Publications by authors named "Balik E"

Article Synopsis
  • The FLOT 4-AIO trial demonstrated that a docetaxel-based treatment was more effective than an epirubicin-based regimen for patients with locally advanced resectable gastric cancer, but many patients didn't complete the full treatment plan of eight cycles.
  • This study compared total neoadjuvant therapy (FLOT x8) with the standard approach (FLOT 4+4) to see which method improved treatment completion and tumor downstaging for patients with advanced gastric tumors prior to surgical removal.
  • Results showed that the FLOT x8 group had a significantly higher completion rate of 89.1% compared to 67.6% in the FLOT 4+4
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to compare various total mesorectal excision (TME) techniques combined with sphincter-sparing procedures in high-risk rectal cancer patients.
  • It involved a multicenter trial with over 1,000 patients, analyzing techniques like laparotomy, laparoscopy, robotic-assisted surgery, and transanal surgery to assess surgical outcomes.
  • Results indicated that while all techniques had similar rates of successful resections, none met the anticipated success rate, and the outcomes were comparable among different surgical approaches, especially for minimally invasive methods.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Ileostomy, frequently created after colorectal resections, hinders the physiologic function of the colon and can lead to dehydration and acute kidney injury due to high stoma outputs. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of preventive measures on ileostomy-induced dehydration and related readmissions in a high-volume unit.

Methods: In this prospective cohort study at a high-volume colorectal surgery department in Turkiye, the Prospective Ileostomy-induced Dehydration Prevention Bundle Project (PIDBP) was assessed from March 2021 to March 2022.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • This study compares two surgical methods, Hartmann's procedure (HP) and resection with primary anastomosis (RPA), for treating acute left-sided colonic emergencies among 1215 patients from 204 centers globally.
  • Results showed that while HP was the more common treatment (57.3%), RPA was favored for younger patients with fewer health issues and those needing surgery sooner.
  • The study concluded that although HP is still widely used, RPA might be the better option, emphasizing the importance of patient characteristics and surgeon experience in determining treatment choice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: To investigate the performance of computed tomography (CT) in the local staging of colon cancer in different segments, with emphasis on parameters that have been found to be significant for rectal cancer, namely, extramural venous invasion (EMVI) and tumor deposits (TDs).

Methods: CT and pathology data from 137 patients were independently reviewed by radiology and pathology teams. The performance of CT in categorizing a given patient into good, versus poor prognostic groups was assessed for each segment, as well as the presence of lymph nodes (LNs), TDs and EMVIs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: This study aims to adapt and validate the Cleveland Clinic Colorectal Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (CCF-CaQL) in Turkish, addressing the significant need for reliable, language-specific QoL measures for colorectal cancer (CRC) in Turkiye. This effort fills a critical gap in CRC patient care, enhancing both patient-provider communication and disease-specific QoL assessment.

Methods: The CCF-CaQL was translated into Turkish, verified for accuracy, and reviewed for clarity and relevance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair (TEP) surgery technique includes three key steps: reaching the preperitoneal space, reducing hernias, and placement of mesh. However, reaching the preperitoneal space can be complicated in patients with previous lower abdominal surgeries. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of laparoscopic inguinal TEP in patients with previous prostatectomies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: In this study, we aimed to compare long term oncological outcomes of upfront surgery versus neoadjuvant treatment in patients with locally advanced gastric cancer.

Methods: A total of 183 patients who were operated for gastric cancer were retrospectively analyzed. The patients received either standard gastrectomy or preoperative NACT + gastrectomy.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: This study aimed to compare local regrowth rates after total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) versus standard neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (SNCRT) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients that were strictly selected and assessed with a multimodal approach. Secondary outcomes were 4-year disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates.

Methods: Locally advanced rectal cancer patients without distant metastases treated at Koç Healthcare Group between January 2014 and January 2021 were included.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Anastomotic leakage is a major complication in colorectal surgery, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality rates. Despite substantial progress in surgical technique, anastomotic leakage rates remain stable. An early diagnosis of anastomotic leaks was proven to reduce adverse outcomes and improve survival.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: Data regarding the operative management of presacral tumours present various dilemmas due to their rarity and heterogeneous nature. The aim of this study was to evaluate the management strategy, factors associated with operative morbidity and long-term postoperative outcomes in a large group of patients undergoing surgery for presacral tumours.

Method: This study was designed as a multicentre retrospective cohort study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Radiation therapy (RT) is typically applied using one of two standard approaches for preoperative treatment of resectable locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC): short-course RT (SC-RT) alone or long-course RT (LC-RT) with concurrent fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy. The Phase II single-arm KROG 11-02 study using intermediate-course (IC) (33 Gy (Gray)/10 fr (fraction) with concurrent capecitabine) preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) demonstrated a pathologically complete response rate and a sphincter-sparing rate that were close to those of LC-CRT. The current trial aim to compare the pathological/oncological outcomes, toxicity, and quality of life results of LC-CRT and IC-CRT in cases of LARC.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Although important research on remote psychotherapies was conducted for many years, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the spread of remote therapies. However, studies focusing on children and the family population are still quite new. Exploration of therapists' views and experiences of using online psychotherapy interventions is of importance.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The gut microbiota has been gaining attention due to its interactions with the human body and its role in pathophysiological processes. One of the main interactions is the "gut-liver axis," in which disruption of the gut mucosal barrier seen in portal hypertension and liver disease can influence liver allograft function over time. For example, in patients who are undergoing liver transplantation, preexisting dysbiosis, perioperative antibiotic use, surgical stress, and immunosuppressive use have each been associated with alterations in gut microbiota, potentially impacting overall morbidity and mortality.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinicopathologic associations of tumor budding (Bd) as well as other potential prognosticators including lymphovascular invasion (LVI) in T3/4aN0 colon cancer patients and to investigate their impact on the outcome.

Methods: The patients were enrolled in three groups according to the number of budding as Bd1 (0-4 buds), Bd2 (5-9 buds), and Bd3 (> 10 buds). These groups were retrospectively compared in terms of demographic features, other tumor characteristics, operative outcomes, recurrences, and survival.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in Turkey. The current guidelines do not provide sufficient information to cover all aspects of the management of rectal cancer. Although treatment has been standardized in terms of the basic principles of neoadjuvant, surgical, and adjuvant therapy, uncertainties in the management of rectal cancer may lead to significant differences in clinical practice.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study looked at how the size and presence of certain veins affected the treatment response in patients with rectal cancer.
  • They used MRI scans to check for extramural venous invasion (EMVI) before and after treatment in 57 patients.
  • Results showed that patients who responded well to treatment had smaller and fewer EMVI compared to those who only had a partial response, suggesting size and number matter in evaluating treatment effectiveness.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This study aims to investigate the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in gastric cancer and to compare MIS versus open gastrectomy (OG) in terms of early mortality and morbidity, long-term oncological outcomes, and recurrence rates.

Methods: A total of 75 patients who underwent MIS or OG for gastric cancer at Koç University School of Medicine between December 2014 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative complications and disease-specific survival were compared between surgical approaches.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

BACKGROUND Metabolic syndrome affects 35% of the adult population in developed countries associated with non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular events. Fatty infiltration of the pancreas, or pancreatic steatosis, is a risk factor for acute pancreatitis, pancreatic malignancies, and diabetes mellitus, yet its relationship with metabolic syndrome is not well defined. METHODS We performed a single-centered retrospective observational study of 322 healthy subjects (subjects volunteering to be kidney transplant donors, mean age=46.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: In this study, it was aimed to compare short-term outcomes of minimally invasive and open surgery for gastric cancer in the Turkish population carrying both European and Asian characteristics.

Material And Methods: Short-term (30-day) outcomes of the patients undergoing minimally invasive and open gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenec- tomy for gastric adenocarcinoma between January 2013 and December 2017 were compared. Patient demographics, history of previous abdominal surgery, comorbidities, short-term perioperative outcomes and histopathological results were evaluated between the study groups.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A 59-year-old man with abdominal pain was admitted to the emergency department. Investigations had revealed a right-sided paraduodenal hernia and superior mesenteric vein (SMV) twisting around the superior mesenteric artery in rotation, the 'whirlpool sign'. Owing to the increasing severity of abdominal pain and the presence of SMV thrombosis complicated with strangulated paraduodenal herniation associated with high mortality rates, diagnostic laparoscopy was performed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The location of colonic tumors has been linked to different clinical and oncologic outcomes. Transverse colon cancers are generally included as right colon cancers. Furthermore, hepatic and splenic flexure tumors are usually included as components of the transverse colon.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Surgical resection is an unavoidable part of the current treatment options for Crohn's disease (CD), and more than half of patients develop recurrence. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors for recurrence in the long-term follow-up of CD patients after surgery.Medical records of consecutive CD patients who were operated on between January 2003 and January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF