Identification of ten variants associated with risk of estrogen-receptor-negative breast cancer.

Most common breast cancer susceptibility variants have been identified through genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of predominantly estrogen receptor (ER)-positive disease. We conducted a GWAS using 21,468 ER-negative cases and 100,594 controls combined with 18,908 BRCA1 mutation carriers (9,414 with breast cancer), all of European origin. We identified independent associations at P < 5 × 10 with ten variants at nine new loci.

The spectrum of genetic variants in hereditary pancreatic cancer includes Fanconi anemia genes.

Approximately 5-10% of all pancreatic cancer patients carry a predisposing mutation in a known susceptibility gene. Since >90% of patients present with late stage disease, it is crucial to identify high risk individuals who may be amenable to early detection or other prevention. To explore the spectrum of hereditary pancreatic cancer susceptibility, we evaluated germline DNA from pancreatic cancer participants (n = 53) from a large hereditary cancer registry.

When a good call leads to a bad connection: colovesical fistula in colorectal cancer treated with bevacizumab.

Introduction: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States. The use of bevacizumab (Avastin), a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, has been increasing due to observed improvement in metastatic colon cancer survival, but so has the incidence of bowel perforation. We present one unusual complication of bowel perforation, a colovesical fistula in a colorectal cancer patient treated with bevacizumab.

Extramedullary plasmacytoma mimicking colon carcinoma: an unusual presentation and review of the literature.

A 72-year-old woman presented to outpatient clinic with fatigue, light-headedness, dyspnoea and dark stool suggestive of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. She was previously diagnosed with multiple myeloma and completed 9 cycles of chemotherapy with bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone. She had very good partial response.

Beneficial effects of animal-assisted visits on quality of life during multimodal radiation-chemotherapy regimens.

Background: Animal-assisted visits (AAVs) are commonplace in cancer centers, but there is little evidence of their usefulness.

Objective: To test the efficacy of AAVs in improving the quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer receiving combined chemotherapy-radiation therapy.

Methods: 42 patients consented to daily AAVs during the time they received therapy for head and neck cancer.

Operationalizing early antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected in-patients with opportunistic infections including tuberculosis.

Background: We describe the outcomes of a program in which antiretroviral therapy (ART) is offered to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients in South Africa admitted with tuberculosis (TB) or other opportunistic infection (OI) as part of in-patient care.

Methods: Patients admitted with HIV and concurrent TB or other OI were initiated on early in-patient ART. The primary and secondary endpoints were respectively 24-week mortality and 24-week virologic suppression.

Missense mutations in MLH1, MSH2, KRAS, and APC genes in colorectal cancer patients in Malaysia.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide with approximately 1 million cases diagnosed annually. In Malaysia, CRC is the second most common cancer in women and ranked first in men. The underlying cause of CRC remains unknown.

Use of a WHO-recommended algorithm to reduce mortality in seriously ill patients with HIV infection and smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in South Africa: an observational cohort study.

Background: In 2007, WHO released revised recommendations and an algorithm for the diagnosis and treatment of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in seriously ill people living with HIV/AIDS. We aimed to assess the effect of the recommendations on clinical outcome in patients in South Africa.

Methods: We enrolled seriously ill patients (aged ≥15 years) with HIV infection and suspected smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis from three hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Zap-70 positive chronic lymphocytic leukemia co-existing with Jak 2 V671F positive essential thrombocythemia: a common defective stem cell?

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) co-existing with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is extremely rare. We report two cases of ET with Jak 2 V617F in Zap-70+ CLL. ET is a myeloproliferative stem cell disease.

Treatment of delayed chylothorax complicating oesophagectomy.

A patient with carcinoma of the cardia underwent Ivor-Lewis oesophagogastrectomy. He developed right chylothorax postoperatively, which is a rare complication. Attempts to treat the chylothorax by conservative means and thoracoscopic ligation failed.

Characteristics of acute pancreatitis in University Kebangsaan Malaysia.

We analyzed the characteristics of patients presenting with acute pancreatitis to our unit. A total of 71 patients were admitted to the Surgical Department at University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) over a period of seven years, between January 1990 to December 1996 with acute pancreatitis. There was a fourfold increase in incidence of acute pancreatitis in our hospital from January 1990 to December 1996.