Findings from University of Athens, Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences provide new insights into leishmaniasis
2008 JAN 22 -- Investigators publish new data in the report 'Aspects of the association between leishmaniasis and malignant disorders.' According to recent research from Athens, Greece, "Given the prevalence of leishmaniasis and cancer, the co-existence of these two diseases may be merely coincidental. However, a number of epidemiological, experimental and laboratory studies suggest that an association between these two entities does exist." "The aim of this review is to summarise the occurrence of leishmaniasis as an opportunistic infection associated with malignant disorders and to present the available literature potentially linking this infection with the development of cancerous lesions. We searched electronic databases and evaluated 37 studies involving 44 patients. Four different types of association between leishmaniasis and cancer were established: leishmaniasis mimicking a malignant disorder, such as lymphoma; leishmaniasis arising as a difficult to diagnose and treat infection among patients receiving chemotherapy for various malignant disorders; simultaneous diagnosis of leishmaniasis and a neoplastic disorder in the same tissue samples of immunocompromised patients; and direct involvement of Leishmania spp. in the pathogenesis/occurrence of malignant lesions, especially of the skin and mucous membranes," wrote P. Kopterides and colleagues, University of Athens, Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences. The researchers concluded: "The main conclusion of this review is that leishmaniasis can directly or indirectly affect the presentation, diagnosis and course of various malignant disorders and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of malignancies in geographic areas where it is endemic and/or in patients with travel history to these areas." Kopterides and colleagues published their study in Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (Aspects of the association between leishmaniasis and malignant disorders. Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2007;101(12):1181-9). For additional information, contact P. Kopterides, Alfa Institute of Biomedical Sciences (AIBS), Dept. of Pathophysiology, 151 23 Marousi, Oncology Unit, Oncology Unit, Laiko General Hospital, University of Athens, School of Medicine, Athens, Greece. Publisher contact information for the journal Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene is: Royal Society Tropical Medicine, Manson House 26 Portland Place, London W1N 1EY, England. Keywords: Greece, Athens, Bioengineering, Biomedical Engineering, Biomedicine, Cancer, Epidemiology, Hygiene, Oncology, Opportunistic Infections, Visceral Leishmaniasis. This article was prepared by World Disease Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, World Disease Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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