PegIFN-alpha2a combined with ribavirin results in improvement in sustained response in HCV genotype 4, irrespective of history of bilharzial infestation.

The current study describes the pattern of malignant skin tumors in 137 cases seen in Asir Central Hospital histopathology laboratory over a five year period (1987 to 1991). Ninety percent (90.5%) were Saudis and the mean age was 61.0 years with a male:female ratio of 1.6:1. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common type of skin cancer presenting (41.6%), followed by basal cell carcinoma (36.5%), and then malignant melanoma (11.7%). Ninety-eight percent of basal cell carcinoma cases occurred on the head, compared to only 47.4% of squamous cell carcinoma; and 24.6% of squamous cell carcinoma cases occurred in the lower limbs. Eighty-seven pecent (87.6%) of malignant melanoma cases occurred in the extremities. The distribution of the other types of malignant skin tumors are also discussed. Our findings were compared with the very few studies from the Kingdom and other parts of the world. Ann Saudi Med 1993;13(5):402-406. Region, Saudi Arabia. 1993; 13(5): 402-406 Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer among white populations [1][2][3][4][5][6] compared to black and dark skinned populations [1,[7][8][9][10]. There have been indications of increased incidence of skin cancer in international literature [2,4,[11][12][13]. Exposure to sunlight [4,5,11,14] and the fair color of the skin are thought to be important contributing factors in the most common types of primary malignant skin tumors [1][2][3][4][5]11]. In comparison to other malignant tumors, skin cancer has the great advantage of early recognition, as it appears in most cases as an easily recognizable skin lesion. KA Bahamdan, NA Morad, Pattern of Malignant Skin Tumors in AsirThe current study is the first to describe the pattern of skin cancer in the Asir region and to the best of our knowledge, there has been no detailed recently published study about malignant skin tumors in the Kingdom other than the preliminary study of the solar radiation effects on skin cancer in the proceedings at the first conference on biological aspects in Saudi Arabia at Riyadh, 1977 [15]. Many published studies have described the pattern of malignant tumors in general, indicating the order, frequency, percent, or only the number of skin cancer cases and several studies showed low frequencies of skin cancer in Saudi Arabia [16][17][18][19][20][21]. This can be explained by the fact that these studies were done in large referral centers in major cities where life-threatening malignant tumors are treated, which usually need radio and chemotherapy facilities; whereas most malignant skin tumors can be treated surgically in many hospitals which have no such facilities. Other studies have shown high frequencies of primary skin cancer [15,[22][23][24], which were done in regional central hospitals such as King Fahad Hospital in Al Baha and Asir Central Hospital [22,23].One hundred and thirty-seven patients with primary malignant skin tumors were analyzed in our study. The purpose of this study is to demonstrate and describe the pattern of malignant skin tumors in the Asir regi...

In the Asir region of south-western Saudi Arabia, nasal instillation of olive oil to infants and children in the recumbent position is practised to relieve nasal congestion. Aspiration of olive oil results in lipoid pneumonia resistant to antimicrobial treatment. A series of 5 children, aged 4-72 months, with olive oil-induced lipoid pneumonia is presented. Clinical presentation included persistent coughing, tachypnoea, recurrent febrile illness and chest infections. The pulmonary radiological picture was mainly right middle lobar and perihilar infiltrates. Bronchial lavage and microscopic examination of the aspirate confirmed the presence of fat globules. The pneumonia resolved on treatment with steroids and physiotherapy in the form of clappings and vibrations. For infants and children in this area who present with persistent pulmonary infiltrates which are not responsive to antimicrobials, the differential diagnosis of not only animal fat (ghee, clarified butter) hut also of olive oil lipoid pneumonia must he considered.

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Summary: This report describes only the third case of vaginal bleeding due to uterine myoma in a patient younger than 16 years of age with unusual histological features mimicking endolymphatic stromal myosis.