An investigation of clinical characteristics and antimicrobial agent susceptibility patterns in clinical Comamonas testosteroni isolates: An increasingly prevalent nosocomial pathogen.

Background: Comamonas testosteroni is a gram-negative bacillus, known before 1987 as Pseudomonas testosteroni. Although considered as a rare pathogen, its frequency has been increasing. Data regarding its antibiotic susceptibility are insufficient.

Renal cell cancer: overview of the current therapeutic landscape.

Introduction: The last decade has witnessed dramatic improvements in the diagnosis, classification and treatment of renal cell cancer (RCC). Besides improvements in surgical techniques in early stages, introduction of novel targeted agents has resulted in improved outcomes in advanced RCC for which no effective treatment existed until recently.

Areas Covered: This article reviews epidemiology, pathology and pathogenesis, diagnosis, clinical staging, prognostic factors and treatment modalities of early stage and advanced RCC.

Multicenter experience of adult medulloblastoma: A study of Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology (ASMO).

Purpose: Medulloblastoma (MB) is rarely seen in adults. For adjuvant therapy in adults the same therapy protocols used in pediatric cases are used. The present study retrospectively evaluated the data of MB patients who were treated in different Oncology Centers in Turkey.

Crizotinib-induced toxicity in an experimental rat model.

Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of crizotinib on visceral organs in an experimental rat model.

Methods: Eighteen Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: experimental toxicity was induced with crizotinib (10 mg/kg) administered for 28 days (Group 1), 42 days (Group 2) orally by gavage. Control group received only distilled water.

Risk factors for brain metastasis as a first site of disease recurrence in patients with HER2 positive early stage breast cancer treated with adjuvant trastuzumab.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine risk factors for brain metastasis as the first site of disease recurrence in patients with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer (EBC) who received adjuvant trastuzumab.

Methods: Medical records of 588 female patients who received 52-week adjuvant trastuzumab from 14 centers were evaluated. Cumulative incidence functions for brain metastasis as the first site of disease recurrence and the effect of covariates on brain metastasis were evaluated in a competing risk analysis and competing risks regression, respectively.

The effect of the gastrectomy on survival in patients with metastatic gastric cancer: a study of ASMO.

Aim: To investigate the role of surgical resection of primary tumor on overall survival (OS) in advanced gastric cancer patients at the time of diagnosis.

Patients & Methods: The survival rates of metastatic gastric cancer patients whose gastric primary tumor was resected at time of diagnosis were compared with metastatic gastric cancer patients whose primary tumor was nonresected.

Results: The median progression-free survival and OS in operated and nonoperated group were 10 versus 6, 14 versus 9 months, respectively (p < 0.

Comparison of three different concurrent chemoradiation regimens for treatment of laryngeal cancer.

During last decades, laryngeal organ preservation strategies have emerged. The data about the oncological outcomes mainly come from multi-institutional prospective studies. In this study, we aimed to determine the oncological outcomes of different organ preservation regimens applied in routine practice.

Liver metastases from adenocarcinomas of unknown primary site: management and prognosis in 68 consecutive patients.

Background: In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics of the patients presenting with liver metastases from unknown primary site besides survival rates, treatment outcomes, and prognostic factors.

Methods: In all, 68 patients followed-up at our center with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary (ACUP) metastatic to the liver between 2005 and 2013 were enrolled. All of the liver metastases were proven by liver biopsy and all yielded diagnosis of adenocarcinoma.

Impact of adjuvant treatment modalities on survival outcomes in curatively resected pancreatic and periampullary adenocarcinoma.

Background: We examined the impact of adjuvant modalities on resected pancreatic and periampullary adenocarcinoma (PAC).

Methods: A total of 563 patients who were curatively resected for PAC were retrospectively analyzed between 2003 and 2013.

Results: Of 563 patients, 472 received adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) alone, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) alone, and chemoradiotherapy plus chemotherapy (CRT-CT) were analyzed.

Clinical Significance of HER2 Overexpression in Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Cancers.

Background: In this study, we investigated the rate of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) overexpression in gastric (GC) and gastroesophageal junction cancers (GEJCs) and the relationship with HER2 expression and clinical, pathological parameters and prognosis.

Methods: Surgery or biopsy specimen of 598 (436 males, 162 females) patients with GC or GEJC was evaluated for the presence of HER2 overexpression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) methods.

Results: HER2 IHC scores were as follows: 418 (69.

The impact of immunohistochemical staining with ezrin-carbonic anhydrase IX and neuropilin-2 on prognosis in patients with metastatic renal cell cancer receiving tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

The identification of prognostic factors in patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) represents an area of increasing interest. In this retrospective study, we evaluated the prognostic role of carbonic anhydrase-IX, ezrin, and neuropilin in metastatic RCC patients. The expression of several biomarkers were measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 45 patients with advanced stage RCC treated with second-line tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) after failure of interferon-alpha between January 2007 and June 2012.

Factors predicting the development of distant metastases in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A retrospective study from a single centre.

Purpose: The presence of distant metastases (DMs) after the initial treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma is associated with a poor outcome. The incidence of DMs in head and neck cancer is about 4-26%. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of distant metastases and the factors predicting the development of DMs.

Factors Influencing Chemotherapy Goal Perception in Newly Diagnosed Cancer Patients.

Cancer patients who start receiving chemotherapy have difficulty in understanding the state of their disease, the prognosis, and the purpose of treatment. We used a survey to evaluate the extent of perception of chemotherapy goal among cancer patients. Two hundred sixteen cancer patients who received chemotherapy for the first time participated in the study.

Discordances in HER2 status between primary gastric cancer and corresponding metastatic sites.

Objective: Determination of human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 status in advanced gastric cancer is important in clinical decision making. In the trastuzumab for GC trial, trastuzumab-based therapy demonstrated a significant overall survival benefit in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-positive advanced gastric cancer. Human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 discordance in gastric cancer primary and its metastases has been long debated.

Management of brain metastases from non-small cell lung cancer.

Purpose: The purpose of the following study is to evaluate the treatment modalities, clinical status and prognostic factors affecting survival rates in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastasis from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: NSCLC patients with a new diagnosis of one to four brain metastasis evaluated retrospectively for the effects of treatment regimens on local failure-relapse-free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS). The relationship between age, gender, performance status, recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) classification, the primary tumor under control, number of metastatic tumors in the brain and total volume of brain metastasis and prognosis is analyzed.

Factors predicting recurrence in patients with grade III glial tumors: impact of adjuvant temozolomide on recurrence.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological features of patients with grade III glial tumors associated with recurrence after treatment.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 67 patients with grade III glial tumors between May 2007 and June 2013. Data were retrieved from patient electronic medical records and paper charts.

Functional and morphological effects of systemic bevacizumab on cancer patients' eyes.

Purpose: To evaluate the morphological and functional short-term effects of systemic bevacizumab on healthy eyes of cancer patients morphologically and functionally.

Methods: The patients who underwent a chemotherapy regimen because of colon, lung, and breast cancer at the Department of Medical Oncology of the Gazi University School of Medicine between years 2010 and 2012 were included. All patients were administrated intravenous bevacizumab in three different dosages (5, 7.

Association between survival and maximum standardized uptake value of liver metastases detected by 18-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography in patients with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary origin.

Objective: The objective of this retrospective study is to investigate the association between survival and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of liver metastases detected by pre-treatment positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) in patients with adenocarcinoma of unknown primary origin (ACUP).

Methods: A total of 58 patients with ACUP and liver metastases confirmed histopathologically by liver biopsy and pre-treatment PET-CT were included in this study. SUVmax values of the liver lesions were measured and their association with survival was investigated.

Adjuvant systemic chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab in patients with resected pulmonary metastases from colorectal cancer.

Introduction: We investigated the impact of modern chemotherapy regimens and bevacizumab following pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) from metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC).

Methods: A total of 122 consecutive patients who were curatively resected for pulmonary metastases of CRC in twelve oncology centers were retrospectively analysed between January 2000 and April 2012.

Results: Of 122 patients, 14 did not receive any treatment following PM.

Treatment and prognostic factors in primary peritoneal carcinoma: a multicenter study of the Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology (ASMO).

Background: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with primary peritoneal carcinoma (PPC), and the effectiveness and toxicity of first-line platinum/taxane combination therapy.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 79 patients with PPC, who were treated and followed up between December 2001 and August 2012 at 10 medical oncology clinics.

Results: All patients were female, with a median age of 63 years (range 34-79 years).

A cross-sectional survey of the diagnosis and management of bone metastasis in breast cancer patients in Turkey.

Purpose: This study aimed to report the practice of managing breast cancer with bone metastasis in Turkey and to determine the adherence to the British Association of Surgical Oncology (BASO) guidelines.

Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional epidemiological survey was conducted in 38 centers across Turkey. Data from 1,026 breast cancer patients with bone metastases (mean age 54.

Lapatinib plus Capecitabine for HER2-Positive Advanced-Stage Breast Cancer in Elderly Women: Review of the Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology (ASMO) Experience.

Background: The efficacy and safety of the lapatinib and capecitabine combination remain elusive in elderly patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), who progress after trastuzumab-based therapy.

Patients And Methods: A total of 26 patients with HER2-positive MBC were included in this retrospective multicenter study. Median age was 69 years (range 65-82 years).

Efficacy and safety of raltitrexed combinations with uracil- tegafur or mitomycin C as salvage treatment in advanced colorectal cancer patients: a multicenter study of Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology (ASMO).

Background: There is no standard treatment for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) progressing after irinotecan and oxaliplatin treatment. Here we aimed to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of raltitrexed in combination with oral 5-fluoropyrimidine (uracil tegafur-UFT) or mitomycin C as salvage therapy in mCRC patients.

Materials And Methods: A total of 62 patients who had received raltitrexed combined with UFT or mitomycin C were identified between December 2008 and June 2013.

Docetaxel and cisplatin in first line treatment of patients with unknown primary cancer: a multicenter study of the Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology.

Background: The overall prognosis for cancers of unknown primary (CUP) is poor, median overall survival (OS) being 6-12 months. We evaluated our multicentric retrospective experience for CUP administered docetaxel and cisplatin combination therapy.

Materials And Methods: A total of 29 patients that were pathologically confirmed subtypes of CUP were included in the study.

Efficiency and side effects of sorafenib therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective study by the anatolian society of medical oncology.

Background: Inoperable and metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with a poor prognosis and low chemotherapeutic efficiency. Sorafenib is an oral multi-kinase inhibitor exerting its effects via the RAF/ MEK/ERK pathway, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) and platelet derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFR-β) tyrosine kinases. Randomized studies have shown a significant contribution of sorafenib to life expectancy and quality of life of cancer patients.