Cancer stem cells (CSC) are a potential cause for recurrence, metastasis, and resistance of tumors to different therapeutic modalities like hormonal radiotherapy and chemotherapy. We investigated two CSC markers (NANOG and CD 133) in normal, hyperplastic endometrium and endometrial carcinoma. A total of 93 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were used for immunohistochemical expression of NANOG and CD133 markers. NANOG expression was detected in 88.37% of endometrial carcinoma cases compared to 15% of the normal proliferative endometrium and 60% of hyperplasia cases. In endometrial carcinoma, high NANOG expression was significantly correlated with high grade, deep myometrial invasion, lymph node metastasis, and high stage with p-values (0.009, 0.005, 0.014, and 0.003, respectively). CD133 was positive in 76.74% of endometrial carcinoma cases, and it showed a significant correlation with deep myometrial invasion, positive lymph node, positive lymphovascular invasion, and high stage (p-values 0.003, 0.001, 0.003, and 0.013, respectively). Normal endometrium showed less expression of CD133 (only 5%) than hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma with a statistically highly significant difference (p less than 0.0001). Hyperplastic cases with atypia expressed higher CD133 than those without atypia (6 out of 12 versus 3 out of 18). However, this difference was not statistically significant (p-value 0.111). The cancer stem cell markers NANOG and CD 133 are expressed in a high percentage in endometrial carcinoma compared to normal and hyperplasia and their expression is positively correlated with the aggressive behavior of the tumor. High expression of these two markers in apparently normal tissue around the tumor and in hyperplastic conditions with atypia suggests the possibility to use NANOG and CD133 expression as a diagnostic marker distinguishing dysplasia from reactive atypia. Therefore, inhibition of these markers can be a promising method to stop the progression of early cancers.

Objective: Prostatic diseases (benign and malignant) are broadly widespread in the world. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a chronic entity reflected by enlarged prostatic tissue, triggering inferior urinary tract complaints. On the other hand, prostate cancer, is the second most common cancer in men and the fourth utmost commonly happening cancer generally. OCT4 referred to as octamer binding transcription factor 4, also recognized as POU5F1 (POU domain class 5 transcription factor 1), is a protein that in humans is coded by the POU5F1 gene. This protein is analytically elaborate in the self-renewal of undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. As such, our work is designed to evaluate the immunohistochemical examination of OCT4 expression in the prostatic epithelium in cases of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and in the epithelium of prostatic adenocarcinoma microenvironment (NPCA). Patients and Methods: The prostate samples were acquired from 50 BPH patients, and 50 prostatic cancer patients. The samples were managed for immunohistochemical examination of OCT4 expression. Results: Statistical analysis revealed significant difference in the staining percentage between the BPH and NPCA group (P-value=0.009), and there was significant staining expression of OCT4 in NPCA group as compared to BPH group (P-value=0.000). Also, there was significant elevation of the total score of OCT4 in NPCA group (P-value=0.036) as compared with BPH group. Conclusions: OCT4 is over expressed in normal tissue around prostatic carcinoma as compared to benign tissue in BPH, and thus OCT4 can be used as a stem cell marker for prostatic tissue tuomorigenicity.

BACKGROUND: Breast lumps are a common presentation that can be assess non-invasively using the ultrasonic examination. AIM: The study aimed to assess the effect of different anatomical and physiological factors on the outcome of ultrasonic scoring of breast lumps. METHODS: A total of 60 females presented with a breast lump on ultrasound assessment were randomly selected after their consent at the Clinic for Early Detection of Breast Cancer in Baghdad. The results were expressed according to the ultrasound breast imaging reporting and data system (BI-RADS) scoring. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the BI-RADS score with breast size, age, postmenopausal state, and personal or familial history of breast disease. Most cases (46.7%) scored BI-RADS II, followed by scores of III (21.6%), 4 (16.7%), and V (15%). The upper lateral quadrant of the breast was the most commonly affected sites. Marital status, parity, and breastfeeding didn’t have statistically significant influence on the sores. CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic BI-RADS scoring of breast lumps provides an initial reliable tool for the management of breast disease. Higher scores are associated with increasing breast size, age, postmenopausal state, and personal or familial history of breast disease. Several anatomical, physiological, hereditary, and environmental aspects influence such factors.

The placenta is considered the first interface between mother and fetus, and a normal placenta is essential for pregnancy without complications. IUGR is considered the most common condition recognized in complicated pregnancy and accounts for 26% or more of stillbirth. The current study aims to explore the presence of IUGR and placental angiogenesis by investigating the expression of VEGF and eNOS in both placenta of IUGR of CMV-infected mother and placenta of normal mother in relation to awareness of CMV in Iraqi women. The expressions of VEGF and e NOS was studied using the avidin-biotin-peroxidase technique, while awareness was studied using 10-minute surveys in Al-Karkh directorate (Baghdad) to investigate their knowledge of CMV infection in relation to the level of education and economic status. The expression of angiogenic factors (VEGF, eNOS) was significant in syncitiotrophoblasts, smooth muscle cells and corionic villous stromal cells, and was significant in unaware, low-educated women with low income. Increased expression of angiogenic factors of IUGR babies may be a result of unawareness of CMV infection, which leads to dysregulation of angiogenic factors, and, subsequently, to inadequate placental vascularization.

Background: In the previous theories of cancer, they considered that cancer was a homogeneous which mean that the tumor had only tumor cells and for this reason the treatment for any tumor directed to kill these tumor cells. But, with rising of the metastatic cases of cancer patients, another theory have been raised, that the cancer is a heterogeneous disease which composed of tumor cells that previously the chemotherapy and other cancer therapies directed toward them, in addition there is another group of cells, called cancer stem cells (CSCs), these are more aggressive than the tumor cells that can force the poor microenvironment of the cancer tissue and survive and also they are undifferentiated cells so can undergo mitosis to produce more tumor cells and another group of cancer stem cells in contrast to the tumor cells, which considered a post mitotic and not divided. Objective: Demonstrate some of cancer stem cell markers that considered an important indicators of early cancer development and lately to detect cases of metastasis. Conclusion: The theory of the presence of cancer stem cells is more acceptable and applicable and so the cancer therapy must be directed to these groups of cancer stem cells.