Salma Abbas Al-Hadad

Treatment of children with B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma in a low‐income country

An adapted LMB 96 derived protocol for B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) was implemented at the pediatric oncology unit of the Children Welfare Teaching Hospital in Baghdad (Iraq) from 2000 to present. The purpose was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of this intensive therapeutic regimen in a limited resource country.

Shortage of chemotherapeutic agents in Iraq and outcome of childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia, 1990-2002.

These authors determined the effect of the shortage of chemotherapeutic agents on the outcome of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Iraqi children during the period of UN sanctions (1990–2002). Many of the children received less than 50% of the prescribed chemotherapy, which was associated with a significantly worse outcome.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) positive classical Hodgkin lymphoma of Iraqi children: an immunophenotypic and molecular characterization of Hodgkin/Reed-Sternberg cells.

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) in children is often associated with EBV infection, more commonly in developing countries.

Genetic evaluation of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Iraq using FTA cards

Genetic examination of childhood leukemia has not been available in Iraq. We here report the frequency of TEL‐AML1, E2A‐PBX1, MLL‐AF4, and BCR‐ABL chimeric transcripts in 264 Iraqi children newly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), using FTA cards impregnated with bone marrow aspirate or whole blood.

Frequent coexistence of RAS mutations in RUNX1-mutated acute myeloid leukemia in Arab Asian children.

RUNX1 mutation plays an important role in adult leukemic transformation. However, its contribution to the development of childhood leukemia remains unclear. In the present study, we analyzed point mutations of RUNX1 gene in children and adolescents with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) from Iraq and Jordan.

Gastric perforation as a primary manifestation of lymphomatoid granulomatosis

To the Editor: Lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG) is a rare necrotizing angiocentric and angiodestructive Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-associated B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder composed predominantly of reactive T cells and fewer scattered neoplastic EBV-positive B cells [1,2]. LYG involves characteristically extranodal sites such as lungs, skin, and central nervous system, is more common in adults between the fourth and sixth decades, and is frequently associated to immunodeficiency disorders [3,4]. Its occurrence in children is quite rare [5,6] and a primary gastrointestinal manifestation of LYG is extremely infrequent, even in adult patients [7].

Analysis of KRAS and NRAS Gene Mutations in Arab Asian Children With Acute Leukemia: High Frequency of RAS Mutations in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

KRAS and NRAS gene mutations are frequently observed in childhood leukemia. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of RAS mutations and the association between RAS mutations and other genetic aberrations in Arab Asian children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Burkitt lymphoma in Iraqi children: A distinctive form of sporadic disease with high incidence of EBV+ cases and more frequent expression of MUM1/IRF4 protein in cases with head and neck presentation.

Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐related lymphoproliferative disorders are relatively common in Iraqi children. Burkitt lymphoma (BL) accounted for 40% of lymphoma cases. The mean age of 125 BL cases was 5.9 ± 3.1 years, and the male‐to‐female ratio was 3.6:1. Clinical presentation was abdominal in 66% and head and neck in 34%. Bone marrow involvement was higher (P < 0.001) in children with head and neck disease. Tumor cells had MYC translocation (96%) and were CD20+/CD10+/MYC+/BCL2−. MUM1/IRF4 staining was expressed by a fraction of tumor cells in 19 of 125 cases (15%) and was more frequent (P < 0.007) in head and neck disease (12/42; 29%). EBV‐encoded RNA was positive in 100 of 125 (80%) BL cases.

Paediatric cancer care in a limited-resource setting: Children’s Welfare Teaching Hospital, Medical City, Baghdad

There has been a lot of news coming out of Iraq in recent decades, but most of it ignores the situation for people on the ground: ordinary men, women and children who continue trying to live their lives in spite of wars, economic sanctions, violence, and social, political and cultural collapse. The challenges of maintaining and sustaining health in an environment where everything—the human spirit, education and health care systems and the health-sustaining infrastructures of housing, water purification and the electric grid—is damaged or broken are enormous.

Analysis of KRAS and NRAS Gene Mutations in Arab Asian Children With Acute Leukemia: High Frequency of RAS Mutations in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: RAS Mutations in Arab Pediatric Acute Leukemia

KRAS and NRAS gene mutations are frequently observed in childhood leukemia. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of RAS mutations and the association between RAS mutations and other genetic aberrations in Arab Asian children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).