ovary, and surgical examination confirmed the presence of both types of tumors in the right ovary, along with a smaller cyst in the left ovary.
  • * There are only seven known cases of this type of tumor mix, which mainly affects older patients and may present complex clinical challenges despite normal tumor marker levels, requiring thorough diagnosis and treatment.
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Introduction: The resistance to chemotherapy is a significant hurdle in breast cancer treatment, prompting the exploration of innovative strategies. This review discusses the potential of dual-loaded liposomal carriers to combat chemoresistance and improve outcomes for breast cancer patients.

Areas Covered: This review discusses breast cancer chemotherapy resistance and dual-loaded liposomal carriers.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is caused by the BCR-ABL gene fusion from a chromosome translocation, leading to overactive tyrosine kinase (Abl protein) that disrupts normal cell cycle regulation.
  • - Imatinib is a drug that effectively targets the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase, but resistance can develop due to mutations, complicating treatment.
  • - Ongoing research focuses on overcoming resistance and developing new treatment strategies, highlighting the importance of BCR-ABL as a key biomarker and therapeutic target in CML.
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: Prognostic biomarkers in prostate cancer (PCa) include PTEN, ERG, SPINK1, and TFF3. Their relationships and patterns of expression in PCa in developing countries, including Jordan, have not yet been investigated. : A tissue microarray (TMA) of PCa patients was taken from paraffin-embedded tissue blocks for 130 patients.

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Purpose: Existing prognostic biomarkers are inadequate for stratifying breast cancer patients with the highest risk of tumor progression at the time of diagnosis. Here, we demonstrate that the small GTPase Ran has predictive value for breast cancer (BC) patients as a whole, and for specific BC subtypes.

Patients And Methods: Ran expression was quantified by immunohistochemistry in 263 patients with primary breast cancer diagnosed at the Breast Unit, Royal Liverpool Hospital.

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Pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive tumors, has a dismal prognosis because of the low rates of early identification, fast progression, difficulties following surgery, and the ineffectiveness of current oncologic therapies. There are no imaging techniques or biomarkers that can accurately identify, categorize, or predict the biological behavior of this tumor. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles that play a crucial rule in the progression, metastasis, and chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer.

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Malignancies rarely occur in somatic parts of mature cystic teratoma of the ovary. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common form of cancer that can develop in mature cystic teratoma. Other less frequent malignancies include melanoma, sarcoma, carcinoid, and germ cell neoplasms.

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Stomach (gastric) cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly cancers worldwide and most gastric cancers are adenocarcinomas. Based on prior research, there is an association between Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection together with the frequency of duodenal ulcer, distal gastric adenocarcinoma, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, and antral gastritis.

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Article Synopsis
  • The COVID-19 pandemic has forced medical practices to prioritize COVID-19 patients, leading to the postponement of non-COVID treatments in Jordan.
  • Data collected from King Abdullah University Hospital revealed a significant decrease in healthcare service demand, including fewer admissions and surgeries, which could negatively impact patients relying on government health insurance.
  • The article calls for a balanced approach to health resource allocation during pandemics, emphasizing the need for a framework to address both COVID-19 and non-COVID cases effectively, while also planning for elective surgeries post-pandemic.
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: Sarcomas are rare malignant tumors of mesenchymal origin. Their low prevalence and histological heterogeneity make their diagnosis a challenging task. To the best of our knowledge, the epidemiology of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs) was not well studied in Jordan.

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Aim: This study aimed to determine the compliance of healthcare workers (HCWs) with the hospital safety measures and the prevalence of hospital-acquired COVID-19 infection among them.

Methodology: HCWs at King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) assigned for COVID-19 patients between 18 March and 10 June 2020 were tested for past infection using total anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin assay, demographic data and compliance with safety measures were assessed using a questionnaire.

Results: A total of 340 HCWs participated in the study, 260 were close direct care.

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Background: Clear Cell Sarcoma of Soft Tissue (CCSST), or melanoma of the soft part, is a rare, aggressive tumor that originates in the aponeurosis and fasciae of the distal parts of the extremities. Reports from other sites of the body are rare.

Objective: We are reporting an extremely rare tumor that presented as a central left-sided lung mass and found to be clear cell sarcoma of soft tissue.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic had many implications on healthcare services, including cellular pathology. The pandemic-related lockdown was applied in Jordan from March to May 2020. King Abdullah University Hospital (KAUH) was chosen to provide care for COVID-19 patients during that period.

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Background: Viral cause of sporadic breast cancer (SBC) has been suggested based on the experimental murine model of mammary tumor caused by mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), and human papillomavirus (HPV). While some studies have demonstrated the presence of viral sequences of MMTV, HPV, and EBV in breast cancer cells, others failed. These contradictions may be attributed to the geographical distribution of breast cancer incidence and/or technical variations.

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BACKGROUND Immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease is immune-mediated and was first proposed as a defined entity after studies on patients with autoimmune pancreatitis. Since then, it has been reported in many organs. Involvement of the ovaries is rare, and to our knowledge, only 2 cases have been reported in the literature.

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Purpose: To investigate the association between obesity and breast cancer clinicopathologic characteristics at presentation along with prognostic impact among Jordanian breast cancer patients. Such data are lacking in Arabian countries.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 348 breast cancer patients were included.

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Background: A significant percentage of lung adenocarcinomas have a driver mutation. To date, there has been no assessment of the prevalence of such mutations in a Middle Eastern population. The present multicenter prospective study of formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues from patients diagnosed with lung adenocarcinoma was performed to assess the prevalence of EGFR and ALK mutations in the Levant.

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Gastric cancer (GC) is a major health problem worldwide and is one of the ten most commonly diagnosed cancers in Jordan. GC is usually diagnosed at late aggressive stages in which treatment options are limited. Recently, heat shock proteins (HSPs) found to be overexpressed in a wide range of malignancies have been considered as promising candidate biomarkers for GC.

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