The prognostic significance of p21 and Her-2 gene expression and mutation/polymorphism in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma.

Analyses of gene expression status and genetic polymorphisms are methods to identify novel histopathological prognostic factors. In patients with gastric cancer, some cell cycle regulators p53, p21, p27 and Her-2 oncogene have been proposed as prognostic factors. We aimed to investigate the expression and mutation/polymorphism of p21 and Her-2 and also relationship between that genes status and histopathological factors and prognosis in patients with gastric cancer.

Trimodality treatment in patients with superior sulcus tumors: hopes and realities.

Aims And Background: In late 2001 at our institution, we started offering induction radiochemotherapy as a treatment option for superior sulcus tumors. Our aim was to evaluate treatment choices and outcome in this patient group treated over the past 7 years at our institution.

Methods: The records of 34 patients were retrospectively reviewed and 33 were assessable for the analysis.

Capecitabine-related intracranial hypotension syndrome mimicking dural metastasis in a breast cancer patient: case report and review of the literature.

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SICH) is an entity, which is secondary to iatrogenic manipulation and breaching of dura. Postural headache in patients should be suspected, cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is essential for precise diagnosis. Hallmark of MRI is regular shape of pachymeningeal gadolinium enhancement and subdural effusion.

Protective effect of L-carnitine versus amifostine against cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats.

We aimed to compare the protective effect of L-carnitine (CAR) and amifostine (AMF) against cisplatin (CDDP)-induced nephrotoxicity through biochemical markers and histopathological evaluation. Fifty-seven Wistar albino male rats were randomly classified into six groups, which were AMF+CDDP (n = 11; 200 mg/kg AMF 30 min prior to 7 mg/kg CDDP), CAR+CDDP (n = 11; 300 mg/kg CAR 30 min prior to 7 mg/kg CDDP), CDDP (n = 11; 1 mL/kg isotonic saline 30 min prior to 7 mg/kg CDDP), AMF (n = 8; 200 mg/kg AMF alone), CAR (n = 8; 300 mg/kg CAR alone), and control (n = 8; 1 mL/kg isotonic saline alone). All drugs were given intraperitoneally.

Factors related to recurrence after pathological complete response to postoperative chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Aims And Background: It has been appreciated for some time that the lack of detection of ovarian cancer at clinical and pathological (second-look laparotomy) evaluation is not synonymous with cure. The goal of this study was to define clinical risk factors for recurrence after complete pathological response to postoperative chemotherapy in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Methods: Fifty-seven patients who met the inclusion criteria of our study were evaluated.

Dural sinus vein thrombosis in a patient with colon cancer treated with FOLFIRI/bevacizumab.

The adverse effects of regimes in cancer treatment have forced us to change to new targeted therapy options. Understanding these side effects, which can lead to discontinuation of the new therapy strategies, will allow the clinical management of these side effects and result in continuing therapies with effective medications. Bevacizumab, which is an IgG1 antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor, has side effects such as proteinuria, hypertension, venous and arterial thromboembolic events, and hemorrhage.

Synchronous tonsil, gallbladder, and cardiac metastases without any other visceral metastases of malignant melanoma.

Background: Malignant melanoma is a highly unpredictable tumor that has capacity to metastasize to any organ. A better understanding is needed of the clinicopathologic features of metastatic melanoma and, in particular, of its rare manifestations.

Case Report: A 33-year-old woman with a past medical history of malignant melanoma presented with symptoms of throat discomfort and bleeding.

The better performance status, the better outcome: laryngeal carcinoma treated with definitive radiotherapy.

Purpose: To evaluate the prognostic factors affecting locoregional control (LRC) and overall survival (OS) of patients with laryngeal carcinoma who were not candidates for surgical treatment due to tumour or host factors but were treated with definitive radiotherapy (RT).

Patients And Methods: Sixty-three consecutive patients, treated with definitive RT between 1999 and 2005, were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had histologically proven squamous cell carcinomas of the larynx.

The comparison of weekly and three-weekly cisplatin chemotherapy concurrent with radiotherapy in patients with previously untreated inoperable non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.

Purpose: Several studies have shown that the concurrent administration of chemotherapy (CHT) and radiotherapy (RT) is superior to RT alone in patients with inoperable non-metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (InSCCHN). We compared the efficacy and safety profile of RT and concurrent cisplatin CHT given in two different schedules to patients with previously untreated InSCCHN.

Methods: Fifty patients with previously untreated InSCCHN admitted to our oncology department were included in the study.

Identification of patients who may benefit from the prophylactic cranial radiotherapy among breast cancer patients with brain metastasis.

Background: To identify the candidates for prophylactic cranial radiotherapy (PCI) among the patients with early and advanced-stage breast cancer.

Methods: The demographic, pathologic and clinical features and survival results of 182 brain metastatic breast cancer patients treated with cranial radiotherapy were examined.

Results: Early stage patients who progressed with isolated brain metastasis had longer survival (13 months vs.

Triple negative breast cancer compared to hormone receptor negative/HER2 positive breast cancer.

The aim of this study is to reveal likely demographic, clinical, and pathological differences among hormone receptor negative breast cancer patients according to their HER-2 status. The medical records of hormone receptor negative breast cancer patients with known HER-2 status between January 1999 and December 2006 were reviewed, retrospectively. A total of 91 cases were included in the study (68 HER-2 negative cases and 23 HER-2 positive cases).

Extrapulmonary small cell carcinoma localized in lymph nodes: is it a different clinical entity?

Background: Extrapulmonary small cell carcinomas (EPSCC) can clinically progress differently depending on the primary site of disease involvement. This review is focused on patients with small cell carcinoma (SmCC) exclusively localized in a lymph node or in multiple lymph nodes without any evidence of a primary tumor in any other organ.

Methods: We searched the period 1980 to 2007 in the PubMed database and identified 11 publications in the English language presenting at least one case of SmCC.

Factors affecting the prognosis of breast cancer patients with brain metastases.

The aim of this retrospective analysis was to investigate the factors affecting the prognosis of brain metastases in breast cancer patients to identify subgroups which might benefit from prophylactic treatments in future. Seventy-three early and 13 advanced stage patients with known Erb-2 status were included. In 14% of the early stage patients, the first recurrence site was isolated brain metastasis.

Massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding from pure metastatic choriocarcinoma in patient with mixed germ cell tumor with subclinical intestinal metastasis.

Although testicular germ cell tumors have become curable neoplasms, a better understanding of the clinicopathologic features is needed for the rare manifestations associated with treatment failure. We report a rare case of metastatic pure choriocarcinoma involving the small intestine arising from a testicular mixed germ cell tumor. In a patient who developed massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage during treatment, the intestinal metastases and focus of bleeding could only be determined by laparotomy.

The efficiency of single agent docetaxel in patients with platinum-refractory non-small cell lung carcinoma.

Background: To evaluate the efficiency of docetaxel as second line chemotherapy in patients with platinum-refractory non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Fifty-two patients with locally advanced or metastatic NSCLC who had platinum-refractory disease (progressed through or within 3 months of completion of first line therapy) and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance (ECOG) status 0-2 were treated with second-line chemotherapy consisting of single agent docetaxel (100 mg/m(2), intravenously, on day 1 of a 21-day cycle). The median number of treatment cycles was 4 (2-6).

An unusual metastatic site of tongue carcinoma: shoulder muscles.

The incidence of skeletal muscle metastases is reported to be less than 1% of metastases of haematogenous origin. Distant skeletal muscle metastases from head and neck squamous cell carcinomas are exceedingly rare. Only a case with tongue carcinoma metastasized to paravertebral muscles, has been reported so far.

Lung, bone, skeletal muscles and cutaneous metastases from adenoid cystic carcinoma of the parotid gland: a case report and review of the literature.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma is the second most common malignancy of the major and minor salivary glands after mucoepidemoid carcinoma. The risk of distant metastases is approximately 20-50%. Although bone, the central nervous system and the other organs may become involved, the lungs are favored sites for metastases.

The efficacy of tamoxifen in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: Activity of tamoxifen as a salvage therapy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer was evaluated by a number of studies. In this study, we evaluated efficacy of tamoxifen in our patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients who received tamoxifen at a dose 20 mg twice daily for the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Extrapulmonary small-cell carcinoma compared with small-cell lung carcinoma: a retrospective single-center study.

Background: The study was conducted with the aim of reviewing the clinical features, therapy, and natural course of patients with extrapulmonary small-cell carcinoma (EPSCC) and small-cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) to better define current concepts regarding EPSCCs.

Methods: The medical records of patients with proven diagnosis of small-cell carcinoma (SmCC) between January 1999 and May 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 65 SmCC cases were included in the study (11 [17%] cases of EPSCC and 54 [83%] cases of SCLC).

An ambiguous phenomenon of radiation and drugs: recall reactions.

The term 'radiation recall' describes an acute inflammatory reaction in previously irradiated areas after the administration of certain inciting systemic agents. It was first described in 1959 by D'Angio that dermatitis is related to the application of actinomycin D on the skin. Though this reaction occurs frequently on the skin, it may also be seen in the oral mucosa, the larynx, esophagus, small intestine, lungs, muscle tissue, and brain.

Evaluation of prognostic factors and comparison of systemic treatment modalities in patients with recurrent or metastatic endometrial carcinoma.

Background: Prognostic factors related to survival in patients with inoperable metastatic or recurrent endometrial carcinoma (MREC) have remained unclear due to lack of clinical trials. The management of these patients is also controversial. This study was performed to compare the efficacy and toxicity profiles of two different systemic therapies (chemotherapy vs hormonal therapy) given for the treatment of patients with MREC and to identify the impact of various prognostic factors on the survival.

Paraneoplastic syndrome of non-small cell lung carcinoma: a case with pancytopenia, leukocytoclastic vasculitis, and hypertrophic osteoarthropathy.

Various remote effects of cancer or paraneoplastic syndromes (PNS) are common in lung cancer, and may be the manifestation of the disease or its recurrence. The symptoms may be endocrine, neuromuscular or musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, cutaneous, hematologic, gastrointestinal, renal, or miscellaneous in nature. Since the symptoms of paraneoplastic syndromes may occur before the local symptoms of the primary tumor, it might be helpful in the early diagnosis of malignancy.

Oncocytic carcinoma of the parotid gland.

Background: Oncocytic carcinoma is a rare tumor of major salivary glands. Despite being described 5 decades ago, not much is known about these rare tumors. Histochemical or electron microscopic confirmation of the oncocytic nature of the tumor cell is needed for differential diagnosis.