FNAC was shown to be a simple, non-traumatic and useful diagnostic procedure for screening leukemic infiltration in gingival tissues in AL patients.

Multiple oral and cutaneous nodular and papular reddish-blue lesions are described in the case of a 60-year-old woman. The duration of the lesions was more than 1 year, with the oral lesion preceding the skin lesions. Histopathological examination revealed malignant vascular tumour with changes consistent with angiosarcoma. Angiosarcoma is an extremely rare malignant tumour of the oral cavity, and the present case describes oral and skin lesions with a unique clinical behaviour.

To estimate the prevalence of thalassaemia genes in Baghdad, a study was made of 502 randomly selected pregnant women attending a major maternity care clinic in the city. A reduced mean corpuscular volume [MCV] of < 80 fl was used as a screening test for thalassaemia in this population, followed by a battery of tests, including haemoglobin analysis and iron studies, to confirm the diagnosis. Using this approach, 22 cases were diagnosed of beta-thalassaemia trait, five cases of alpha-thalassaemia trait and one case of delta beta-thalassaemia trait. Based on these figures the estimated prevalence rates of beta-, alpha- and delta beta-thalassaemia traits in Baghdad, would be 4.4%, 1.0% and 0.2%, respectively. The study also includes a discussion of the above findings in the context of those reported in other neighbouring countries