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Fulltext Five-Year Review of Histopathological Findings of Colorectal Cancer Patients Operated in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan Kuantan Pahang Malaysia

Azmi, M.N., Zailani, M.A., Norashikin, M.N., Asma Assaedah, Norra, H., Kalavathy, R., et al.

International Medical Journal Malaysia, 2007;6(1):1-14.
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PURPOSE: This review was performed to determine the association between demographic characteristics and the histopathological findings of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients operated in Hospital Tengku Ampuan Afzan (HTAA) Kuantan Pahang Malaysia. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the histopathological reports of 119 CRC cases operated in HTAA from January 2001 to December 2005 which met the inclusion criteria of histologically proven adenocarcinoma. The following demographic characteristics which include age, gender, and ethnicity were assessed. The histopathological related variables which include the site of primary tumor, Astler and Coller stage, tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis were analyzed. Chi square test was used for categorical variables. Data with low expected counts were assessed using Fisher’s exact tests. RESULTS: There were 59 males and 60 females with age ranging from 23 to 93 years. 81.5% of the patients were older than 50 years (p=0.038). Malays accounted for 58.8% of the total cases, followed by Chinese (36.1%) and Indian (5%). Rectosigmoid region and rectum were the most common sites for primary tumor (55.6%). Cancer in male predominantly occurred in the rectum (p=0.023). Malays were commonly diagnosed with stage C2 (54.3%) while Chinese were diagnosed with stage B2 (58.1%) (p=0.011). Fifty percent of the patients who are less than 50 years old were diagnosed with stage C2 (p=0.024). There was significant change from well to moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma (p=0.000). Sixty percent of female patients diagnosed to have cancer with lymph node metastasis (p=0.044). Significant lymph node metastasis was also observed among Malay patients (p=0.022). CONCLUSION: The findings from the present review suggest that there are several associations between demographic distribution and histopathological characteristics of CRC. More than fifty per cent of CRC are found in the rectosigmoid region and the rectum. CRC are more common in Malay race and rectal cancer is predominantly affecting the male. About forty five percent of patients harbor metastases in the lymph nodes and fifty percent of the younger age group were presenting with nodal metastases.
Anxiety, Depression, and Fear of COVID-19 and Its Association With Psychosocial Factors Among the Employees of a Malaysian Public University During Movement Control Order

Mahmud AA, Mohamad Rom FZ, Suain Bon R, Miskan M, Haque M

Cureus, 2024 Nov;16(11):e73676.
PMID: 39559433 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.73676

BACKGROUND: This cross-sectional study among the employees of the National Defense University of Malaysia (NDUM) assessed the levels of depression, anxiety, and fear related to COVID-19 and its association with psychosocial factors. It was conducted during the strict lockdown period imposed by the Malaysian government due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS: A stratified sampling method was used, and 277 employees were randomly selected to participate in the study. Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) was used to measure anxiety symptoms. Patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9) was utilized to assess depression. The fear of COVID-19 (FOC) was calculated using the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV), while the psychosocial factors affecting psychological impact were measured using a self-generated questionnaire.
RESULTS: The study obtained a response rate of 46.2% (n=128). Most respondents were female, married, permanent employees, and from the non-academic group. Depressive and anxiety symptoms were reported by 47% (n=55) and 32.5% (n=38) of the respondents, respectively. Statistically, a higher level of fear related to COVID-19 was found among non-academic employees (p=0.015) and those with permanent employment status (p=0.030). Anxiety was significantly correlated with depression (r=0.70, p≤0.001), while no correlations were found between these factors and fear related to COVID-19. Taking over school lessons was the most troubling factor that affected the respondents' level of distress, followed by working from home and worrying about their family member's health.
CONCLUSIONS: This study identified significant psychological effects of the pandemic on university employees, with anxiety and depression being notably correlated. While the generalizability of the findings is limited due to a low response rate, several key psychosocial distress factors were identified. These findings emphasize the necessity of addressing psychosocial factors to mitigate the mental health impact of pandemics. Further research with a higher response rate is required to confirm these findings and to design targeted interventions to support affected employees.

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