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Objective: To determine the recurrence-free survival (RFS) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of oral cavity (OSCC) Methodology: It was a longitudinal study conducted on oncology patients who were diagnosed as having squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity and treated in our tertiary care hospital in the department of medical oncology. Patients were followed for the evaluation of disease recurrence. The Chi-square test was used to see the association between outcomes and clinicopathological features of the tumor. Results: Of 97 patients, 85(87.62%) patients had no disease, however, 12(12.37%) patients had residual/recurrent disease in the first post-treatment follow-up scans performed three months after the completion of curative treatment. Subsequent follow-up scans showed disease recurrence in 87(89.69%) patients, out of which 52(59.77%) had loco-regional disease recurrence while 35(40.22%) patients had combined loco-regional and systemic disease recurrence with lung(n=18) being the most common site of distant metastasis. The mean RFS was 15 months (IQR= 8, 26). Patients with lymph vascular invasion (LVI), perineural invasion (PNI), positive margin, and extranodal extension(ENE) had a significantly higher risk of progressive disease after primary treatment, on follow up scans. The relationships between treatment outcomes and LVI, PNI, positive margin and ENE were statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study shows that there is a higher frequency of recurrence in patients with OSCC among patients with extra nodal extension, lymph vascular and perineural-invasion, and positive margins. Clinical trials are required to identify other poor prognostic factors and the need of developing a prognostic model for risk-stratification of such patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The management of metastatic prostate cancer has progressed immensely in the last decade. This study aims to investigate the real-world clinical outcomes of metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma treated with abiraterone and enzalutamide. The findings will assist healthcare providers in making more informed decisions when choosing between these two drugs for treating these patients., Methods: A retrospective analysis of 80 patients at our tertiary care hospital was conducted from January 2015 to July 2022. Data were analysed using SPSS version 20.0. An independent sample T -test was used for continuous data and the chi-square test for categorical data. Medians and means were calculated for continuous or ordinal variables. Kaplan-Meier survival curves presented progression-free and overall survival (OS), with comparisons made using the log-rank test. Survival rates with 95% CIs were reported, with p < 0.05 considered significant., Results: In our final analysis of 80 patients, the median age was 65 years, with 88% having an eastern cooperative oncology group performance status between 0 and 2. Histopathology showed adenocarcinoma in 91% of cases. Grade Group III-IV disease was present in 51.3%, and 67.5% had a Gleason Score of >8. Bilateral orchidectomy was performed in 41 patients (51.25%), with a median Gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogue use of 32 months. Most patients (72.5%) were castration-sensitive. Among the 80 patients, 60 (75%) were treated with abiraterone and 20 (25%) with enzalutamide. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) doubling time was >6 months in 80% of the abiraterone group and 75% of the enzalutamide group. PSA response rates were similar for both drugs, with comparable rates of progressive disease, partial response, stable disease and complete response ( p = 0.036). There was no significant difference in median time to progression (19 months for abiraterone versus 18 months for enzalutamide) (95% CI 9.7-27.9; p = 0.004). The median OS for the entire cohort was 67 months (95% CI 39-94; p = 0.003)., Conclusion: The findings suggest that both abiraterone and enzalutamide are effective in prolonging progression-free and overall survival in this patient population, providing comparable safety. Further studies are recommended to validate these findings and inform clinical decision-making., Competing Interests: All authors declare no competing financial interests., (© the authors; licensee ecancermedicalscience.)

Background: Uterine sarcoma is an uncommon aggressive malignancy. Optimal management and prognostic factors have yet to be well recognized due to their rarity and various histological subtypes. This study aims to investigate these patients' prognostic factors, treatment modalities, and oncological outcomes., Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on all patients diagnosed with uterine sarcoma and treated from January 2010 to December 2019 in a tertiary-care hospital in Pakistan. The data were analyzed using STATA software and stratified on the histological subtype. Survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Crude and adjusted hazard ratios with 95% CI were estimated using univariate and multivariate analysis., Results: Of the 40 patients, 16(40%) had uterine leiomyosarcoma (u-LMS), 10(25%) had high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HGESS), 8(20%) had low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS) and 6(15%) had other histological subtypes. The median age of all patients was 49 (40-55.5). Thirty-seven (92.5%) patients underwent primary surgical resection, and 24 (60%) patients received adjuvant systemic chemotherapy. The survival plots showed the overall population's DFS of 64 months and the OS of 88 months (p-value = 0.001). The median DFS in all patients was 12 months, and the median OS was 14 months (p-value = 0.001). A small but significant DFS benefit was found in patients who received adjuvant systemic chemotherapy, 13.5 versus 11 months (p-value = 0.001). Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed that large tumor size and advanced FIGO stage were substantial factors associated with decreased survival., Conclusion: Uterine sarcomas are rare malignancies with poor prognosis. Multiple factors, including tumor size, mitotic count, stage of the disease, and myometrial invasion, impact survival outcomes. Adjuvant treatment may decrease the recurrence rate and improve DFS but do not affect OS., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background and Aim: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has been classified using various parameters, including the site of origin. Studies have reported conflicting outcomes when DLBLC patients were stratified according to the site of origin. This study aimed to investigate the response rate and survival outcomes in nodal versus extranodal DLBCL and compare the results to a region-matched study covering the 1988 - 2005 period., Methods: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted on all patients diagnosed with DLBCL and treated in a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan during 2014 - 2019. We calculated the mean and median for continuous variables and frequency and percentages for all categorical variables. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the hazard ratio (HR) for OS., Results: Of the 118 patients, 49 patients (41.5%) had nodal disease and 69 patients (58.5%) were diagnosed with extranodal DLBCL. The majority of patients in the nodal and extranodal cohorts presented with Stages III and IV disease (73.4% and 62.3%, respectively). A complete response to (immuno) chemotherapy was achieved in 71.4% of nodal DLBCL patients and 65.2% of extranodal DLBCL patients. The 5-year PFS and median PFS in the entire cohort were 0.8% and 17 m, respectively. The PFS and median PFS in the nodal and extranodal DLBCL cohort were 0% and 1.4%, respectively, and 15 m and 19 m, respectively. The 5-year OS and median OS in the entire cohort were 16.1% and 19 m, respectively. The OS and median OS in the nodal and extranodal DLBCL cohort were 8.2% and 21.7%, respectively, and 19 m and 21 m, respectively. Multivariable linear regression revealed that the ABC phenotype (nodal, HR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.37 - 3.20; extranodal, HR = 1.65, 95% CI = 1.46 - 3.17; GBC as reference) and double and triple hit DLBCL (nodal, HR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.19 - 2.81; extranodal, HR = 1.87, 95% CI = 1.28 - 2.43; and non-expressors as reference) are independent negative predictors of OS., Conclusions: DLBCL incidence in the Karachi region has remained comparable but patient composition in the extranodal DLBCL cohort has shifted to predominantly advanced stage. Nodal and extranodal DLBCL were associated with similar PFS and OS profiles and first- and second-line treatment responses. Cell of origin and antigen expression status was independent negative predictors of OS, disfavoring the ABC phenotype and lesions with c-MYC and BCL2 and/or BCL6 overexpression., Relevance for Patients: DLBCL is an aggressive type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, however; patients respond well to standard systemic chemotherapy. Extranodal type of DLBCL patients tend to have more residual disease after first-line systemic chemotherapy, but physicians should keep in mind that the subsequent line treatment mitigates its negative impact on survival., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © 2022 Author(s).)

Background and Aim: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a severe hyperinflammatory syndrome that is induced by hyper-activated macrophages, cytotoxic T cells, and reduced natural killer cell activity. A 46-year-old gentleman presented to us with complaints of intermittent fever for the past 2 weeks associated with fatigue along with oral ulcers and skin rashes which resolved spontaneously. These symptoms started after he received the second dose of the BBIP-CorV COVID-19 vaccine. His complete blood picture showed pancytopenia. A detailed infectious disease workup was unrevealing; however, his bone marrow biopsy revealed increased histiocyte activity, with some showing hemophagocytosis and dysplasia. Immunohistochemistry profile demonstrated strong CD 68 positivity. Further investigations showed raised serum ferritin and fasting triglyceride levels. He was immediately started on dexamethasone acetate at a dose of 10 mg/m 2 , after which his clinical symptoms, as well as his blood parameters, improved remarkably. This is the first documented case in Pakistan., Conclusion: The data from clinical trials support the general safety profile of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines. We endorse its mass implementation. However, we believe that robust data need to be generated to evidence any adverse events, especially those with serious outcomes. Physicians should be aware of inactivated COVID-19 vaccine as a possible trigger for HLH and start prompt treatment, resulting in favorable outcomes., Relevance for Patients: The presentation of HLH may vary and can present in an immunocompetent patient with no underlying risk factor. HLH should be kept in differentials when a patient presents with pancytopenia with a recent history of receiving COVID-19 vaccination. Steroids play a major role in the treatment of HLH, and definitive diagnosis and early treatment improve clinical outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (Copyright: © Whioce Publishing Pte. Ltd.)

Background: Facebook is a social networking service launched in February 2004, owned and operated by Facebook, Inc. As of June 2012, Facebook reports more than 1 billion active users. Objective of study was to evaluate the effect of Facebook on the social life, health and behavior of medical students., Methodology: It was a cross sectional, observational and questionnaire based study conducted in Dow University OF Health Sciences during the period of January 2012 to November 2012. We attempted to interview all the participants who could be approached during the period of the study. Participants were MBBS students, while all students of other courses and programs were taken as exclusion criteria. Approximately 1050 questionnaires were distributed to participants. Fifty questionnaires were rejected due to incomplete answers, yielding 1000 usable responses for an approximate 95% response rate. Informed verbal consent was taken from each participant. Study was ethically approved by Institutional Review Board of Dow University of Health Sciences. All the data was entered and analyzed through SPSS 19., Result: Out of total 1000 participants, males were 400 (40%) and females were 600 (60%). Participants were in the age group of 18-25 years with a mean age of 20.08 years. Most of the participants were using Facebook daily (N = 640, 64%) for around 3-4 hours (N = 401, 40.1%). Majority of them (N = 359, 35.9%) believed that they were equally active on Facebook and in real life while few believed their social life became worse after start using Facebook (N = 372, 37.2%). Most of the participants admitted that they were considered as shy in real world (N = 390, 39.0%) while in the world of Facebook they were considered as fun loving by their friends (N = 603, 60.3%). A large number of participants (N = 715, 75%) complained of mood swings., Conclusion: Youngsters are willing to compromise their health, social life, studies for the sake of fun and entertainment or whatever satisfaction they get after using Facebook. What we observed in our study was that although majority of our subjects showed multiple signs of Facebook addiction, they don't realize it and if even they realize it they don't want to quit Facebook and even if they want to quit, they can't. Our observance concluded that majority of the users are highly addicted.