Randomized Trial Comparing Resection of Primary Tumor with No Surgery in Stage IV Breast Cancer at Presentation: Protocol MF07-01.

Background: The MF07-01 trial is a multicenter, phase III, randomized, controlled study comparing locoregional treatment (LRT) followed by systemic therapy (ST) with ST alone for treatment-naïve stage IV breast cancer (BC) patients.

Methods: At initial diagnosis, patients were randomized 1:1 to either the LRT or ST group. All the patients were given ST either immediately after randomization or after surgical resection of the intact primary tumor.

Normal and Tumour Tissue mRNA Expressions of Telomerase Complex Genes in Several Types of Cancer.

Aims: To investigate the changes in mRNA expression levels of telomerase-related significant proteins in several types of cancer.

Methods: Human telomerase reverse transcriptase, pontin, reptin and dyskerin expressions were measured in normal and tumour tissues obtained from 26 patients with colorectal, breast and gastric cancers, using the real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction method.

Results: For all patients, no significant difference was found in mRNA expressions of human telomerase reverse transcriptase and dyskerin (p>0.

The impact of weight gain during adjuvant chemotherapy on survival in breast cancer.

Objective: Weight gain can be detected during adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients, leading to administration of lower drug doses than planned and a decrease in long-term survival. In this study, the effect of weight gain on survival in breast cancer patients was investigated.

Material And Methods: Breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant chemotherapy between May 2002 and May 2003 were prospectively included in the study.

Adjuvant chemoradiation versus chemotherapy for stage III gastric cancer after surgery with curative intent.

Objective: Gastric cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and surgery alone cannot guarantee satisfactory results. Both chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and chemotherapy (CT) are used in postoperative therapy. However, it is controversial whether CRT or CT is better after D2 lymphadenectomy.

New concepts in axillary management of breast cancer.

In the last decades, surgical treatment of breast cancer has evolved from more extensive procedures like radical mastectomy to less invasive breast conserving surgery. Similarly, surgical management of axilla has enormously changed from routine axillary dissection to sentinel lymph node biopsy. Traditional surgical approach to the axilla in case of sentinel lymph node negativity is to avoid completion axillary dissection.

Analysis of patients with phyllodes tumor of the breast.

Objective: The diagnosis and management of phyllodes tumors is challenging due to its low incidence. The treatment of these tumors is surgery, however the extent of surgery, the application of adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are still controversial. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate patients who were treated with a diagnosis of phyllodes tumor of the breast in our clinic.

The Relationship between Surgery and Phase of the Menstrual Cycle Affects Survival in Breast Cancer.

Purpose: The impact of time of surgery based on the menstrual cycle is a controversial issue. Two decades after the first interest in this topic, a number of studies with conflicting results have not helped to resolve this problem. This study aimed to prospectively evaluate the impact of timing of surgery based on the menstrual cycle on survival rates of breast cancer patients, and various clinical and hormonal classifications of the menstrual cycle were compared in order to determine the phase of the menstrual cycle which showed the highest degree of surgical survival.

Bilateral breast metastasis as the first sign of recurrence of a cutaneous melanoma: A case report.

Breast skin and parenchyma are metastatic sites for various tumours. Metastasis to the breast is rare, but it must be considered in the differential diagnosis of a breast mass. Melanoma is among the most commonly reported metastatic tumours of the breast.

A prospective evaluation of the risk factors for development of wound dehiscence and incisional hernia.

Objective: Post-laparotomy wound dehiscence, evantration and evisceration are important complications leading to an increase in both morbidity and mortality. Incisional hernias are frequently observed following abdominal surgeries and their occurrence is related to various local and systemic factors. This study aims to analyze the factors affecting wound healing by investigating the parameters that may cause wound dehiscence, incisional hernia, sinus formation and chronic incisional pain.

Predictive factors for residual disease in re-excision specimens after breast-conserving surgery.

Local recurrence is an issue of concern after breast-conserving therapy and removing the primary tumor with negative surgical margins is the most important determinant of local recurrence. However, some patients with positive margins after initial surgery will have no residual tumor in the re-excision specimen. To avoid unnecessary re-excisions, factors predicting residual disease in re-excision material should be determined.

Value of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer patients with previous excisional biopsy.

Purpose: Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in breast cancer patients with clinically negative axilla will ensure axillary dissection only for cases with lymph node metastasis and provide information about pathologic staging as accurate as the axillary dissection. It was shown that SLNB could be successfully performed regardless of the type of biopsy. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of SLNB after excisional biopsy.

Total thyroidectomy for the surgical treatment of multinodular goiter.

Purpose: The indications for surgical treatment of multinodular goiter (MNG) are pressure symptoms, suspicion of malignancy, and cosmetic concerns. We report our clinical experience of performing total thyroidectomy (TT) for MNG, focusing on outcome and complications, to evaluate its effectiveness.

Methods: The medical records of 154 patients who underwent TT for MNG between 2005 and 2007 were reviewed retrospectively.

Central venous catheter-associated thrombosis in the perioperative period: a frequent complication in cancer patients that can be detected early with doppler examination.

Aims And Background: The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of venous thrombosis in cancer patients with central venous catheters inserted perioperatively.

Methods And Study Design: A prospective analysis was performed with 68 patients in whom central venous catheters were placed perioperatively. Cancer patients with planned central venous catheters had prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin.

Relationships between epidemiological features and tumor characteristics of breast cancer.

Objectives: Breast cancer is a histological, morphological and molecular heterogenous disease. Like clinical outcomes and prognoses of different subtypes, etiologies might also be different. Therefore, epidemiologic risk factors like sociologic, demographic, antropometric, reproductive, and menstrual factors can be considered as an entity reflected in tumor features.

Drug resistant MCF-7 cells exhibit epithelial-mesenchymal transition gene expression pattern.

Purpose: Multidrug resistance is resistance to structurally unrelated anticancer agents. Large-scale expression analysis by using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays may provide information about new candidate genes contributing to MDR. This study demonstrates alterations in expression levels of several genes related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in paclitaxel, docetaxel, and doxorubicin resistant MCF-7 cells.

First report of a case with needle track sinus after aspiration biopsy of a benign thyroid nodule resulted in an unexpected postoperative complication.

Fine needle aspiration biopsy is the most feasible, safe, and accurate diagnostic tool for thyroid nodule diagnosis. The development of a sinus tract between thyroid gland and the skin through needle tract after fine needle aspiration biopsy is an extremely uncommon phenomenon. In this paper, a 71-year-old man presenting with a swelling and discharge on the anterior neck wall was reported.

Anti-CENP-B antibodies are associated with prolonged survival in breast cancer.

Aims: Presence of a relationship between autoimmunity and malignant diseases has been investigated for a long time. Anti-SS-B and anti-centromere protein (CENP)-B antibodies are used as serologic markers for autoimmune diseases. In this study, these autoantibodies were studied in breast cancer patients, and their effect on survival was evaluated.

Multidrug resistance mediated by MRP1 gene overexpression in breast cancer patients.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious handicap towards the effective treatment of breast cancer patients. One of the most prevalent MDR mechanisms is through the overexpression of genes coding the proteins called Multidrug Resistance-associated Proteins (MRPs). The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of MRP1 in tumor tissues from breast cancer patients.

The effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on postmastectomy skin flap necrosis.

Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is primarily used for pain reduction and is thought to activate neural fibers modifying vascular resistance and local blood flow influencing flap necrosis. This study aimed to delineate the effects of TENS on the viability of skin flaps created during mastectomy in breast cancer patients. Patients treated with modified radical mastectomy were prospectively randomized to receive either TENS or no further local treatment postoperatively.

Serum YKL-40 levels as a prognostic factor in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.

Introduction: YKL-40 is a growth factor for connective tissue cells; it also stimulates the migration of endothelial cells. YKL-40 is secreted by cancer cells, and elevated serum levels have been associated with poorer prognosis in metastatic breast cancer. In the present study we evaluated the prognostic role of serum YKL-40 levels in patients with locally advanced breast cancer.