Prognostic Significance of Cyclin D1 Over-expression in Colorectal Cancer: An Experience from Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

Background and study aim: Cyclin D1 is a key regulatory protein in the cell cycle and is over-expressed in many tumors, including endometrial, thyroid, urothelial, breast, brain gliomas, and esophageal cancers. The main aim of the present study is to examine the expression pattern of cyclin D1 and its correlation with the different clinicopathological features in patients with colorectal camcer (CRC) from the Madinah region of Saudi Arabia. Patients and methods: The archival tumor blocks were analyzed using immunohistochemistry for Cyclin D1 over-expression in 324 CRC patients diagnosed from January 2006 to December 2017, at the Department of Pathology, King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia. Results: Cyclin D1 over-expression was absent in normal mucosa, while 15% cases of adenoma showed its over-expression. In CRC, Cyclin D1 was expressed at high levels in 24.1% of case. No significant correlation was observed between Cyclin D1 over-expression and age, gender, tumor size, type and location. However, Cyclin D1 over-expression exhibited a significant correlation with tumor differentiation (p=0.04), lymph node involvement (p=0.001), lymphovascular invasion (p=0.001), distant metastasis (p=0.006) and AJCC staging (p=0.001). The Kaplan-Meir analysis revealed a shorter period of survival with Cyclin D1 over-expression (p=0.000). The Cox-regression model analysis showed that Cyclin D1 over-expression was an independent prognostic marker in CRC (p=0.000). Conclusion: Cyclin D1 over-expression increases during normal-adenoma-carcinoma sequence. The significant association observed between Cyclin D1 over-expression, advanced tumor stage and short survival period clearly suggest the role of Cyclin D1 in the carcinogenesis and progression of CRC.

Histopathological Patterns and Characteristics of Abnormal Cervical Smear in Madinah Region of Saudi Arabia

Cervical cancer is a major public health problem that continues to be one of the leading female genital cancers worldwide. In the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), cervical cancer ranks the fifteenth most frequent cancer among females. This study is the first published research study addressing the screening of cervical cancer in Madinah region of KSA. Aim: To evaluate the abnormal cytological entities detected by cervical Pap smear in Madinah region of KSA and to compare the results with other national and international studies. Methods: This retrospective case-control study was conducted in the Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Histopathology at the Maternity and Children Hospital (MCH), Madinah, KSA from January 2013 to December 2015. Results: Of the 1594 cases reviewed, only 38 cases (2.4%) had epithelial cell abnormalities. High grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) were the most common diagnosis categories, and cervical cancer accounted for 36.8% of the total cases for each, followed by atypical squamous cells of uncertain significance (ASCUS) found in (15.9%). Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC ) was found in (5.3%) of the cases. Patients with abnormal epithelial changes had higher parity (P=0.021) and presented more with a complaint of postcoital bleeding (P<0.0001), tend to have abnormal cervical appearance (P=0.004), more likely bleeding on touch (P=0.001) and associated with cervical erosion (P=0.014). Conclusion: The study showed a relatively low prevalence of epithelial cell lesions. These lesions were mainly squamous cell lesions harbored by females who have an abnormal cervical appearance, and those with high parity who were lacking cervical screening program.

Clinicopathological profile of gastric cancers in Al-Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To characterise the clinicopathological features of gastric cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at the histopathology laboratory of King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and comprised record of gastric cancer patients from January 2006 to September 2015. Data of all patients who had undergone gastrectomy was included. SPSS 19 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 63 patients, 42(66.7%) were males while 21(33.3%) were females. The overall mean age was 58.5±14.6years (range: 23-95 years). The mean age of males at diagnosis was greater than the mean ages of females (60.4 ± 15.1vs. 54.5 ± 13.6 years). Adenocarcinoma was the most common histologic type, occurring in 49(77.8%) patients. There were 30(47.6%) cases of intestinal subtype and 19(30.2%) cases of diffuse subtypes of adenocarcinoma. The mean age of patients with intestinal subtype was greater than those with diffuse type (60.2 ± 14.9 vs. 56.8±14.2 years). Younger patients mainly presented with poorly differentiated tumours as compared to elder patients. The most common site of gastric cancer was body 28(44.5%), followed by antrum 12(30.1%). . CONCLUSIONS: Gastric cancer was diagnosed in advanced stages and in young females. Younger patients were more frequently affected by poorly differentiated and diffuse adenocarcinoma.

Histopathological pattern of benign endoscopic gastric biopsies in Western Saudi Arabia: A review of 1236 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the histopathological pattern of gastritis and benign gastric diseases in western Saudi Arabia. METHODS: TThis retrospective histopathology-based study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and comprised medical records of all patients who were diagnosed to have benign gastric diseases from January 2006 to December 2015.SPSS 19 was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 1,236 patients, 669(54.1%) were males and 567(45.9%)were females. The overall mean age was 43±10.75 years (range: 10-100 years). Besides, 755(61.1%) patients were in the age group of 20-49 years. Gastritis was diagnosed in 1,105(89.4%) cases, 1,091(88.3%) of which were chronic. Benign polypi was found in 34(2.75%) cases and normal biopsies in 97(7.85%) cases. Helicobacter pylori organisms were detected in 402(32.5%) cases. Helicobacter pylori gastritis was active in 331(82.5%) cases, atrophic in 4(0.9%) and metaplastic in 11(2.7%) cases. The mean age of gastric polypi patients was 50.1±12.52 years (range: 16-90 years). Hyperplastic polypi was seen in 30(88.2%) cases. Fundic gland polypi were found in 4(11.8%) cases. CONCLUSIONS: Benign gastric diseases appeared to affect the younger individuals. Gastritis was more prevalent and benign polypi was less so.

Urinary bladder cancer in adults: a histopathological experience from Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: To delineate the frequency and clinicopathological features of urinary bladder cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at the King Fahd Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, and comprised medical records related to bladder tumours, from January 2006 to October 2015. Data was obtained from histopathologic reports and evaluated for age, gender, cystoscopic findings and histopathological characteristics at the time of presentation. RESULTS: Of the 116 cases, 96(82.7%) were of men while 20(17.3%) were of women. The mean age was 62.4±15.62 years (range: 20-115 years). Transitional cell carcinoma was the most common histological type, seen in 111(95.7%) cases, followed by adenocarcinoma 3(2.6%) and squamous cell carcinoma 2(1.7%). Of the transitional cell carcinoma cases, 78(70.5%) were superficial, while 33(29.5%) were muscle invasive. Most of the transitional cell carcinoma cases 72(65%) were of lower grade (grade I and II), while 39(35%) were of grade III. CONCLUSIONS: Our hospital-based pathology experience of urinary bladder cancer was comparable with earlier studies.

Histopathological profile of benign colorectal diseases in Al- Madinah region of Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Patients with long-standing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). Colon cancer risk in IBD increases with longer duration and greater anatomic extent of colitis, the presence of primary sclerosing cholangitis, family history of CRC and degree of inflammation of the bowel. This study aimed to characterize the histopathological pattern of benign colorectal diseases among Saudi patients and to highlight age and gender variations of lesions as base line data for future studies to investigate the link between benign / IBD and colorectal cancers in the local population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The materials consisted of 684 biopsies, reported as benign (excluding malignancies and polyps) at the Department of Pathology, King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia from January 2006 to December 2013. Data collected and entered in MS-Excel and were analyzed using SPSS-20. RESULTS: Of 684 colorectal tissues reviewed, 408 specimens (59.6%) were from male patients and 276 specimens (40.4%) were from females giving a male: female ratio of 1.5:1. Age of the patients ranged from 4 to 75 years with a mean of 39.6 years. The most frequent histologic diagnosis was a chronic non specific proctocolitis followed by ulcerative colitis, accounting respectively for 52.6% and 31.7% of all cases. These were followed by Crohn's disease 22 (3.2%), ischemic bowel disease 20 (2.9%), diverticular disease 14 (2%), eosinophilic colitis 12 (1.7%) and solitary rectal ulcer 12 (1.7%). A minority of 21 patients (3.1%) were cases of acute nonspecific proctocolitis, schistosomiasis, tuberculosis, volvulus and pseudomembranous colitis. CONCLUSIONS: These data show that although chronic non specific proctocolitis and ulcerative colitis were the dominant diagnoses, Crohn's disease, ischemic bowel disease and diverticular disease also existed to a lesser extent and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of benign colorectal diseases. This study provides a base line data for future studies which would be taken up to investigate the link between benign / IBD and colorectal cancers in the local population.

Pattern of lymph node pathology in western Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to characterize the histopathological pattern of lymph node pathology among Saudi patients and to highlight the age and gender variations of these lesions as base line data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data from lymph node biopsy specimens received at the Department of Pathology, King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia from January 2006 to December 2013. RESULTS: Of the 289 lymph node biopsy specimens received, 154 (53.3%) were from males and 135 (46.7%) from females giving a male: female ratio of 1.14:1. Age of the patients ranged from 2.5 to 96 years with a mean age 33.9 years. The commonest lymph node group affected was the cervical (30.4%) followed by axillary (9.7%) and inguinal (8.7%). Malignant lymphoma [71 Hodgkin's disease (HD), 57 non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)] 128 (44.3%), reactive hyperplasia 68 (23.5%), and tuberculosis 41 (14.2%) were the common causes of lymph node enlargement. While HD, reactive hyperplasia and tuberculosis were commonest in young adult patients (10-29 years old) and rare above the age of 50 years; NHL was the predominant cause of lymph node enlargement above 50 years. CONCLUSIONS: Lymph node biopsy plays an important role in establishing the cause of lymphadenopathy. Among the biopsied nodes, lymphomas were the most common (44.3%) followed by non-specific reactive hyperplasia (23.5%) and tuberculous lymphadenitis (14.2%).