Escitalopram co-prescription in anastrozole-treated breast cancer patients.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of escitalopram co-prescription on plasma anastrozole levels in post-menopausal breast cancer patients.

Methods: A total of 24 post-menopausal operated breast cancer patients co-prescribed with escitalopram and anastrozole were included. Blood samples were collected, before and 1-month after the onset of escitalopram to analyze plasma anastrozole and estradiol levels.

CT Derived Hounsfield Unit: An Easy Way to Determine Osteoporosis and Radiation Related Fracture Risk in Irradiated Patients.

We aimed to evaluate osteoporosis, bone mineral density, and fracture risk in irradiated patients by computerized tomography derived Hounsfield Units (HUs) calculated from radiation treatment planning system. Fifty-seven patients operated for gastric adenocarcinoma who received adjuvant abdominal radiotherapy were included in the study group. Thirty-four patients who were not irradiated after surgery comprised the control group.

Stereotactic Radiotherapy in Recurrent Glioblastoma: A Valid Salvage Treatment Option.

Background: Glioblastoma (GBM) is a dismal disease. Recurrence is inevitable despite initial surgery and postoperative temozolomide (TMZ) and radiotherapy. Salvage surgery is the standard treatment in selected patients.

Pretreatment SUV value to predict outcome in patients with stage III NSCLC receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Objective: Stage III disease accounts for approximately one-fourth of all non-metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The patients who are not candidates for curative resection are offered concomitant chemoradiotherapy. In this subgroup, which is difficult to manage, studies that address the role of PET-CT to predict outcome measures specifically for stage III NSCLC receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy may help better risk stratification.

Volumetric decrease of pancreas after abdominal irradiation, it is time to consider pancreas as an organ at risk for radiotherapy planning.

Background: Volumetric shrinkage of normal tissues such as salivary glands, kidneys, hippocampus are observed after radiotherapy. We aimed to assess the alterations in pancreatic volume of patients who received abdominal radiotherapy and define pancreas as an organ at risk for radiation treatment planning.

Material-methods: Forty-nine patients operated for gastric adenocarcinoma who received adjuvant abdominal radiotherapy were in the study group, 27 patients with early stage disease who did not need adjuvant treatment after surgery comprised the control group.

Osteoporosis development and vertebral fractures after abdominal irradiation in patients with gastric cancer.

Background: Decrease in bone mineral density, osteoporosis development, bone toxicity and resulting insufficiency fractures as late effect of radiotherapy are not well known. Osteoporosis development related to radiotherapy has not been investigated properly and insufficiency fractures are rarely reported for vertebral bones.

Methods: Ninety-seven patients with gastric adenocarcinoma were evaluated for adjuvant treatment after surgery.

Pre- and post-surgery treatments in rectal cancer: a long-term single-centre experience.

Background: Our study evaluated long-term survival outcomes in rectal cancer patients treated with preoperative radiotherapy, and the impact on survival of concomitant and postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy (ctx), among other prognostic factors.

Methods: The study included 196 patients [median age: 58 years (range: 20-86 years); 63.0% men] with locally advanced rectal carcinoma and, in some cases, resectable liver metastasis.

Radiation field size and dose determine oncologic outcome in esophageal cancer.

Background: Locoregional recurrence is a major problem in esophageal cancer patients treated with definitive concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Approximately half of the patients fail locoregionally. We analyzed the impact of enlarged radiation field size and higher radiation dose incorporated to chemoradiotherapy on oncologic outcome.

Is there any role of intravenous iron for the treatment of anemia in cancer?

Background: Anemia is a major cause of morbidity in patients with cancer resulting in poor physical performance, prognosis and therapy outcome. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of intravenous (iv) iron administration for the correction of anemia, for the prevention of exacerbation of anemia, for decreasing blood transfusion rates, and for the survival of cancer patients.

Methods: Patients with different solid tumor diagnosis who received iv iron during their cancer treatment were evaluated retrospectively.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of three different chemotherapy regimens delivered with concomitant radiotherapy in inoperable stage III non-small cell lung cancer patients.

Concomitant administration of chemotherapy and radiotherapy is currently recognized as the standard of treatment in locally advanced inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our study aimed to compare the efficacy and toxicities of three different chemotherapy regimens delivered concurrently with radiotherapy. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical records of patients who received the PE (cisplatin, 50 mg/m(2), on days 1, 8, 29, and 36 plus etoposide, 50 mg/m(2), on days 1 to 5 and 29 to 33), PD (docetaxel, 20 mg/m(2), on day 1 plus cisplatin, 20 mg/m(2), on day 1, every week), and PC (carboplatin, AUC 2 plus paclitaxel, 45 mg/m(2), on day 1, every week) regimens concurrently with radiotherapy.

Whole-brain radiation therapy for brain metastases: detrimental or beneficial?

Stereotactic radiosurgery is frequently used, either alone or together with whole-brain radiation therapy to treat brain metastases from solid tumors. Certain experts and radiation oncology groups have proposed replacing whole-brain radiation therapy with stereotactic radiosurgery alone for the management of brain metastases. Although randomized trials have favored adding whole-brain radiation therapy to stereotactic radiosurgery for most end points, a recent meta-analysis demonstrated a survival disadvantage for patients treated with whole-brain radiation therapy and stereotactic radiosurgery compared with patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery alone.

Survival in gastric cancer in relation to postoperative adjuvant therapy and determinants.

Aim: To evaluate survival data in patients with gastric cancer in relation to postoperative adjuvant therapy and survival determinants

Methods: A total of 201 patients (mean±SD age: 56.0±11.9 years, 69.

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.

Risk of endocrine pancreatic insufficiency in patients receiving adjuvant chemoradiation for resected gastric cancer.

Background: Adjuvant radiotherapy combined with 5-fluorouracil based chemotherapy has become the new standard after curative resection in high risk gastric cancer. Beside many complications due to surgery, the addition of chemotherapy and radiotherapy as adjuvant treatment may lead to both acute and late toxicities. Pancreatic tissue irradiation during this adjuvant treatment because of incidental and unavoidable inclusion of the organ within the radiation field may affect exocrine and endocrine functions of the organ.

Co-existence of gastrointestinal stromal tumors with other primary neoplasms.

Background/aims: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common primary mesenchymal neoplasms of the tubular gastrointestinal tract (GI). Here, we present a series of 32 patients diagnosed with a primary neoplasm in addition to GIST, from six different institutions in Turkey.

Methodology: In total, 200 patients with GIST were evaluated; 32 patients with both GISTs and other primary malignancies were identified.

Lhermitte's sign: Review with special emphasis in oncology practice.

Lhermitte's sign (LS) is characterized by electric shock like sensation, spreading along the spine in a cervico-caudal direction and also into both arms and legs, which is felt upon forward flexion of the neck. It is a myelopathy resulting from damage to sensory axons at the dorsal columns of the cervical or thoracic spinal cord and a well-known clinical sign in neurology practice. Patients with cancer may present with LS due to various causes either related to the tumor itself or to its treatment.

Efficacy of iodopovidone pleurodesis and comparison of small-bore catheter versus large-bore chest tube.

Background: To evaluate the efficacy of iodopovidone as an agent for pleurodesis in malignant pleural effusion (MPE) and to compare the efficacy of small-bore catheter (Pleuracan, Braun, Melsungen, Germany) and conventional large-bore chest tube in pleural fluid drainage and sclerotherapy.

Methods: Patients with MPE were prospectively consecutively randomized into two groups between August 2004 and February 2007: pleurodesis via conventional (32F) chest tube (group 1) and small-bore catheter (group 2), both using iodopovidone. After 3 months' follow-up, response rates (complete or partial), complication rates, and duration of procedures within whole group, group 1, and group 2 were compared.