Phase III Study of Pemetrexed in Combination With Cisplatin Versus Cisplatin Alone in Patients With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Purpose: Patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, a rapidly progressing malignancy with a median survival time of 6 to 9 months, have previously responded poorly to chemotherapy. We conducted a phase III trial to determine whether treatment with pemetrexed and cisplatin results in survival time superior to that achieved with cisplatin alone.

Patients And Methods: Chemotherapy-naive patients who were not eligible for curative surgery were randomly assigned to receive pemetrexed 500 mg/m and cisplatin 75 mg/m on day 1, or cisplatin 75 mg/m on day 1.

Rapid diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma and its discrimination from lung cancer and benign exudative effusions using blood serum.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), an aggressive cancer associated with exposure to fibrous minerals, can only be diagnosed in the advanced stage because its early symptoms are also connected with other respiratory diseases. Hence, understanding the molecular mechanism and the discrimination of MPM from other lung diseases at an early stage is important to apply effective treatment strategies and for the increase in survival rate. This study aims to develop a new approach for characterization and diagnosis of MPM among lung diseases from serum by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) coupled with multivariate analysis.

Medical and Surgical Care of Patients With Mesothelioma and Their Relatives Carrying Germline BAP1 Mutations.

The most common malignancies that develop in carriers of BAP1 germline mutations include diffuse malignant mesothelioma, uveal and cutaneous melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and less frequently, breast cancer, several types of skin carcinomas, and other tumor types. Mesotheliomas in these patients are significantly less aggressive, and patients require a multidisciplinary approach that involves genetic counseling, medical genetics, pathology, surgical, medical, and radiation oncology expertise. Some BAP1 carriers have asymptomatic mesothelioma that can be followed by close clinical observation without apparent adverse outcomes: they may survive many years without therapy.

Comparative Assessment of Outcomes in Drug Treatment for Smoking Cessation and Role of Genetic Polymorphisms of Human Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Subunits.

To investigate the effects of genetic polymorphisms of human nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits α3, α4 and α5, which are encoded by , genes, respectively, on nicotine addiction and outcomes of pharmacological treatments for smoking cessation. A total of 143 smokers and 130 non-smokers were included. Genotyping for polymorphisms was performed by PCR, flowed by RFLP.

Effects of Genetic Polymorphisms of Drug Transporter ABCB1 (MDR1) and Cytochrome P450 Enzymes CYP2A6, CYP2B6 on Nicotine Addiction and Smoking Cessation.

Objectives: To determine the effects of genetic polymorphisms of ABCB1 (MDR1), CYP2A6, CYP2B6 on smoking status, and clinical outcomes of smoking cessation therapies in a Turkish population.

Methods: 130 smokers and 130 non-smokers were recruited. Individuals who never smoked were described as non-smokers.

Factors associated with severe lung disease in an adult population with cystic fibrosis: a single-center experience.

Background/aim: The patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are living longer compared to the past, but respiratory failure is still the most common cause of mortality. The aim of this study is to investigate factors associated with severe lung disease in a cohort of adult patients with CF.

Materials And Methods: Demographic data, clinical and laboratory findings of the patients aged 18 years and more were collected and the patients were grouped according to forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) as severe group: <40% and nonsevere ≥40%.

Diagnostic value of BRCA1-associated protein-1, glucose transporter-1 and desmin expression in the discrimination between reactive mesothelial proliferation and malignant mesothelioma in tissues and effusions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of BRCA1-associated protein-1 (BAP1), glucose transporter (GLUT)-1 and desmin expression by immunohistochemistry in the discrimination between reactive and malignant mesothelial proliferations.

Methods: A total of 88 biopsies and 30 effusions from mesothelioma cases were studied. Control groups were composed of 35 tissues and 30 cell blocks.

Diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma from pleural fluid by Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics.

This study was conducted to differentiate malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) from lung cancer (LC) and benign pleural effusion (BPE) from pleural fluids using the diagnostic power of Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance mode coupled with chemometrics. Infrared spectra of MPM (n  =  24), LC (n  =  20), and BPE (n  =  25) were collected, and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to their spectra. HCA results indicated that MPM was differentiated from LC with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity and from BPE, with 100% sensitivity and 88% specificity, which were also confirmed by PCA score plots.

Triple test with tumor markers CYFRA 21.1, HE4, and ProGRP might contribute to diagnosis and subtyping of lung cancer.

Background And Aim: Early diagnosis and histological subtyping are important issues in the management of patients with lung cancer (LC). The aim of this study is to investigate the diagnostic value of a panel of serum tumor markers in newly diagnosed patients with LC.

Methods: Venous blood samples were collected from 99 patients with LC (42 adenocarcinoma, 35 squamous, and 22 small cell carcinoma) and 30 patients with benign lung disease.

Diagnostic utility of conventional transbronchial needle aspiration in older patients.

Background: In older patients, diagnosis and initial treatment should be considered as soon as possible because of high disease burden and complications. Conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (C-TBNA) is an important and safe method for the diagnosis of mediastinal lesions and staging lung cancer in the general population. We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic utility and complications of C-TBNA procedure in older patients aged ≥ 65 years.

Association of class II human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles with pulmonary sarcoidosis.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that involves any part of the body, mainly the lungs and thoracic lymph nodes. The clinical presentation is heterogeneous based on the degree and extent of organ involvement. The existence of variable clinical presentations and treatment responses suggest an important role of genetic predisposition.

The Cappadocia mesothelioma epidemic: its influence in Turkey and abroad.

The epidemic of mesothelioma in Cappadocia, Turkey, is unprecedented in medical history. In three Cappadocian villages, Karain, Tuzkoy and "old" Sarihidir, about 50% of all deaths (including neonatal deaths and traffic fatalities) have been caused by mesothelioma. No other epidemic in medical history has caused such a high incidence of death.

Diagnostic yield of conventional transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy (C-TBNA) without an on-site cytopathologist: Experience of 363 procedures in 219 patients.

Introduction: Conventional transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy (C-TBNA) is a technique in evaluating mediastinal/hilar lymph nodes (LN). We aimed to investigate diagnostic yield (DY) and safety of C-TBNAs performed in a single university clinic.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 363 consecutive C-TBNA procedures in 219 patients.

Recovery of pulmonary and skin lesions of sarcoidosis after thymectomy.

Objective And Importance: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology. It is characterized by the presence of noncaseating granulomas and an inflammatory process in which T lymphocytes, especially type-1 helper T (Th1) cells, macrophages and different cytokines are involved. Different studies have shown the importance of genetic background in addition to environmental exposure in explaining different clinical phenotypes and disease outcome.

Byssinosis and COPD rates among factory workers manufacturing hemp and jute.

Objectives: Prior studies have been performed on cotton textile plants throughout the world. This study was planned to identify the rate of byssinosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in hemp and jute workers and those who worked with both of them.

Material And Methods: The study was realized in a factory which consecutively processed hemp and jute.

Takayasu's arteritis as the aetiology of unresolved fever in an adult patient with cystic fibrosis.

Vasculitis is an unusual complication of cystic fibrosis (CF), normally affecting patients with more severe lung disease. Typical presentation is with skin disease but other organ involvement has been reported. Systemic response to bacterial colonisation and immune complex deposition secondary to chronic airway inflammation is thought to be underlying mechanism of the disease.

Primary diffuse pleural rhabdomyosarcoma in an adult patient.

Rhabdomyosarcoma is an aggressive malignant tumor of childhood, originating from immature cells that are destinated to form striated skeletal muscle. It usually arises in the head and neck or the extremities. Primary diffuse pleural rhabdomyosarcoma is exceptionally rare.

Systemic glucocorticoid and anti-tuberculosis therapy in a patient with coexisting tuberculosis and anthracosis.

Background: Tuberculous lymphadenitis is a common condition in underdeveloped and developing countries. Anthracosis is the black pigmentation of bronchi caused by the deposition of carbon, silica and quartz particles in the macrophages of the bronchial mucosa and submucosa. There is a potential relationship between bronchial anthracofibrosis and tuberculosis (TB).

A text messaging-based smoking cessation program for adult smokers: randomized controlled trial.

Background: Despite promising data in Western countries, there is a dearth of research into the efficacy of text messaging-based smoking cessation programs in other settings, including the Middle East, where smoking prevalence rates are higher.

Objective: This paper reports cessation rates observed in SMS Turkey, a text messaging-based smoking cessation program for adult smokers in Ankara, Turkey.

Methods: This study was a small-scale, parallel-group randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in Ankara, Turkey.