Genetic profile of ferroptosis in non-small cell lung carcinoma and pharmaceutical options for ferroptosis induction.

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the second most commonly diagnosed malignancy worldwide. Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell LC (LUSCC) are the most common subtypes of non-small cell LC (NSCLC). Early diagnosis of LC can be challenging due to a lack of biomarkers.

Outcomes of Low-Risk Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (DTC) without Radioactive Iodine (RAI) Ablation Therapy Post-Thyroidectomy: An Experience from a Tertiary Centre in Karachi.

Objective: To assess the outcomes of low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) with tumour size 1 to 4 cm post-thyroidectomy in patients who never received radioactive iodine (RAI) ablation and to compare the outcomes with those who received RAI therapy.

Study Design: Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (KIRAN) Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from January 2016 to December 2020.

Staff radiation doses during Sentinel Lymph Node procedure of breast cancer from injection to surgeon.

The Sentinel Lymph Node (SLN) or Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) technique involves various professionals from different departments in clinical settings to manage breast cancer patients properly. Tracing the nodular involvement of breast cancer patients requires radiation source Tc labeled with colloidal albumin to be injected at the tumor site. The patient becomes a radiation source for a sufficient time, which concerns the Nuclear Medicine (NM) and surgical staff.

Variations in Biodistribution and Acute Response of Differently Shaped Titania Nanoparticles in Healthy Rodents.

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO NPs) are one of the main sources of the nanoparticulate matter exposure to humans. Although several studies have demonstrated their potential toxic effects, the real nature of the correlation between NP properties and their interaction with biological targets is still far from being fully elucidated. Here, engineered TiO NPs with various geometries (bipyramids, plates, and rods) have been prepared, characterized and intravenously administered in healthy mice.

Associations of vitamin D receptor encoding gene variants with premenopausal breast cancer risk.

Objective: This study evaluates whether vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene variations are associated with premenopausal breast cancer in Pakistani cohorts.

Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from 228 breast cancer patients and 500 non-cancer controls. Six polymorphic variants (rs11568820, rs4516035, rs2228570, rs1544410, rs7975232, rs731236) of the VDR gene were genotyped using PCR-RFLP analysis.

SARS-CoV-2 UK, South African and Brazilian Variants in Karachi- Pakistan.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been evolving in Pakistan with the emergence of the United Kingdom, South African, and Brazilian variants. These variants of concern (VOC) are known for increased transmissibility and can also be responsible for avoiding immune responses. The gold standard to detect VOC is sequencing, however routine genomic surveillance in resource-limited countries like Pakistan is not always readily available.

Induction Chemotherapy Followed by Radiation Therapy Versus Surgery Followed by Concurrent Chemo-Radiation Therapy in Locally Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity.

Introduction Squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity is one of the top 10 malignancies reported globally. Pakistan has a high incidence of oral cancers due to the prevailing poor lifestyle habits/addictions of Pakistanis, and most patients with squamous cell carcinoma present with stage III or IV locally advanced disease. Recommended guidelines indicate surgery as the mainstay of treatment followed by radiotherapy (RT).

Pediatricians' Compliance to the Clinical Management Guidelines for Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Infants and Young Children in Pakistan.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is among the most commonly prevailing acute infections in children that may require hospitalization. Inconsistencies among suggested care and actual management practices are usually observed, which raises the need to assess local clinical practices. The current study was conducted to evaluate pediatricians' compliance with the standard clinical practice guidelines and their antibiotic-prescribing behavior for the management of CAP in children.

Circulating miR-21 as a prognostic and predictive biomarker in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Background & Objective: The high-throughput analysis of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) is an active area of biomarker research. The oral cancer remains a common cancer among Pakistani males that continues to present at an advance stage, thus exhibiting poor survival. MiRNA 21 (miR-21) is the most consistently over-expressed miRNA in different types of tumor tissues.

Association of low penetrance vitamin D receptor Tru9I (rs757343) gene polymorphism with risk of premenopausal breast cancer.

Objective The aim of this study was to determine whether a novel polymorphism ( Tru9I) in the low penetrance vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene is associated with risk of premenopausal breast cancer (BC). Methods This case-control study included 228 patients with BC and 503 healthy women living in Pakistan who were analyzed for the VDR Tru9I (rs757343) single nucleotide polymorphism. BC cases were histopathologically confirmed, and all healthy controls were age-matched with patients (age range, 20-45 years).

Antidepressant-like deliverables from the sea: evidence on the efficacy of three different brown seaweeds via involvement of monoaminergic system.

Brown seaweeds exhibit several health benefits in treating and managing wide array of ailments. In this study, the antidepressant-like effect of methaolic extracts from Sargassum swartzii (SS), Stoechospermum marginatum (SM), and Nizamuddinia zanardinii (NZ) was examined in forced swimming test (FST), in rats. Oral administration of SS, SM, and NZ extract (30-60 mg/kg) exhibited antidepressant-like activity in FST by reducing immobility time as compared to control group, without inducing significant change in ambulatory behavior in open field test.

Concurrent Cisplatin-Based Chemoradiation in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Cervix.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiation in squamous cell carcinoma of cervix and the frequency of acute toxicity.

Study Design: Case series.

Place And Duration Of Study: Department of Clinical Oncology, Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (KIRAN), Karachi, from September 2010 to September 2011.

Amiodarone therapy: don't forget thyroid.

Amiodarone is an effective anti-arrhythmic agent for control of various life threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias but may give Various side effects. Clinically relevant thyroid dysfunction is not uncommon during amiodarone therapy and is caused by iodide excess and inhibition of deiodinase activity. Amiodarone induced thyroid dysfunction varies from asymptomatic variation in thyroid function to clinically overt hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis.

Nephrotoxicity of CDDP assessed estimating glomerular filtration rate with 99mTc-DTPA plasma sample method.

Objective: To assess early nephrotoxicity of CDDP (Cis-diamminedichloroplatinum) manifested by a decline in the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) estimated by plasma two sample clearance method (PSC 2) after 99mTc-DTPA injection.

Study Design: Descriptive study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Karachi Institute of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine, Karachi, from September 2004 to January 2005.

Dual phase qualitative and quantitative 99mTc-MIBI scintimammography for predicting response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.

Objective: To determine the role of dual phase 99mTc-MIBI scintimammography in predicting chemotherapeutic response in breast cancer.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place And Duration Of Study: Karachi Institute of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine (KIRAN), from September 2004 to March 2005.

Chest wall recurrence of breast cancer demonstrated on 99mTc-MIBI scintimammography.

Background: The mastectomy site is usually assessed by clinical examination and ultrasonography for recurrence of breast cancer, although post-surgical and radiotherapy changes limit the accuracy of these methods. MRI has been used successfully but it remains an expensive modality and may not be readily available. Scintimammography is an alternative method which has the advantage of not being affected by post-operative morphological changes.