First report on molecular breast cancer subtypes and their clinico-pathological characteristics in Eastern Morocco: series of 2260 cases.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy among women in Eastern Morocco. In this paper, we provide the first report on molecular breast cancer subtypes in this region. This is the largest population-based study on breast cancer among Moroccan women. METHODS: We analyzed 2260 breast cancer cases diagnosed at the Hassan II Regional Oncology Center between October 2005 and December 2012. Clinico-pathological and therapeutic features were studied. Molecular subtypes were determined and their associations with the clinico-pathological characteristics of the tumors were examined. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 48.7 years ±11.4. Invasive ductal carcinoma was the predominant histological type (77.1%), followed by lobular invasive carcinoma (15.3%). The mean size of breast tumors was 3.5 cm ± 1.96, and 84% of our patients are diagnosed with tumors of more than 2 cm. Histological grade II tumors were the most frequent (70.4%), followed by advanced histological grade (18%). Lymph node positive tumors were observed in 64.8% of cases and 29.3% of patients had distant metastasis. Most tumors were hormone receptor-positive (73%) and 28.6% were HER2 positive. 86.1% of patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer were given hormone therapy, while 68.9% of patients with HER2+ breast cancer received targeted therapy with Herceptin. Luminal A was the commonest molecular subtype, followed by Luminal B, Triple Negative and HER2. The highest prevalence of premenopausal patients was observed in Triple Negative subtype (72.2%), followed by HER2 (64.1%), Luminal B (62.2%), and Luminal A (55.1%). Luminal B subtype had a poorer prognosis than Luminal A. Compared with Triple Negative, HER2 subtype tend to spread more aggressively and is associated with poorer prognosis. CONCLUSIONS: Unlike Western countries, breast cancer occurs at an earlier age and is diagnosed at a more advanced stage in Eastern Morocco. In this region, hormone receptor-positive tumors are predominant and so the majority of breast cancer patients should benefit from hormone therapy. HER2 subtype presents an aggressive tendency, suggesting the importance of anti-HER2 therapy. This study will contribute in developing appropriate screening and cancer management strategies in Eastern Morocco.

Electroforesis en Gel de Campo Pulsado (PFGE) para la diferenciación molecular de Listeria monocytogenes / Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) for the molecular differentiation of Listeria monocytogenes

En Colombia no es obligatoria la notificación deL. monocytogenes en alimentos, pero se vigilan los alimentos dealto riesgo. Clínicamente se reportan como microorganismoGram-positivo sólo cuando causan meningitis. L. monocytogeneses un patógeno intracelular, transmitido por alimentos, letalpara humanos y animales, que causa Listeriosis; enfermedadque genera varios brotes en el mundo, con pérdidashumanas y económicas. Pocos trabajos en Colombia hanlogrado identificar y serotipificar molecularmente losaislamientos, lo que sólo permite distribuir teóricamentelos serotipos en linajes. Esta revisión se limita a mostrarcaracterísticas del patógeno, su importancia en salud públicay en la industria de alimentos, generalidades de la PFGECHEF;identificando el protocolo estandarizado de trabajoy las enzimas de restricción adecuadas para cortar el ADN.Se encontró que la combinación de enzimas XbaI-AscI,seguida de ApaI es la que ofrece mejores resultados en ladiferenciación de los aislamientos; agrupándolos por linajes;mostrando variaciones intra-serotipo y que en varios paíseslatinoamericanos se analizan los resultados a través dePulseNet, lo que garantiza la comparación de los patronesde PFGE en igualdad de condiciones...

The reporting of L. monocytogenes in food in Colombia is not a mandatory; however, foods consideredhigh-risk are monitored, and the organism is only reported clinically as Gram-positive when it causesmeningitis. L. monocytogenes is a foodborne, intracellular, pathogen which causes listeriosis, a disease lethalto humans and animals. Outbreaks of this disease worldwide can bring about human and economiclosses. Only a few studies in Colombia have been able to identify and molecularly serotype isolatesallowing only the theoretical distribution of serotypes by lineage. This review explains the characteristicsof the pathogen, its importance in public health and in the food industry, and provides an overview ofPFGE-CHEF; identifying the standard work protocol and the appropriate restriction enzymes to cutDNA. We found that the enzyme combination, XbaI-AscI, followed by ApaI offers the best results todifferentiate isolates, by grouping them by lineages, and displaying intra-serotype variations. Additionally,we found that in several Latin American countries the results are analyzed using PulseNet; this ensuresthe comparison of PFGE patterns in equivalent conditions...

Na Colômbia não há uma notificação compulsóriade L. monocytogenes em alimentos, mas alimentos de altorisco são monitorados. Clinicamente, são relatados comoorganismos Gram-positivos apenas quando eles causammeningite. L. monocytogenes é um patógeno intracelularde origem alimentar, letal para seres humanos e animais,que causa a listeriose, que gera surtos em todo o mundo,com perdas humanas e econômicas. Poucos trabalhos naColômbia identificaram e sorotipificaram molecularmenteos isolados, que só permite a distribuição de sorotiposteoricamente em linhagens. Esta avaliação é limitada amostrar características do patógeno, sua importância nasaúde pública e na indústria de alimentos, e uma visãogeral do PFGE-CHEF; identificar o protocolo-padrão detrabalho e enzimas de restrição apropriadas para cortar oADN. Verificou-se que a combinação de enzimas XbaIAscI,seguido por ApaI representa a combinação de enzimasque ofereceu melhores resultados na diferenciação dosisolados, agrupando-a por linhagens, mostrando a variaçãointra-serotipo e que, em muitos países da América Latina,os resultados são analisados através PulseNet, que asseguraa comparação de padrões de PFGE em igualdade decondições...