Four Tunisian vegetable oils extracted from seeds (Nigella sativa, Opuntia ficus indica, Pistacia lentiscus and Hibiscus sabdariffa) have been characterized in this study. The following parameters were determined: acidity, peroxide value, saponification value, specific extinction coefficients K232, K270, chlorophylls and carotenoids content. The triglyceride and tocopherol compositions of the oils were determined using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) and the fatty acids (FA) and phytosterol compositions were determined using a gas chromatography (GC) with a flame ionization detector (FID). Polyunsaturated fatty acids were predominant in all tested samples except in Pistacia lentiscus oil where monounsaturated fatty acids were predominant. Major FA were linoleic and oleic acids. β-sitosterol was the most abundant phytosterol. All samples had high content of TAGs with an equivalent carbon number of 44, 46 and 48. Nigella sativa oil had the highest content of tocopherols.

BackgroundBreast cancer is the world’s most common cancer among women. It is becoming an increasingly urgent problem in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where a large fraction of women is diagnosed with advanced-stage disease and have no access to treatment or basic palliative care. About 5-10% of all breast cancers can be attributed to hereditary genetic components and up to 25% of familial cases are due to mutations in BRCA1/2 genes. Since their discovery in 1994 and 1995, as few as 18 mutations have been identified in BRCA genes in the Tunisian population. The aim of this study is to identify additional BRCA mutations, to estimate their contribution to the hereditary breast and ovarian cancers in Tunisia and to investigate the clinicopathological signatures associated with BRCA mutations.MethodsA total of 354 patients diagnosed with breast and ovarian cancers, including 5 male breast cancer cases, have been investigated for BRCA1/2 mutations using traditional and/or next generation sequencing technologies. Clinicopathological signatures associated with BRCA mutations have also been investigated.ResultsIn the current study, 16 distinct mutations were detected: 10 in BRCA1 and 6 in BRCA2, of which 11 are described for the first time in Tunisia including 3 variations that have not been reported previously in public databases namely BRCA1_c.915T>A; BRCA2_c.-227-?_7805+? and BRCA2_c.249delG. Early age at onset, family history of ovarian cancer and high tumor grade were significantly associated with BRCA status. BRCA1 carriers were more likely to be triple negative breast cancer compared to BRCA2 carriers. A relatively high frequency of contralateral breast cancer and ovarian cancer occurrence was observed among BRCA carriers and was more frequent in patients carrying BRCA1 mutations.ConclusionOur study provides new insights into breast and ovarian cancer genetic landscape in the under-represented North African populations. The prevalence assessment of novel and recurrent BRCA1/2 pathogenic mutations will enhance the use of personalized treatment and precise screening strategies by both affected and unaffected North African cancer cases.

e15130 Background: Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy and fourth most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. It is responsible for more than 600,000 deaths annually, and incidence rates are increasing in most of the developing countries. Pathophysiology implicates pro-inflammatory conditions that promote the tumor malignant progression, invasion, and metastasis. The aim of this study is to measure the level of circulating cytokines (IL1b, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL22, IL23 and TNFα) in sixty colorectal cancer patients in Tunisia and to evaluate their implication as prognostic factors. Methods: Serum samples were collected prospectively from a cohort of sixty colorectal cancer patients in Tunisia. Levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α, IL1b, IL6 and IL8 were measured using the technique of a solid-phase, two-site chemo-luminescent enzyme immune-metric assay (Immulite 1000, Simens, USA). Serum levels of IL10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) sandwich method. Results: The mean age of patients is 58 years (24–82 years), Thirty-sex among them were m and 24 women with sex ratio of 1.5. Twenty-five patients were at metastatic setting, and hepatic metastasis was found in 25% of cases. The mean level of cytokines Il6, IL10, TNFα, IL8 and IL1b were respectively 12.26 +/- 18.7 pg/ ml (min 2, max 117pg/ ml), 0.93 +/- 5.23 pg/ ml (min 0, max 39.35 pg/ml), 8.31 +/- 4.99 pg/ ml (min 4, max 27.20 pg/ ml), 61.9 +/- 159.71 pg/ml (min 5, max 1173 pg/ ml) and 1.13 +/- 3.34 pg/ ml (min 5, max 15.7pg/ml. We found a significant correlation between a high level of IL8 and metastatic disease (p=0.001), especially in mutant RAS cases (p=0.001). We found also a significant correlation between high level of IL1b and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.013) and young patients (p=0.01). On the other hand, there was significant correlation between IL8 and IL6 (r = 0.560, p = 0.00001); IL8 and TNFα (r = 0.404, p = 0.001); and IL10 with IL1b (r = 0.297, p = 0.021). Conclusions: Our results highlight the role of circulating IL8, TNFα, IL1b and IL10 as potential prognostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer patients. These cytokines could contribute to tumor growth and progression, namely for IL-8 level that was significantly correlated with poor prognosis and advanced stages. This correlation needs to be evaluated in large prospective trials and suggests a rational for the development and use of cytokine blockade in treatment of colorectal cancer patients.

e12592 Background: Breast cancer is the second most common cancer and the fifth most common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. The functional relationship between inflammation and cancer is an old concept of cancero- genesis, and it is now clear that inflammatory process certainly potentiates and/or promotes neoplastic risk. However, many of the molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating this relationship remain unresolved. The aim of this study is to measure the level of circulating cytokines (IL17, IL6, IL22, IL23 and TNFα) in breast cancer patients in Tunisia, and to evaluate their implication as prognostic factors. Methods: Serum samples were collected prospectively from sixty breast cancer patients in Tunisia. TNF-α and IL6 levels were determined using the technique of a solid-phase, two-site chemo-luminescent enzyme immune-metric assay (Immulite 1000, USA). Serum levels of IL17, IL22 and IL23 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) sandwich method. Results: The mean age of patients is 48 years, and fourth of them were metastatic. The mean level of cytokines IL6, IL17, TNFα, IL22 and IL23 were respectively 4.80 ± 7.26 pg/ ml (min 2, max 36.80 pg/ ml), 0.27 ± 0.69 pg/ ml (min 0, max 3.62 pg/ ml), 5.93 ± 2.27 pg/ ml (min 4, max 15.30 pg/ml), 50.82 ± 34.78 p/ml (min 26.48, max 199.48 pg/ ml) and 18.05 ± 30.91 pg/ ml (min 0, max 200.21 pg/ml). Serum IL6 level was significantly higher in advanced stages (p = 0.013), especially in metastatic cases (p = 0.001) and in patients who had recurrent disease (p = 0.010). High level of TNFα was also significantly associated with advanced stage (stage III and IV) (p = 0.019), and high level of IL22 was significantly associated with a high histopathological grade (Grade III of Bloom-Richardson grade (SBR)) (p = 0.028). IL23 was found to be significantly increased in lymph node metastatic cases (p = 0.042) and in young patients < 35 years (p = 0.034). Finally, the level of IL17 was significantly higher in patients who had recurrent disease (p = 0.018). Conclusions: Our results highlight the role of certain circulating cytokines as potential prognostic biomarkers in breast cancer patients. The serum analysis of these cytokines, which could contribute to tumor growth and progression, may help to identify groups of patients with poor prognosis and who may need more aggressive treatment. This correlation needs to be evaluated in large prospective validating trials and suggests a rational for the development and use of cytokine blockade in treatment of some groups of breast cancer patients.

20 to 84 years, 85% (51) men, 91% (55) ps 0-1, 65% (39) smoking, 17% (10) had Barret's esophagus. The diagnosis was made with high videoendoscopy with biopsy in 100%, staging with PET/CT in 77% (46), 73% (44) had positive nodes and 48% (29) had siewert II location. 92% (55) of the tumors corresponded to adenocarcinomas and 35% (21) were tested for her2 of which 24% (5) were positive. The radiotherapy dose was 180 Gy with 41 Gy per session. 98% (59) completed radiotherapy, of which 96% did 3D radiotherapy and 4% (2) IMRT. 92% (55) received carboplatin 2 AUC and paclitaxel weekly. 58% (35) had toxicity, and of these, 51% (18) had hematological toxicity grade 1-2. The objective response rate was 78% (47), evaluated by pneumotomography, and 10% (6) patients progressed intra-treatment. Surgical compliance was 72% (43), 67% (29) underwent esophagectomy. 14% (6) had a complete pathological response in the post operative part, it was a subrogant of OS with HR 0.4 (CI 0.16 to 0.96) p ¼ 0.041. 22% (13) patients performed adjuvant, the majority of these with capecitabine, there were no significant differences in DFS or OS with the addition of adjuvant treatment. With a mean follow-up of 25 months, 19% (8) of the operated patients relapsed, with 50% systemic relapses. All relapsed patients received FOLFOX. 32% ( 16) died during follow-up with an OS of 18 months and a DFS of 16 months. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio greater than 3 at diagnosis was 45% ( 27) and a statistically significant association with mortality was observed (p¼0,034).Conclusion: Good surgical compliance was observed, with acceptable toxicity, and the objective response rate was high. Adjuvant treatment offered no benefit in OS or DFS. The complete pathological response was a surrogate for survival. Neutrophil/ lymphocyte ratio at diagnosis was associated with mortality. The results in our center were similar to those of the CROSS study.Legal entity responsible for the study: The author.