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MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding small RNA molecules with 21–25 nucleotides. It plays significant role in control of gene expression at posttranscriptional/translational level. They are commonly dysregulated in human cancers, whereas they may behave either as oncogenes or as tumor-suppressor genes. Both genetic and epigenetic events in deregulation of miRNA can lead to cancer development. Genetic events like deletion, amplification or translocation of miRNA can lead to chromosomal abnormalities. Also breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, con­taining approximately one third of all illness in women. Identification of micro RNAs and target molecules have provided clear perspective for understanding paths lead to breast cancer. Also, these compounds can be used as potential biological markers in the diagnosis, prediction and treatment of breast cancer. Therefore, this paper provides an overview of evaluation of microRNAs, mechanism and relation with other biomarkers in breast cancer.

Aims: MAHAK’s Pediatric Cancer Treatment and Research Center (MPCTRC) is one of the main national referral centers for childhood malignancies. Due to large number of referrals, data compiled at this center can consider as reference for any issues related to national health strategies and policies in order to facilitate and optimize medical services for pediatric malignancies. This report provides data regarding epidemiology of ALL and AML in children who referred to our center for diagnosis and treatment.Methods: The enrolled patients were 216 eligible children suffering from ALL and AML who have been referred to MPTRC since 2007 to 2011. Basic epidemiological information recorded as a checklist for each individual patient.Results: Out of patients, 79.62% had ALL and 20.38% had AML. In the ALL 98(57%) and In the AML 28(63.6%) were males. The mean age in the ALL group was 5.5±0.92 years and in the AML group 6±0.96 years. Familial incidences of malignancies recorded in 28 patients with ALL (16.3%) and in 5 patients with AML (11.6 %). In ALL group seven (4%) and in AML group three (6.8%) had underline disease. Parental consanguinity was evident in (n=41, 19 %) of both groups. Conclusion: According to our data both ALL and AML have the same frequency as compared with data from developing countries. Considering the cure rate of 60-80 % in patients with ALL and AML, these data may serve the health authorities for more effective environmental and preventive measurements, purposeful for facilitating up-to date diagnostic and treatment modalities, psychological support programs for respective family members and educational purposes.

Background: Artemisinin and its derivatives are well known as anti-malaria drugs and particularly useful for the treatment of infection of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites. In recent years, there are many reports of anticancer activities of artemisinins both in vitro and in vivo. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxicity and anti-angiogenic activity of the ethanolic extract of Artemisia sieberi (EEA) in comparison to its active substance, artemisinin (ART).Methods: The cytotoxic effects of EEA and ART on the HCT-116 colorectal adenocarcinoma cells line were studied by clonogenic assay.The inhibitory effect of test compounds on angiogenesis was evaluated by three-dimensional culture cells model on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in cytodex-3-microcarriers as in vitro model.Results: The results showed that EEA significantly started inhibition of colony-forming capacity of HCT-116 cells line at concentrations of 1 up to 100µg/ml (P < 0.001). We also found EEA and ART markedly reduced the angiogenic activities on HUVECs culture in a concentration-dependent fashion (P < 0.001, r = 0.997 and P< 0.001, r = 0.998 respectively).Conclusion: It seems that EEA has high cytotoxic effect on HCT-116 cells line and also it is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis in cultured cells. These results provide the primary findings for further investigations on therapeutic or preventive properties of Artemisia sieberi on cancer.

Background: Spiritual health has been attended to in recent years as one of the factors affecting health consequences in human. According to review of literature, nurses’ spiritual health can impact spiritual health care. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to determine the spiritual health experiences of oncology nurses.Methods: In this phenomenological qualitative research, 24 oncology nurses from 12 teaching hospitals affiliated to Tehran and Shahid Beheshti Universities of Medical Sciences were enrolled. Data were collected through 20 semi-structured interviews and two group meetings of 16 nurses with enough age and sex diversity, and analyzed by qualitative content analysis.Results: After analysis, 11 main categories were identified: belief in religion, Quran and judgment day; belief in God, prophets and imams; perceiving philosophy and regulations of creation; theology and seeking help from God; seeking and worshiping God; perfect health; scientific and sacrificial nursing; satisfaction with life; reaching perfection and transcendence; meaning and objective in life and internal energy resources.Conclusion: Oncology nurses experience spiritual health as believing in God and Quran, perceiving the mystery of creating and attempting to know God (religious health), having perfect health, scientific nursing, satisfaction with work and life, and seeking meaning and objective in life (existential health).

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers and significant causes of mortality in women. An important problem is the cancer cell metastasis in other organs.Different mechanisms in the beginning, progression, and metastasis of breast cancer makes it difficult to determine patients’ ultimate fate (prognosis) and lifespan specifically although events ahead of the patients can be estimated using probabilities. This study was conductedto estimate the probability for the co-occurrence of metastasis and death at certain intervals of 5 years after surgery and 5 years after metastasis in patients with breast cancer.Methods: In this retrospective study, the data were collected from 608 women having breast cancer and going to the Breast Disease Center of ACECR in 2009-2001. The patients were studied from the time of surgery, and the two events were metastasis anddeath, respectively. The interval between the surgery and metastasis and that between the metastasis and death caused by cancer or end of follow-ups (for patients who did not die) were measured and analyzed in month. The probability for co-occurrence of the two intervals was estimated using the semiparametric method suggested by Una-Alvarez (2011)and R statistical software.Results: Median time for the occurrence of metastasis after surgery and duration of followup were 34 months and 66 months, respectively. In total, 93 metastases and 46 deaths occurred. The co-occurrence probability interval for all samples was 0.087-0. It was found that the probability for co-occurrence of the two events in patients with more than 50 years old, a tumor larger than 5 cm, lymph node involvement, high stage of the disease, positive HER2, negative ER, and without radiotherapy was greater than that in other groups.Conclusion: Considering the estimated co-occurrence probabilities, it seemed that factors such as the age over 50 years, tumors larger than 5 cm, lymph node involvement, higher stages, positive HER2, and negative ER increased the probability for the co-occurrence of metastasis and death in breast cancer patients.

Prostate cancer is the second most common malignancy after skin cancer, and second leading cause of cancer death in western countries. However its incidence and mortality is lower among Iranian population. At the time of diagnosis, about 30% of patient have regional or distant metastasis. Orbital metastasis is uncommon in adult and represents only 2-9% of orbital tumors. We present a case of prostate adenocarcinoma with metastasis to the left orbital cavity from the Cancer Institute of Iran. The patient was a 62-years old man, with known adenocarcinoma of prostate from 2011 was referred to the Cancer Institute of Iran in March 2013. He was suffering from progressive left eye vision loss, proptosis, a growing mass in the left orbit, diplopia, headache, and generalized bone pain.Core needle biopsy from the mass revealed moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient was discussed at the tumor board on March 2013. The board recommended palliative radiation to the orbit, effective pain control regimen, and other necessary measures. Due to poor general condition, orbital radiotherapy was not possible, but he received other palliative measures. The disease was progressed and patients passed away within 2 months. Orbital metastasis of prostate cancer is very rare. Prognosis is usually poor and the treatment depends on the level of extension and general condition of the patients.