Signaling cascades in thyroid cancer: Increasing the armory of archers to hit bullseye.

Thyroid cancer is a multifaceted and therapeutically challenging disease and rapidly accumulating experimentally verified findings have considerably improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms which underlie its development. Substantial fraction of information has been added into existing landscape of molecular oncology and we have started to develop a sharper understanding of the underlying mechanisms of thyroid cancer. Wealth of information demystified different intracellular signaling cascades which are frequently deregulated in thyroid cancer.

Human papillomavirus infection in females with normal cervical cytology: Genotyping and phylogenetic analysis among women in Punjab, Pakistan.

Background: Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women and the seventh most common cancer overall, accounting for an estimated 300 000 annual deaths. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the second most common cause of cervical cancer worldwide. HPV screening is not a common practice in Pakistan.

Prediction of promiscuous T cell epitopes in RNA dependent RNA polymerase of Chikungunya virus.

Objective: To explore RNA dependent RNA polymerase of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) and develop T cell based epitopes with high antigenicity and good binding affinity for the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) classes as targets for epitopes based CHIKV vaccine.

Methods: In this study we downloaded 371 non-structural protein 4 protein sequences of CHIKV belonging to different regions of the world from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) virus pathogen resource database. All the sequences were aligned by using CLUSTALW software and a consensus sequence was developed by using Uni Pro U Gene Software version 1.

Prevalence of hepatitis C in people who inject drugs in the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan.

Pakistan has the second highest burden of hepatitis C (HCV) in the world. The major route of HCV transmission is contaminated blood or needle sharing. Seventy percent of people who inject drugs (PWIDs) shared needles at some time in their addiction history.

Association of Preoperative Serum Thyroid-stimulating Hormone Levels with Thyroid Cancer in Patients with Nodular Thyroid Disease.

The aim of the current study was to determine the frequency of carcinoma thyroid among patients presenting with goiter and its association with preoperative serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. A total of 73 ( = 73) adult patients of either gender with solitary solid cold nodule and multinodular goiter with predominant solid cold nodule were analyzed. All surgically resected samples were sent for histopathology.

Metastatic hepatoid carcinoma of ovarian origin - a case report from northern Pakistan.

•Hepatoid carcinoma of the ovary is rapidly progressing rare epithelial ovarian tumor.•The term 'hepatoid' refers to the morphological resemblance with hepatocellular carcinoma.•Final diagnosis is made via positive staining for alpha fetoprotein along with immunohistochemistry•Combination chemotherapy can be considered superior over the targeted agents while treating this tumor.

Estimation of peripheral dose from Co beam in water phantom measured in Secondary Standard Dosimetry Laboratory, Pakistan.

Background: Peripheral or scatter dose harms neighbouring normal tissues during administration of dose to cancerous tissues, therefore, knowledge of peripheral dose is an important consideration in radiotherapy.

Aim: In present study, absorbed dose measurements in a water phantom were performed for three field sizes, 7 × 7 cm, 10 × 10 cm and 15 × 15 cm.

Materials And Methods: For each field size, dose was measured at six depths below the front surface of the water phantom; 2.

Rate of active Helicobacter pylori infection among symptomatic patients of Pakistan.

Only few epidemiological studies have examined the rate of active H. pylori infection in the symptomatic population in Pakistan. This retrospective study presents the laboratory data collected during the past 13 years (2002 to 2015) from 2315 symptomatic patients referred to the BreathMAT Lab, Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute, Islamabad for the diagnosis of active H.

Zika virus: Global health challenge, threat and current situation.

ZIKV has emerged as grave global health issue in the past few years. ZIKV was firstly isolated in 1947 from a rhesus sentinel monkey in the Zika forest in Uganda. It is usually transmitted by the bite of infected mosquitoes and infects skin fibroblasts, skin keratinocytes, etc.

Prevalence of Depression and Anxiety amongst Cancer Patients in a Hospital Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study.

. The biomedical care for cancer has not been complemented by psychosocial progressions in cancer care. .

Distribution and clinical significance of hepatitis B virus genotypes in Pakistan.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genotype and its role in disease progression and patients' response to antiviral treatment, is not well studied in Pakistan. This comprehensive study was aimed to determine the distribution of HBV genotypes in Pakistan and their possible association with phases of HBV infection.

Methods: A total of 840 HBsAg positive samples was collected and tested for HBV DNA quantity.

Annihilation of Leishmania by daylight responsive ZnO nanoparticles: a temporal relationship of reactive oxygen species-induced lipid and protein oxidation.

Lipid and protein oxidation are well-known manifestations of free radical activity and oxidative stress. The current study investigated extermination of Leishmania tropica promastigotes induced by lipid and protein oxidation with reactive oxygen species produced by PEGylated metal-based nanoparticles. The synthesized photodynamic therapy-based doped and nondoped zinc oxide nanoparticles were activated in daylight that produced reactive oxygen species in the immediate environment.

PEG capped methotrexate silver nanoparticles for efficient anticancer activity and biocompatibility.

Background: Nanocarriers endow tremendous benefits to the drug delivery systems depending upon the specific properties of either component. These benefits include, increase in the drug blood retention time, reduced efflux, additional toxicity and targeted delivery. Methotrexate (MTX) is clinically used for cancer treatment.

Risk Factors Associated with Thyroid Carcinoma in North Pakistan.

Background: Epidemiological data on thyroid cancer and associated risk factors are scarce in our setting. The present study was therefore designed to gather data which could be helpful in providing insights to thyroid physicians and surgeons for better management of affected patients.

Purpose: To determine the frequency of carcinoma thyroid among patients presenting with goiter and its association with TSH, Tg/ATg and other demographic factors.

Molecular diagnosis and phylogenetic analysis of human papillomavirus type-16 from suspected patients in Pakistan.

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is well known pathogen that can cause benign and malignant tumors in humans, yet there is very little information regarding HPV types prevalent in Pakistan.

Methods: A total of 92 cervical secretions were collected from suspected married female patients and used for DNA isolation using a novel isolation method. The samples were tested through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using already reported primers MY09/MY11, GP5/GP6, GP5+/GP6+, CP65/CP70, CP66/CP69 and SPF1/SPF2 and with those developed in this study including HRT1 and HRT2 primer sets for typing HPV types and HACTB primer set for human beta actin gene as internal positive control.

Transcriptional up-regulation of BMP-4 and BMPR-II genes in the peripheral blood of breast cancer patients: A pilot study.

Background: Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) super family, which are primarily known for their inherent role in osteogenesis and ontogenesis. Accumulating evidence suggests the regulatory role of BMP-4 in cellular proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and thus a possible oncogenic role.

Objective: Variable cellular expression and in vitro functional assays are indicative of the involvement of BMP related signaling in Breast cancer (BC).

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) randomized trial of palliative treatment of incurable locally advanced non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CHT) in limited resource setting.

Background: To optimize palliation in incurable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a prospective randomized study (NCT00864331) comparing protracted palliative radiotherapy (RT) course with chemotherapy (CHT) followed by short-course palliative RT.

Methods And Materials: Treatment-naive patients with histologically confirmed NSCLC, stage IIIA/IIIB, received either 39Gy in 13 fractions as RT alone (arm A, n=31) or 2-3 platinum-based CHT cycles followed by 10Gy in a single fraction or 16Gy in 2 fractions separated by one week (arm B, n=34). Primary outcome was overall survival.

Presentation delay in breast cancer patients and its association with sociodemographic factors in North Pakistan.

Background: There is strong evidence that delayed diagnosis of breast cancer is associated with poor survival. The objectives were to determine the frequency of breast cancer patients with delayed presentation, the reasons of delay and its association with different socio-demographic variables in our settings.

Methods: We interviewed 315 histologically confirmed breast cancer patients.

Optimum predictors of therapeutic outcome in HCV patients in Pakistan.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) constitutes a major public health issue in Pakistan. Interferon α and ribavirin is used widely in routine practice in HCV infected patients in Pakistan.Treatment prediction is an important tool in therapy management.

Impact of age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, stage, receptor status and menopausal status on overall survival of breast cancer patients in Pakistan.

Background: Survival of breast cancer patients depends on a number of factors which are not only prognostic but are also predictive. A number of studies have been carried out worldwide to find out prognostic and predictive significance of different clinicopathological and molecular variables in breast cancer. This study was carried out at Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy Institute (NORI), Islamabad, to find out the impact of different factors on overall survival of breast cancer patients coming from Northern Pakistan.

Presentation delay in breast cancer patients, identifying the barriers in North Pakistan.

Background: There is strong evidence that delayed diagnosis of breast cancer is associated with poor survival. Our objectives were to determine the frequency of breast cancer patients with delayed presentation, the reasons of delay and its association with different socio-demographic variables in our North Pakistan setting.

Materials And Methods: We interviewed 315 histologically confirmed breast cancer patients.

Epithelioid trophoblastic tumor: an unusual malignancy of ovary.

Epithelioid Trophoblastic Tumor (ETT) is a distinct but rare variety of gestational trophoblastic tumors. Misdiagnosis delays effective treatment and affects the survival. The case being reported here involved a 43 years old lady presented with 4 months history of intermenstrual per vaginal bleeding and 6 weeks amenorrhea.

Intercomparison of environmental gamma doses measured with A NaI (Tl) survey meter and thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) in the Poonch division of Azad Kashmir, Pakistan.

This study presents the intercomparison of the outdoor environmental gamma dose rates measured using a NaI (Tl) based survey meter along with thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs) and estimation of excess lifetime cancer risk (ELCR), for the inhabitants of Poonch division of the Azad Kashmir, Pakistan. CaF2: Dy (TLD-200) card dosimeters were installed at height of 1 m from ground at fifteen different locations covering the entire Poonch division comprising of three districts. During three distinct two month time periods within the six month study period, all the installed dosimeters were exposed to outdoor environmental gamma radiations, retrieved and read out at Radiation Dosimetry Laboratory, Health Physics Division, PINSTECH laboratory, Islamabad.

Polymorphism of the IL28B gene (rs8099917, rs12979860) and virological response of Pakistani hepatitis C virus genotype 3 patients to pegylated interferon therapy.

Background: The gold standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) in combination with ribavirin. Most patients treated with PEG-IFN achieve a sustained virological response (SVR). However host genetic factors play a vital role in the spontaneous and treatment-induced clearance of HCV infection from these infected patients.