Incidence of trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity and impact of body mass index in patients with breast cancer: Results from a Saudi tertiary cancer center.

The effect of BMI as a risk factor in trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity in Saudi patients with HER2-neu positive breast cancer treated with trastuzumab and anthracyclines is not fully understood. The present study retrospectively evaluated the overall incidence of cardiotoxicity and the effect of BMI as a risk factor for cardiotoxicity. A retrospective study performed between 2011 and 2015 of patients with Her2-neu positive early breast cancer who were treated with either a combination of trastuzumab and anthracycline or a combination of trastuzumab with non-anthracycline or hormonal treatment in the adjuvant settings was carried out. The incidence of cardiotoxicity and the effect of BMI, hypertension and diabetes mellitus as risk factors for cardiotoxicity were assessed. Cardiotoxicity was measured using a drop in the ejection fraction of >10 percentage points to a left ventricular ejection fraction of <50%. The present cohort included 105 patients diagnosed with stage I and II breast cancer. The mean age of the present cohort was 47.5±1.0 years (range, 25-76 years), the mean height was 153.9±14.1 cm (range, 126-170 cm), the mean body weight was 75.7±15.6 kg (range, 40-143 kg) and the mean BMI was 31.3±5.8 (range, 18-49). Cardiotoxicity was detected in 21.9% of the cohort. The BMI was calculated for 81 patients who were treated with a combination of trastuzumab and anthracycline. Cardiotoxicity was detected in 3 out of 9 patients with a BMI <25, in 9 out of 23 patients with a BMI between 25 and 29, and in 6 patients with a BMI >30. There was a significant association between cardiotoxicity and BMI (P=0.03). No significant association between age, hypertension and diabetes and cardiotoxicity was identified. In conclusion, compared with global cohorts, the present results revealed a higher incidence of cardiotoxicity among Saudi patients with HER2-neu positive early breast cancer treated with trastuzumab combinations in adjuvant settings. Increased BMI was significantly associated with cardiotoxicity.

Diet, Physical Activity, Marital Status and Risk of Cancer: A Case Control Study of Adults from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to compare the dietary habits, engagement in various sports, smoking habits, marital status and other demographic characteristics, between cancer patients and healthy adults (control) at our institute, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 500 participants (237 cancer patients and 263 healthy adults). A well-structured questionnaire was given to these participants regarding the life style, dietary habits, and marital status through interviews. RESULTS: Mean age of whole cohort was 39.3 years (range: 14-85). Among the cancer patients, breast cancer was predominant (45.6%). Compared to controls, higher percentage of married (72.6% vs. 55.5%) and divorced (10.2% vs.4.2%) was noticed in cancer patients (P = 0.002). In cancer patients, majority were unemployed (housewives = 49.3%; retired = 16.0%) as compared to controls (housewives = 14.1%; retired = 2.0%) P = 0.0001. Use of computer laptops/tablets and internet surfing was significantly higher in controls as compared to cancer patients (80.3% vs. 42.2%) P = 0.0001. Similarly, cancer patients started smoking at early age and were relatively heavy smokers with P = 0.03 and P = 0.001 respectively. Cancer patients consumed < 3 cups of coffee/day as compared to control (42.4% vs. 21.5%) P = 0.02. More cancer patients got married at early age between 11-20 years (58.7% vs. 37.7%) P = 0.01. CONCLUSION: Unemployment, marital status, lack of nutritional knowledge through internet, heavy smoking, heavy coffee consumption and early age at marriage were associated with the risk of various cancers in both genders.

Changes in pulmonary function tests in breast carcinoma patients treated with locoregional post-mastectomy radiotherapy: results of a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: The aim of present pilot study was to evaluate the changes in pulmonary function tests (PFTs) after locoregional post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) in breast cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty consecutive patients with histopathologically confirmed breast carcinoma stages T1-T4, N1-N2, who were treated with modified radical mastectomy with neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy underwent PFTs, including forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced expiratory flow at 50%, and peak expiratory flow rate, maximum mid expiratory flow (MMEF25-75), maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), and carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO) before, at 30 days, and at 90 days after locoregional PMRT. A two-tailed paired Student's t-test was used to compare mean values among the variables between the groups. RESULTS: A significant drop in FVC, FEV1, and DLCO was noticed at day 90 after the completion of locoregional PMRT with P-values 0.033, 0.042, and 0.031, respectively, while MMEF25-75 and VO2max were not significantly affected (P-values 0.075 and 0.062, respectively) favoring a restrictive lung injury pattern. However, no patient was found to be symptomatic. CONCLUSION: A significant drop in reduction in PFTs occurred at day 90 after the completion of locoregional PMRT. PFTs shall be performed in all breast cancer patients receiving locoregional PMRT for early detection of radiation-induced lung toxicity as all patients in our cohort were found asymptomatic.

Five-year outcomes of preoperative chemoradiation for rectal carcinoma in Saudi population: single-institutional experience.

OBJECTIVES: Preoperative chemoradiation (CRT) followed by surgery is the standard treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). The outcomes of preoperative CRT in Saudi patients with LARC have not been widely studied. The study reports long-term outcomes after preoperative CRT followed by curative surgery in Saudi patients with LARC. DESIGN AND SETTINGS: A retrospective, single-institutional study performed in the tertiary care oncology center in Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 154 out of 204 patients with LARC were treated with preoperative CRT and followed by surgery at the oncology center between September 2005 and November 2012. Data regarding the response rates, toxicity profile, locoregional control (LRC), distant metastasis control (DMC), overall survival (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) rates were analyzed. RESULTS: The median age of the study population was 56.6 years (range: 26-89). Predominant clinical stages were IIA (70 patients; 45.4%) and IIIB (49 patients; 31.8%). Majority of patients (79.8%) underwent a complete total mesorectal excision (TME). Complete pathological response (ypT0N0) was seen in 26 patients (16.8%). At 5 years, locoregional recurrence (LR) was reported in 12 patients (7.8%), and distant metastases were noted in 33 patients (21.4%). The 5-year cumulative LRC, DMC, OS, and DFS rates were 91%, 71.3%, 78%, and 64.8%, respectively. Stage, nodal status, circumferential margins, ypT0N0, and adjuvant chemotherapy were found to be important prognostic factors for DFS. CONCLUSION: The results of preoperative CRT followed by surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy in Saudi population are comparable with international data.

Duodenal metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma: A rare cause of melena.

INTRODUCTION: We report a rare case of duodenal metastasis from primary lung adenocarcinoma presented with history of melena and weight loss. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 52-year-old smoker man presented with six months history of epigastric pain, melena and weight loss. Esophago-gastroduodenoscopy revealed a 10mm ulcerative lesion in the fourth part of duodenum. Histopathology of resected lesion showed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. Tumor cells showed immunopositivity for cytokeratin-7 (CK7), thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1), and immunonegativity for CK20, Villin, CDX2 and thyroglobulin, supporting the diagnosis of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the lung origin. Computed tomography (CT) of chest revealed left hilar mass encasing the main pulmonary artery associated with ipsilateral hilar and contralateral mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Bronchoscopy assisted biopsy of lung mass confirmed the diagnosis of primary adenocarcinoma. Patient was staged as T4N3M1. After the resection of duodenal metastasis followed by three cycles of cisplatinum based chemotherapy with Bevacizumab, melena resolved completely. DISCUSSION: Duodenal metastases from lung adenocarcinoma are extremely uncommon, and rarely produce symptoms. Most of cases require duodenectomy or pancreatico-duodenectomy for symptomatic relief. For smaller duodenal metastatic lesions (≤1cm) endoscopic resection is a feasible therapeutic option. CONCLUSION: Although rare, duodenal metastasis from lung adenocarcinoma should also be included in the differential diagnosis of melena. Smaller lesions (≤1cm) can safely be managed with endoscopic resection.

Distal humerus as delayed site of metastasis from small cell carcinoma of gallbladder.

Background. Small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the gallbladder is a rare entity and is often seen in elderly women. SCC of gallbladder is typically a nonsecretory carcinoid tumor without overt clinical symptoms and is often discovered at advanced stages. SCC of gallbladder carries a dismal prognosis as compared to SCC of lung and adenocarcinoma of gallbladder. To date, only 73 case reports have been published in the world literature. Case Presentation. Herein, we report a case of a 73-year-old Saudi woman who presented with one week history of right upper quadrant abdominal pain and obstructive jaundice and was found to be a case of locally advanced, metastatic SCC of gallbladder cT4N1M1 (liver, para-aortic lymph nodes, and bone). The patient was treated with neoadjuvant etoposide and cisplatin (EP) chemotherapy three cycles after biliary stenting followed by radical cholecystectomy, lymphadenectomy, and adjuvant EP chemotherapy and then one year later developed distal humerus osseous metastasis. Conclusion. SCC of the gallbladder is very rare entity and is often seen at advanced stages. Osseous metastases of peripheral skeleton from SCC gallbladder are rarely reported. Surgery is curative option but only for early stage tumors. Incorporation of chemotherapy along with radical resection increases the survival.

Elevated preoperative serum cancer antigen 15.3 levels are associated with reduced disease-free survival: a single-institution experience.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the preoperative tumor-marker cancer antigen (CA) 15.3 in Saudi patients with breast cancer and to find out whether any correlation exists between preoperative CA 15.3 and tumor size and nodal status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative blood samples for serum CA 15.3 levels were taken in 112 breast cancer patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery or modified radical mastectomy between February 1988 and August 2008. Serum levels of CA 15.3 below 35 U/mL were considered normal. The correlation between pre- and postoperative CA 15.3 levels with tumor size and nodal status was calculated using Pearson correlative coefficients. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to determine disease-free survival (DFS) according to CA 15.3 groups (<35, 36-100 and above >100 U/mL). RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 47.0 years (range 23-76, standard deviation 10.3). According to menopausal status, 93 patients (83.0%) were premenopausal, and 19 patients (17.0%) were postmenopausal. Mean preoperative CA 15.3 levels were 43.69 U/mL (1.0-209.87). Ten-year DFS rates were 100%, 84%, and 57.7% for CA 15.3 <35 U/mL, 36-100 U/mL, and >100 U/mL, respectively (P = 0.003). Preoperative CA 15.3 levels showed positive correlation with primary tumor size (R = 0.43, R (2) = 0.83, P = 0.03) and nodal status (R = 0.59, R (2) = 0.28, P < 0.0001), respectively. CONCLUSION: Elevated preoperative CA 15.3 above 35 U/mL in Saudi women breast cancer patients showed correlation with primary tumor size and nodal status, and preoperative CA 15.3 level is an independent prognostic factor for DFS. Preoperative serum CA 15.3 levels may be helpful for risk stratification along with other factors.