Neoadjuvant Pembrolizumab Plus Chemotherapy in Early-Stage Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: A Nationwide Retrospective Turkish Oncology Group Study.

Following the results of the phase 3 KEYNOTE-522 trial, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab, a humanized IgG4 kappa monoclonal antibody, in combination with neoadjuvant chemotherapy as a new standard of care for high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Discoidin domain receptor 1 as a promising biomarker for high-grade gliomas.

Background: Two fundamental challenges in the current therapeutic approach for central nervous system tumors are the tumor heterogeneity and the absence of specific treatments and biomarkers that selectively target the tumor tissue. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the potential relationship between discoidin domain receptor 1 (DDR1) expression and the prognosis and characteristics of glioma patients.

Materials And Methods: Tissue and serum samples from 34 brain tumor patients were evaluated for DDR1 messenger ribonucleic acid levels in comparison to 10 samples from the control group, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis has performed.

Strongyloides stercoralis infestation mimicking recurrence of ovarian cancer in the liver.

Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecological cancer and can recur in most cases. Surgery is an option for recurrent ovarian cancer. Parasitic infestation disseminated in an immunocompromised host can be fatal.

Efficacy of Palbociclib and Endocrine Treatment in Heavily Pretreated Hormone Receptor-positive/HER2-negative Advanced Breast Cancer: Retrospective Multicenter Trial.

Background: The synthesis of CDK4/6 inhibitors with endocrine treatment in two series of treatment has been widely accepted as the standard for patients with estrogen receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. In spite of this, the activity of CDK4/6 inhibitors in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have progressed despite receiving multiple lines of treatment is not well understood.

Aims: To report the activity and safety of a CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib) in patients in whom at least three lines of treatment for ER+ metastatic breast cancer had failed.

Addition of taxanes to combination chemotherapy in distal intestinal gastric cancer is more beneficial than proximal ones: A multicenter retrospective study of Turkish Oncology Group.

Purpose: Advanced gastric cancer has a dismal prognosis. Platin/5-fluorouracil (PF) combination chemotherapy is the main treatment modality for metastatic gastric cancer patients. Third drug addition to PF is a controversial issue.

Hepatitis B and C rates are significantly increased in certain solid tumors: A large retrospective study.

Objective: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) are associated with significant morbidity and mortality among cancer patients who received cytotoxic chemotherapy. The aim of current study was to elucidate the prevalence of HBV and HCV among large population of solid cancers and lymphoma and to compare them with large number of control group.

Patients And Methods: Between 2000 and 2014, 8322 cancer patients who were admitted to Oncology Departments were evaluated retrospectively and 3890 patients in whom hepatitis serology were available were included in this study.

The clinical importance of serum galectin-3 levels in breast cancer patients with and without metastasis.

Objective: Studies have investigated expression status of galectin-3 (Gal-3), but very little is known about the importance of circulating Gal-3 in patients with breast cancer (BC). The purpose of the study was to investigate the clinical significance and potential diagnostic value of plasma Gal-3 levels in patients with BC.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-two patients with BC and 35 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled.

Serum paraoxonase and arylesterase can be useful markers to predict neoadjuvant chemotherapy requirement in patients with breast cancer.

Aim: The aims of this study are to evaluate the serum levels of paraoxonase (PON) and arylesterase (ARE) in breast cancer (BC) patients; to determine their relationship with chemotherapy requirements in BC; and to find a cut-off value to assess subjects with a higher risk of BC.

Subjects And Methods: A total of 40 BC patients and 33 age-matched healthy women were included in this study. Beside other biochemical parameters, participants' serum PON and ARE levels were determined and analyzed.

The clinical importance of serum urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and carbonic anhydrase IX levels and the effect of anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy on these biomarkers in breast cancer.

Introduction: Breast cancer mortality rates after metastasis is high. Urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) play very important roles during tumor cell invasion and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate plasma levels of uPAR and CAIX and the effect of anthracycline-based chemotherapy on these biomarkers in patients with operable breast cancer.

The value of serum survivin level in early diagnosis of cancer.

Objective: Survivin is one of the apoptosis inhibitor proteins, and it plays a key role in tumor angiogenesis and cancer progression. This study was conducted to investigate the serum level of survivin to determine its diagnostic value in cancer patients.

Materials And Methods: Blood samples were taken from cancer patients (n = 67) prior to surgery or chemo/radiotherapy and age-matched healthy volunteers (n = 23).

Adding taxane to platin-5-fluorouracil combination does not improve survival rate in patients ≥ 65 years of age with advanced gastric cancer: A retrospective-multicenter study.

Purpose: Advanced gastric cancer (AGC) has a dismal prognosis. Platin-5-fluorouracil (CF) combination chemotherapy is the most widely used protocol and addition of a taxane (TCF) seems to increase survival and toxicity rates. We aimed to evaluate efficacy and toxicity of TCF as compared to CF in patients older than 65 years and compare them with the patients younger than 65 years.

Platelet Distribution Width as a Predictor of Metastasis in Gastric Cancer Patients.

Introduction: There are few known predictors of gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we evaluated the relationship between peripheral blood parameters and disease in patients with GC. Our aim was to identify a predictor of the development of metastasis.

The mean platelet volume may predict the development of isolated bone metastases in patients with breast cancer: a retrospective study of the Young Researchers Committee of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

Purpose: To determine the predictive value of the mean platelet volume (MPV) and the MPV/platelet count ratio on the development of isolated bone metastasis in patients with breast cancer.

Methods: A total of 121 previously untreated female patients with isolated bone metastases from breast cancer (group 1) were included in this retrospective cohort study. The patients enrolled in this study had similar age, biological subtypes, and duration of follow-up after diagnosis.

Serum paraoxonase 1 activity in patients with iron deficiency anemia.

Introduction: In this study we aimed to detect paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) activity in iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and to compare it with healthy controls by observing the change after iron therapy.

Material And Methods: In this study, 50 adult patients with IDA and 40 healthy subjects were enrolled. All patients were analyzed at the beginning and after treatment according to laboratory assessments.

A new marker for breast cancer diagnosis, human epididymis protein 4: A preliminary study.

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer type in women. Tumor markers have been widely used for assessing the treatment response and early diagnosis of recurrence. Human epididymis protein 4 (HE4) is expressed in ductal carcinoma of the breast tissue; however, its serum levels and their diagnostic and prognostic potential in breast cancer have not been investigated, which was therefore the aim of the present study.

Comparison of Survival Rates, Tumor Stages, and Localization in between Obese and Nonobese Patients with Gastric Cancer.

Purpose. In this study we tried to determine the association between body-mass index (BMI), survival rate, and the stage of tumor at the time of diagnosis in patients with gastric cancer. Methods.

Leptin as an important link between obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in men with acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: The levels of leptin, a major regulator of lipid metabolism, may increase in obesity, and contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome. Leptin is produced by adipose tissue and is a peptide hormone, which has strong association with obesity, elevated cardiovascular risk, and morbidity. The present study was designed to evaluate the relationships between leptin levels, obesity, and cardiovascular risk factors in men with acute myocardial infarction.

Paraoxonase-1 and arylesterase activities in patients with colorectal cancer.

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate paraoxonase-1 (PON1) and arylesterase (ARE) activities and oxidative stress status in patients with colorectal carcinomas (CRC).

Materials And Methods: Thirty-three patients (20 male, 13 female) with CRC and 30 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Blood samples were obtained from the CRC patients before adjuvant therapy.

Heat shock protein 70 is a useful marker for predicting colorectal cancer.

Purpose: In colorectal cancer (CRC), as in most of other malignancies, heat shock proteins (HSPs) are overexpressed and are associated with apoptosis, cancer cell proliferation, differentiation, invasion, and metastasis. HSP70 is one of the HSPs and has a promising future in cancer studies for both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. In this study, we tried to evaluate the serum levels of HSP70 in CRC patients, and to evaluate its predictive value of detecting CRC.

Clinical significance of serum claudin-1 and claudin-7 levels in patients with colorectal cancer.

The present study aimed to investigate the serum levels and clinical relevance of claudin (CLDN) 1 and CLDN7 in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). A total of 140 patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of CRC were enrolled in this study. The serum levels of CLDN1 and CLDN7 were determined using the solid-phase sandwich ELISA method.

Diagnostic importance of S100A9 and S100A12 in breast cancer.

Background: The most frequent cause of cancer deaths throughout the world is breast cancer (BC). Therefore, preventing, diagnosing and treating BC has gained importance. S100 protein probably plays an important role in carcinogenesis, cancer development, and metastasis.

Expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1, fibroblast growth factor 2, phosphatidyl inositol 3 phosphate kinase and their clinical and prognostic significance in early and advanced stage of squamous cell carcinoma of the lung.

Aim: Non-small cell lung carcinoma is the leading cause of cancer related to death in the world. Squamous cell lung carcinoma (SqCLC) is the second most frequent histological subtype of lung carcinomas. Recently, growth factors, growth factor receptors, and signal transduction system-related gene amplifications and mutations are extensively under investigation to estimate the prognosis and to develop individualized therapies in SqCLC.

Serum galactomannan levels in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis.

Background/aims: In this study, the sensitivity-specificity of galactomannan-enzyme immunoassay (GM-EIA) with a cut-off value of 0.5 for a single, two, or three consecutive positivity in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in neutropenic patients with hematological malignancy was investigated.

Methods: IPA was classified as "proven," "probable," or "possible" as described in the guidelines prepared by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer and Mycoses Study Group.

Effect of the cumulative dose of zoledronic acid on the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis of the jaws.

Bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (BRONJ) is a severe bone disease for which the pathogenetic mechanisms and risk factors are not fully understood. The present study evaluated the data of 652 patients with bone metastasis that had undergone treatment with biphosphonates. Subsequently, 24 patients with BRONJ and 20 control patients without BRONJ that were treated with zoledronic acid were enrolled.