Nuclear Medicine-A Name for Now and the Future.

Our article addresses the prevailing trend of new terminology introduced alongside the progress being made in nuclear medicine. Our article provides a historic, current, and future perspective.

Hematological Parameters and Demographic Distribution of Hemoglobinopathies and Various Hemoglobin Variants.

Background The study was conducted to find the prevalence of hemoglobinopathies along with their geographical/ethnic distribution to highlight the region of high prevalence that can be used to guide screening. Method Results of blood samples received for hemoglobin variants determination by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were retrospectively analyzed at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore. Blood samples were assayed for CBC (complete blood count), red blood cell morphology, and hemoglobin analysis by HPLC.

Cytomegalovirus Reactivation in Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Non-transplant Setting.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is predominately a childhood disease and around two third of cases are of B-cell phenotype. Cytomegalovirus is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplant; however, it is rare in patients with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in non-transplant settings. In this study, we evaluated 72 patients of acute precursor (pre) B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Center, out of which three were positive for Cytomegalovirus.

Baseline Characteristics, Prognostic Factors, and Treatment Outcomes for Adult Patients With Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS).

Background: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft tissue sarcoma of childhood, while in adults it is one of the rarer tumors. Its prognosis is better in children with current treatment modalities; however, it carries poorer prognosis in adults. Recent data on adult RMS is scarce from our part of world.

FANCM missense variants and breast cancer risk: a case-control association study of 75,156 European women.

Evidence from literature, including the BRIDGES study, indicates that germline protein truncating variants (PTVs) in FANCM confer moderately increased risk of ER-negative and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), especially for women with a family history of the disease. Association between FANCM missense variants (MVs) and breast cancer risk has been postulated. In this study, we further used the BRIDGES study to test 689 FANCM MVs for association with breast cancer risk, overall and in ER-negative and TNBC subtypes, in 39,885 cases (7566 selected for family history) and 35,271 controls of European ancestry.

Aggregation tests identify new gene associations with breast cancer in populations with diverse ancestry.

Background: Low-frequency variants play an important role in breast cancer (BC) susceptibility. Gene-based methods can increase power by combining multiple variants in the same gene and help identify target genes.

Methods: We evaluated the potential of gene-based aggregation in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium cohorts including 83,471 cases and 59,199 controls.

Clinical course, long-term outcomes, and chemotherapy toxicity profile in B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in children: Single institution experience of Pakistan.

Objective: To analyse the disease presentation, clinical course and long-term outcomes of children diagnosed with B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Methods: The retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, Pakistan and comprised data of patients diagnosed with B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma between January 2012 and December 2016, with follow-up time of 4 years post-treatment. Data was collected from the institutional database.

Outcomes of Philadelphia Positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Adolescent and Young Adults.

Background Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL) accounts for 25% of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases in the adolescent and young adult (AYA) age subgroup. It is associated with poor outcomes and is considered a standard indication for allogeneic stem cell transplant (Allo-SCT). Improved outcomes have been reported with addition of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) to chemotherapy in children and the role of Allo-SCT is now being debated in the first remission.

Raising the contraceptive prevalence rate to 50% by 2025 in Pakistan: an analysis of number of users and service delivery channels.

Background: Pakistan is the fifth most populous country in the world, with a population that is growing at 2.4% annually. Despite considerable political will, including a national commitment that was endorsed by the president to raise the contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) to 50% by 2025, it has stagnated at around 30-35%.

Routine Use of Lateral Vertebral Assessment With DXA Scan for Detection of Silent But Debilitating Vertebral Fractures.

Purpose Of The Report: Reduced bone mineral density is a major public health dilemma with high prevalence. Vertebral fracture (VF) is an independent risk factor for fragility fracture. Lateral vertebral assessment (LVA) in dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry is a reliable, low-radiation, accurate, and cost-effective method for VF assessment.

Case Report: A Challenging Clinical Problem of Calcitonin-Negative Medullary Thyroid Cancer Diagnosis and Surveillance.

Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid is a rare neuroendocrine carcinoma that originates from the malignant proliferation of parafollicular C cells. In almost 100% of the cases, medullary carcinoma of the thyroid is associated with high levels of calcitonin and carcinoembryonic acid (CEA). Both carcinoembryonic antigen and calcitonin are used for the diagnosis and surveillance of medullary carcinoma of the thyroid.

Use of an Endobronchial Blocker Where a Double-Lumen Tube Failed to Ventilate: A Case Report of a Distorted Tracheobronchial Anatomy.

One-lung ventilation (OLV) during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) can be accomplished through several different techniques, including bronchial advancement of an endotracheal tube (ETT), use of a double-lumen tube (DLT), or placement of an endobronchial blocker. In most cases, a DLT is a mainstay of isolating and ventilating a single lung during cardiothoracic procedures. The reasons to deploy a DLT over other techniques include ease of placement, less chance of malposition, quick placement time, and quality of lung deflation.

Time to surgery after radiological diagnosis of brain tumours in Pakistan: A nationwide cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate waiting times for brain tumour surgery in Pakistan from a nationwide sample and highlight specific affected patient populations.

Method: A nationwide study was conducted as part of the Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study; data from 32 high-volume neurosurgical centres were collected. The national sample included 2,750 patients.

A national overview of paediatric and adolescent and young adult surgical neuro-oncology in Pakistan.

Objective: To build a comprehensive brain tumour database that will allow us to analyse in detail the prevalence, demographics, and outcomes of the disease in paediatric, adolescent, and young adult age groups.

Method: A national cross-sectional study was conducted at 32 centres, and data regarding patient demographics and brain tumours were collected. This data was then stratified based on age groups, healthcare sectors, socioeconomic status, tumour types, and surgical outcomes.

Gender disparities in brain tumours: A Pakistan brain tumour epidemiology study analysis.

Objective: To explore the differences in demographic, surgical, and prognostic characteristics between the two genders in patients with brain tumours in Pakistan.

Method: This study was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of patients with a histopathological brain tumour diagnosis across 32 high-volume hospitals in Pakistan. The study period was from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019.

Private vs public care for intracranial tumours: Findings from Pakistan.

Objective: To observe the patient characteristics and centres providing neuro-oncological care in public and private health hospitals in Pakistan.

Method: The Pakistan Association of Neuro-oncology carried out a retrospective, cross-sectional study in 2019 on patients admitted to 32 hospitals in Pakistan, with dedicated neurosurgical facilities. Patients with a histopathological diagnosis of an intracranial tumour were included.

Metastatic brain tumours in Pakistan: An epidemiological overview.

Objective: To quantify the metastatic brain tumour burden presenting to tertiary care neurosurgical centres, the demographics and mortality rate, and the type of metastatic tumours commonly presenting to neurosurgical practice.

Method: A cross-section retrospective study was conducted on patients diagnosed with brain tumours from 32 neurosurgical centres across Pakistan between January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2019. At least one neurosurgical resident and one neurosurgical faculty member were recruited from each centre as members of the Pakistan Brain tumour consortium.

Craniopharyngioma: A lower-middle-income-country epidemiology.

Objective: To quantify the frequency of craniopharyngiomas presenting to tertiary care neurosurgical centres, the demographics and mortality rate, and commonly presenting to neurosurgical practice.

Method: Our study was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of patients admitted at 32 neurosurgical centres between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, with brain tumour. Kruskal Wallis analysis was used to determine normality; normally distributed variables were reported as means with standard deviation, while median with interquartile range was used for non-normally distributed variables.

Prioritizing Pituitary Adenoma Care in Pakistan: Analysis from an Epidemiological Study.

Objective: To identify symptoms and risk factors and promptly diagnose, treat, and manage pituitary adenomas. Prioritizing care for pituitary adenomas will reduce the prolonged disability.

Method: Patients with a histopathological diagnosis of a pituitary adenoma that presented at 32 tertiary care neurosurgical centres were included.

Meningioma - defining characteristics of the affected Pakistani population.

Objective: To ascertain the age and gender differences, treatment, and management of meningiomas across Pakistan..

Methods: Data were collected as part of the PBTES, and patients with a histopathological diagnosis of an intracranial meningioma in 2019 that presented at these centres were included in this cohort study sub-analysis.

Ependymoma: an epidemiological perspective from a low- and middle-income country.

Objective: To enumerate the burden of ependymoma in our region and identify the demographic, tumoural, surgical, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of patients diagnosed with ependymoma.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included patients admitted under neurosurgical service between January 1 and December 31, 2019. The inclusion criterion for the study was a histopathological diagnosis of the brain lesion.

Schwannoma: A surgical epidemiology.

Objective: To identify the surgical incidence and prevalence of schwannoma in our region and quantify the demographic, surgical, neoplastic, and outcome characteristics of the patients diagnosed with schwannoma..

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from January 1 to December 31, 2019.

Treatment patterns of glioma in Pakistan: An epidemiological perspective.

Objective: To define the landscape of treatment patterns and current epidemiological data regarding gliomas in Pakistan.

Methods: As part of the Pakistan Brain Tumour Epidemiology Study (PBTES), data were collected from 32 neurosurgical centres across the country. Our retrospective study looked at patients who underwent surgical procedures for gliomas in 2019 in neurosurgical centres.