Breast cancer in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia.

In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), hospital and population based statistics have shown that breast cancer has the highest crude frequency rate among Saudi women. The scarcity of reports about the disease in the KSA has been the impetus to this analysis about breast cancer in the eastern province of KSA. Data on female patients with invasive breast carcinoma seen at King Fahd Hospital of the University in the eastern province of KSA, were retrospectively reviewed. The analysis intended to examine the pattern of the disease and the outcome for patients. Between 1985 and 1995, 292 patients were identified. Their median age +/- SD (standard deviation) was 42 +/- 10.5 years. Most patients were younger than 50 years (78%) and were predominantly premenopausals (79%). Only 25 (9%) of patients had stage I cancer, whilst 130 (44%), 90 (30%), and 47 (16%) had stage II, III, and IV, respectively. Among patients with known axillary nodal status (242 patients), only 37% were node-negative whilst 32% and 31% had 1-3, and > or = 4 positive nodes, respectively. Adjuvant chemotherapy and tamoxifen were commonly offered; nonetheless, other adjuvant modalities were rarely utilised. The median follow-up +/- SD of all patients was 62.3 +/- 8.9 months: 152 patients (52%) were alive with no evidence of disease, 25 (9%) were alive with evidence of disease, and 115 (39%) were dead from breast cancer or its related complications. The median survival of the entire group was not obtained, but the 10-year projected survival was 55%. For stage I and II patients, 118 (76%) were alive with a projected 10-year actuarial survival of 64%. On the other hand, only 51 (57%) of patients with stage III disease were alive with a median survival of 41.5 months (95% Confidence interval (CI), 18.9 to 51.3). Patients with stage IV disease demonstrated a poor outcome with a median survival of 23.5 (95%, CI 12.2 to 31.4). Multivariate analyses were performed to explore the influence of independent variables on overall survival (OS) for patients with non-metastatic disease. Besides the expected adverse effect of disease progression, the favourable influence of adjuvant chemotherapy and tamoxifen prevailed. The amount of benefit gained from tamoxifen, however, was small. Similar analyses were undertaken to determine the influence of independent variables on progression-free survival (PFS). These analyses ascertained the adverse effects of advanced stage and the favourable impact of adjuvant chemotherapy. Breast cancer in the KSA has features that are distinctive from those of industrialised countries. Survival data, however, were comparable. The favourable influence of adjuvant chemotherapy was evident on both OS and PFS. Adjuvant tamoxifen, however, had little effect. Due to its infrequent use, the role of other adjuvant modalities could not be asserted.

Effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis in non-neutropenic cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to assess prospectively the efficacy of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the management of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis in non-neutropenic cancer patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In a prospective open study, adult cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced, neutropenia-independent oral mucositis were treated with GM-CSF (Schering Plough Corporation, Kenilworth, NJ) prepared as mouthwash solution (5 to 10 µgm /ml). GM-CSF was administered within 24 hours of occurrence of oral mucositis at a frequency of 4 to 6 times daily. Systemic GM-CSF was not permissible. Oral mucositis was graded according to the modified Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. RESULTS: Forty-nine patients were recruited but nine were subsequently excluded as they experienced neutropenia during GM-CSF therapy. The remaining 40 patients were all evaluable. Most patients had either Grade 3 or 4 gross (71%) or functional (70%) mucositis. The mean ± SEM gross oral mucositis scores for all 40 patients combined decreased from 3.3 ± 0.11 at baseline to 2.1 ± 0.12 (p<0.0001) after 2 days, 0.95 ± 0.11 (p<0.0001) after 5 days and 0.23 ± 0.07 (p <0.0001) after 10 days of therapy. Likewise, the mean ± SEM functional oral mucositis scores decreased from 3.03 ± 0.13 at baseline to 1.58 ± 0.13 (p<0.0001) after 2 days, 0.68 ± 0.11 (p<0.0001) after 5 days, and 0.15 ± 0.06 (p<0.0001) after 10 days of therapy. The duration of severe oral mucositis was also shortened as Grade 0 or 1 (gross mucositis grading score) was evident in 12 (30%), 29 (73%), and 40 (100%) patients by the 2(nd), 5(th) and 10(th) day of therapy, respectively. Similarly, Grade 0 or 1 (functional mucositis grading score) reported in 19 (48%), 31 (78%), and 40 (100%) patients by the 2(nd), 5(th) and 10(th) day of therapy, respectively. The use of GM-CSF mouthwash was not associated with any apparent ill effect. CONCLUSION: GM-CSF mouthwash as used in this study has a significant recuperative efficacy on the severity, morbidity, and duration of chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis. A large randomized, placebo-controlled study is warranted to ascertain that benefit and determine the optimal dosage and schedule.

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease: observations from a university hospital in saudi arabia.

Thirty cases of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) seen at King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar over a period of eight years, were analysed with respect to clinical features, laboratory investigations, radiological findings, complications and outcome. There were 13 males and 17 females with a mean age of 45 yrs + 10.1 (range 16-65 years). There was positive family history of renal disease in 17 cases. At the time of presentation, 27 cases had abdominal pain. The other features noted were hematuria (20 cases), polyuria (10 cases), urinary tract infection (22 cases), headache (9 cases), uremia (7 cases) and nephrolithiasis (5 cases). Bilaterally palpable kidneys were present in all cases. Hypertension (17 cases) was the next common clinical finding. Other clinical features noted were hepatomegaly (5 cases) and mitral valve prolapse (5 cases). Twenty-one patients had cysts in liver and five had cysts in spleen. Varying degrees of renal failure were seen in 15 cases. Six (20%) patients progressed to end stage renal disease during the period of observation.

Public knowledge, misperceptions, and attitudes about cancer in Saudi Arabia.

We interviewed six hundred adults to assess their awareness, attitude and misperceptions about cancer. The mean age (+/- SD) was 31.2 (+/- 8.7) years. Fifty-six percent of the participants were males and 75% were Saudis. Nationality and having a relative who had cancer were found to be insignificant predictors of attained knowledge. Despite a minor difference between males' and females' performance, gender did not influence knowledge. Education was the most significant factor that influenced individuals' knowledge and misperceptions. The most significant difference was noted between those who had university or higher education (level III, 41%) and those who were illiterate or only had primary schooling (level I, 16%). The difference between level I and level II (secondary and high school, 43%) was less obvious. The analysis also showed that individuals who were > 30 years of age generally showed more knowledge and fewer misconceptions about cancer than younger participants. Age, however, together with education deviated only 5% in the variability of the total score. A high level of misperception was observed among all respondents specifically relating to questions regarding side effects of conventional therapy and statements about unproven treatment. This analysis demonstrated that knowledge about cancer was disappointingly poor and the level of misperceptions significantly high. Possessing higher academic credentials alone, is not sufficient to acquire an optimal standard of health knowledge. The data also suggest that there should be comprehensive cancer health education and primary and secondary cancer prevention programs in Saudi Arabia. To achieve this goal, primary care physicians and community cancer centers should work jointly. Brief guidelines are proposed.