Prognostic factors in gastrointestinal stromal tumors: multicenter experience of 333 cases from Turkey.

Background/aims: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract. In an attempt to survey the approximate incidence, clinicopathological characteristics, and immunophenotypic features of GISTs in Turkey, we conducted a clinicopathological and immunohistochemical analysis of GISTs.

Methodology: Three hundred and thirty-three patients with GIST from nine institutions in Turkey were retrospectively evaluated.

The access rate to diagnosis and treatment modalities in breast cancer patients in Turkey; multicenter observational study.

Purpose: To determine the time elapsed between the first notification of the disease and the access to the diagnosis and treatment modalities and the associated factors in female patients with breast cancer in Turkey.

Methods: Data was acquired from a questionnaire involving 535 patients who applied to 14 various oncology clinics in Turkey between 1st and 28th of February 2010. Analyses were performed by the participating clinics and were divided into 3 groups: centers located in metropolitan areas formed group 1 (n=161), those located in Marmara and central Anatolia region formed group 2 (n=189), and centers located in Karadeniz and East-Southeast Anatolia region formed group 3 (n=185).

Tissue and serum adiponectin levels in patients with gastric cancer: are there any correlations between adiponectin levels and histopathological variables?

Background/aims: Adiponectin is secreted from adipose tissue and is characterized by hyperinsulinemia, which is related with obesity. Adiponectin levels are significantly lower in gastric cancer patients than in healthy controls. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between adiponectin levels in serum, tumor tissue and normal tissue with some other insulin resistance parameters.

A retrospective analysis of women's chances to become pregnant after completion of chemotherapy: a single center experience.

Purpose: With the improvement in anticancer therapies, the survival of women with malignancies has increased and infertility may affect the quality of life of premenopausal women, who experience temporary or permanent amenorrhea due to chemotherapy. The aim of this study was to review the rate of pregnancies among women with malignancy previously treated with chemotherapy.

Methods: We retrospectively recorded 317 women younger than 40 years of age who were treated with chemotherapy (and a number of them with additional radiotherapy/RT) due to several malignancies between 2007-2010.

Is there any correlation among adiponectin levels in serum, tumor tissue and normal tissue of the same patients wih breast cancer?

Purpose: Adiponectin is secreted from adipose tissue and is characterized by hyperinsulinemia which is related with obesity. Although serum adiponectin levels in patients with breast cancer have been studied previously, adiponectin levels in the serum, tumor and normal tissue of the same patients have not been simultaneously investigated. The aim of this study was thus to evaluate the relationship among serum, tumor and normal tissue adiponectin levels in patients with breast cancer.

Pulmonary BALT lymphoma successfully treated with eight cycles weekly rituximab: report of first case and F-18 FDG PET/CT images.

Extra marginal-zone lymphomas of the lung is a very rare tumor and it originates from bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue. A 68-yr-old woman presented with productive cough and dyspnea. A thorax computed tomography scan showed a 9 × 10 cm in size mass in the left lung and pleural effusion in the lower lobe of left lung.

The effect of tumor size on overall survival in patients with pT3 gastric cancer: experiences from 3 centers.

Background: Although a number of studies have investigated whether tumor diameter is a prognostic factor in gastric cancer, no consensus was reached on its clinical importance. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of tumor size on survival in patients with pT3 gastric cancer.

Patients And Methods: A total of 232 patients with pT3 gastric cancer, who underwent curative gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection, were retrospectively analyzed.

Does the metastatic lymph node ratio influence the disease-free survival of patients with breast cancer: single-center experiences.

Background: Axillary lymph nodes (ALNs) are the most important prognostic factor for survival in breast cancer. Pathological evaluation can affect the number of involved lymph nodes. In the current study, we evaluated whether the metastatic lymph node ratio (n ratio) is important in predicting disease-free survival (DFS) for breast cancer patients.

Factors that Affect Patients' Decision-Making about Mastectomy or Breast Conserving Surgery, and the Psychological Effect of this Choice on Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. Primary treatment is surgery, with breast conserving surgery (BCS) being widely used for early-stage disease. Due to changes in body image, depressive symptoms can occur after surgery.

Is there any impact of plasma M30 and M65 levels on progression-free survival of patients with advanced gastric cancer?

Purpose: M30 and M65 are different circulating fragments of cytokeratin 18. They release during apoptotic cell death, so it is believed that they reflect cell death of epithelial tumors. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of plasma M30 and M65 levels in predicting of survival for patients with advanced gastric cancer compare with healthy controls.

Is there a cut-off value for standardized uptake values in positron emission tomography for predicting response to treatment and survival in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer? Single center experience.

Purpose: Positron emission tomography (PET) is an important imaging technique for the diagnosis and staging of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, we evaluated the standardized uptake values (SUV) of PET in NSCLC patients to determine whether there was a cut-off value for predicting response to treatment and survival.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 149 patients with locally advanced NSCLC.

Role of human papillomavirus in the development of urothelial carcinoma.

It has been estimated that almost 10% of the worldwide cancer burden is linked to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Although the association between HPV and bladder carcinoma has been extensively investigated, data on the role of HPV in bladder carcinogenesis are controversial. The aim of the study was to assess the possible role of human papillomavirus in the development of urothelial bladder carcinomas.

Prognostic factors in elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer: a two-center experience.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is usually at advanced stage when it is diagnosed. There is no consensus about the standard treatment in elderly patients with advanced NSCLC. Generally, data regarding elderly patients with NSCLC are withdrawn from general NSCLC studies based on subgroup analyses and suggestions.

Prognostic significance of perineural invasion in patients with gastric cancer who underwent curative resection.

Background: The prognostic significance of perineural invasion (PNI) in gastric cancer has been previously investigated in a few studies, but had not reached a consensus. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of PNI in patients with gastric cancer who underwent curative resection.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 238 patients who had undergone curative gastrectomy.

Clinical value of FDG PET/CT in the diagnosis of suspected recurrent ovarian cancer: is there an impact of FDG PET/CT on patient management?

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical value of FDG PET/CT in patients with suspected ovarian cancer recurrence as compared with diagnostic CT, and to assess the impact of the results of FDG PET/CT on treatment planning.

Methods: Included in this retrospective study were 60 patients with suspected recurrent ovarian cancer who had previously undergone primary debulking surgery and had been treated with adjuvant chemotherapy. Diagnostic CT and FDG PET/CT imaging were performed for all patients as clinically indicated.

Is metastatic lymph node ratio superior to the number of metastatic lymph nodes to assess outcome and survival of gastric cancer?

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of metastatic lymph node ratio (n ratio).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 202 patients who had undergone curative gastrectomy. The prognostic factors including UICC/AJCC TNM classification and n ratio were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis.

The role of PET-CT in the differential diagnosis of thymic mass after treatment of patients with lymphoma.

Thymic hyperplasia is a common phenomenon in both children and young adults after chemotherapy and may explain the finding of a mediastinal mass in patients with malignant lymphoma after complete remission. In the present study, we report 5 cases with malignant lymphoma presenting with a mediastinal mass on CT scan after completion of chemotherapy diagnosed as thymic hyperplasia by PET-CT imaging. We retrospectively analyzed 5 patients who presented with anterior mediastinal masses a median of 4 months (range 3-6) after achieving complete remission following successful treatment for malignant lymphoma.

Investigation of human papillomavirus DNA in colorectal carcinomas and adenomas.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) has been considered to be an etiological agent for anogenital cancers, such as cervical cancer and possibly a subset of cancers of the aerodigestive tract. The aim of the study was to evaluate the presence of human papillomavirus DNA in colorectal carcinomas and adenomas. Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded archival tissue samples were used for DNA extraction.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by interval cytoreductive surgery in patients with unresectable, advanced stage epithelial ovarian cancer: a single centre experience.

Background: Recent data has shown that the use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) significantly reduces tumor burden before optimal cytoreductive surgery (CS) and is associated with an improved overall survival (OS). The aim of our study was to evaluate response to treatment and survival of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) who received NAC followed by interval cytoreductive surgery (ICS).

Methods: Fifty-two patients with advanced EOC treated with NAC followed by ICS were retrospectively analyzed.

The association of serum adiponectin levels with histopathological variables in gastric cancer patients.

Adiponectin is a peptide hormone secreted from the adipose tissue, affecting the proliferation and insulin sensitivity in different cell types. The levels of adiponectin have been found to be decreased in hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistant states, such as obesity. The previous studies have suggested that plasma adiponectin levels are decreased in patients with endometrial and breast cancer.

Determining of metastatic lymph node ratio in patients who underwent D2 dissection for gastric cancer.

The purpose of this study was to determine outcome of the ratio of metastatic lymph nodes to the total number of dissected lymph nodes (MLR) in patients with gastric cancer. We retrospectively analyzed 111 patients who underwent D(2) lymph node dissection. The prognostic factors including UICC/AJCC TNM classification and MLR were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analysis.

Detection of human papillomavirus DNA by polymerase chain reaction and southern blot hybridization in colorectal cancer patients.

Purpose: The molecular mechanisms related to colorectal carcinogenesis are controversial. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possible role of high-risk oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) types in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.

Patients And Methods: Tumor, and corresponding normal mucosal tissue specimens were obtained soon after surgery from 56 patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma.