Studies have suggested a possible link between breast cancer pathogenesis and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. This study in Iraq used in situ hybridization to detect the frequency and genotyping of HPV in tissue specimens from 129 patients diagnosed with malignant breast cancer, 24 with benign breast tumours and 20 healthy controls. In the breast cancer group, cocktail HPV genotypes were detected in 60 (46.5%) archived tissue blocks. Of these, genotypes 16 (55.5%), 18 (58.4%), 31 (65.0%) and 33 (26.6%) were detected. Mixed HPV genotypes 16 + 18, 16 + 18 + 31, 16 + 18 + 33, 18 + 33, 16 + 31 and 18 + 31 were found in 5.0%, 25.0%, 8.3%, 7.7%, 10.0% and 13.3% of cancer cases respectively. Only 3 benign breast tumour tissues (12.5%) and none of the healthy breast tissue specimens were HPV-DNA-positive. The detection of high-oncogenic HPV genotypes in patients with breast cancer supports the hypothesis of an etiologic role for the virus in breast cancer development.

Eighty-eight women presenting with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer were treated with tamoxifen alone. Estrogen and progesterone receptors [ER and PR]were immunocytochemically analysed in mammary tumour cells obtained by fine needle sampling from 73 patients. Of the breast carcinomas, 34.2% were ER+/PR+ and 43.8% were ER-/PR-. The ER+ content increased with age in postmenopausal women. After tamoxifen treatment objective remission occurred in 39.7% of the women. The overall response rate was 53.3% in the ER+/PR- group and 73.1% in the ER+/PR+ group. However, the response elicited in a case of the ER-/PR- phenotype justified the randomized use of tamoxifen among patients in Iraq where the necessary requirements for hormone receptor assessment are almost unavailable

Background : To assess the actual practice of breast self-examination (BSE), as an early detection tool for breast cancer, among a sample of patients affected with breast cancer in Iraq.Methods: A random sample of 200 female patients with breast cancer was analyzed to evaluate the extent of their actual practice of breast self-examination before the diagnosis of the disease.  The examined variables included the age of the patients, marital status, education, occupation, smoking habit, family history of cancer, frequency of gravidity, parity and abortions. Results: The age of patients ranged from (24-70) years with a mean age of 48 years. The highest frequency of the examined sample (24%) was noted in the age group   (50-54) years. The majority of the patients (89%) were married, 33% had university degree and 57% were employed. While 46% of the patients had a family history of cancer, in 33.5% the breast was involved. Only 5.5% of the total number of patients had practiced BSE regularly before the diagnosis of breast cancer, 57.5% had carried out the procedure randomly while 37% did not perform BSE at all during their lives.  The study illustrated that the level of education, occupation and family history of cancer had significant roles in the practice of BSE. Conclusions: The findings of this study emphasize the urgent need for promoting screening in our society through strengthening practical policy decisions to raise the level of public awareness among the Iraqi women towards the adoption of simple approaches for early detection of breast cancer.

We studied the DNA content, DNA index and cell cycle parameters that are reliable markers for assessing the proliferative activity and aggressiveness of malignancies. Cytometric DNA analysis was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin embedded sections from 36 Iraqi patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma. The results showed that 20 of 36 cases [55.5%] were diploid, while 15 cases [41.7%] were aneuploid. Significantly higher S-phase fractions and higher DNA indices characterized aneuploid tumours. Nuclear DNA analysis as part of the evaluation of oral squamous cell carcinoma will influence the selection of appropriate treatment strategies.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor in women worldwide. In Iraq, there is a tendency for this disease to be diagnosed in younger ages, at advanced stages with a prevalence of more aggressive tumor behavior.Patients and Methods: The study included a total of 216 women with breast lumps and proven breast cancer who visited the Main Referral Training Center for Early Detection of Breast Tumors in the Medical City Teaching Hospital in Baghdad (85 patients) and the Specialized Clinics belonging to the major hospitals of Hilla (62 patients) and Karbala (69 patients) complaining of apparent breast lumps.Results: 31% of patients was in the age category (40-49 years), 38.4% of patients whose highest education within the primary school level, 36.4% of patients had history of lactation, 52.3% of total had started menstruation at the age (10-12 years), 85% of patients had negative history of oral contraceptive pills consumption, Ki-67 tumor marker was demonstrated in 62.5% of total with highest frequency of expression was displayed in Baghdad and in relation with grade II.Conclusion: Significant differences among the three Iraqi governorates were noted with respect to patient’s age, educational status, history of breast feeding, age at menarche and history of oral contraceptive pills consumption. Higher Ki-67 nuclear expressions were demonstrated among patients from Baghdad. There was a direct significant relationship between Ki-67 nuclear expression and the nuclear staining intensity with tumor grades.