Adjuvant Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) plus Docetaxel-Cisplatin-Fluorouracil (DCF) versus CRT plus Fluorouracil-Folinic Acid (FUFA) in Stage III Gastric Cancer.

Introduction: Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is the optimal management strategy in resectable gastric cancer. There is a debate about the efficacy of more aggressive CRT plus chemotherapy regimens in adjuvant setting. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of adjuvant CRT plus docetaxel-cisplatin-fluorouracil (DCF) versus CRT plus fluorouracil-folinic acid (FUFA) in stage III gastric cancer.

Impact of low sodium values on survival outcomes of patients with cancer receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Low serum sodium affects cancer prognosis, but its impact on immunotherapy is unclear. Assessing the association of pre- and post-ICI treatment sodium levels with survival. We retrospectively analyzed patients receiving ICI in January 2012-December 2023, collecting serum sodium levels at treatment initiation and 4 weeks post-ICI, with overall survival (OS) as the primary outcome.

Real-world evaluation of nivolumab in patients with non-nasopharyngeal recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer: a retrospective multi-center study by the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

Objectives: Head and neck cancers (HNCs) represent a significant global health concern due to high morbidity and mortality rates. Despite therapeutic advances, the prognosis for advanced or recurrent cases remains challenging. Nivolumab obtained approval for recurrent or metastatic HNC based on the Phase III CheckMate 141 trial.

Chronic hyperglycemia based on diabetes is independently associated with decreased survival in patients with advanced cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have started a new era in treating patients with cancer. The effect of comorbidities and concomitant drug use on ICIs have become of interest in those patients. Data about the impact of hyperglycemia on response to ICIs in cancer patients are limited.

Trastuzumab ± Capecitabine Maintenance After the First-Line Treatment of HER2-Positive Advanced Gastric Cancer: Retrospective Observational Real-Life Data of Turkish Oncology Group.

Purpose: In the ToGA trial for HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer, cisplatin plus fluoropyrimidine was given for 6 cycles; trastuzumab was given until disease progression. However, there is a lack of real-life data about trastuzumab maintenance after 6 cycle chemotherapy. This study aims to present real-life data of trastuzumab ± capecitabine maintenance after 6 cycles of platinum, fluoropyrimidine, and trastuzumab in non-progressive patients.

GLASS: Global Lorlatinib for ALK(+) and ROS1(+) retrospective Study: real world data of 123 NSCLC patients.

Unlabelled: Lorlatinib is a third-generation tyrosine-kinases inhibitor (TKI) targeting ALK/ROS1 fusions. The FDA has approved lorlatinib for TKI-pretreated ALK(+) NSCLC, while its approval for ROS1(+) is still pending. Here we present the largest real-world data of NSCLC patients harboring ALK/ROS1 rearrangements treated with lorlatinib.

Tamoxifen-induced acute mania: A case report.

Introduction: Tamoxifen is widely used for the treatment of hormone-responsive breast cancer, osteoporosis, and post-menopausal symptoms. Also, tamoxifen is currently under investigation for its anti-manic properties. In this article, we report a case who developed manic episode following the initiation of tamoxifen and remitted with discontinuation of the medication.

Perspective of Turkish Medicine Students on Cancer, Cancer Treatments, Palliative Care, and Oncologists (ARES Study): a Study of the Palliative Care Working Committee of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

Cancer is one of the most common causes of death all over the World (Rahib et al. in Cancer Res 74(11):2913-2921, 2014; Silbermann et al. in Ann Oncol 23(Suppl 3):iii15-iii28, 2012).

Vaccination in oncology practice and predictors.

Purpose: Despite, vaccination is a highly effective and widely recommended for prevention of certain infections, vaccination coverage is very low. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the attitudes of medical oncologists towards vaccination and to identify predictors of intention to recommend vaccination in patients with cancer.

Methods: A structured questionnaire is formed to evaluate the daily practice of vaccination.

Breast cancer survivors suffer from persistent postmastectomy pain syndrome and posttraumatic stress disorder (ORTHUS study): a study of the palliative care working committee of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

Purpose: Persistent postmastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) is one of the most important disturbing symptoms. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder which is characterized by reactions to reminders of the trauma that has been experienced. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the predictors of PMPS and PTSD in Turkish breast cancer survivors and the correlation between PMPS and PTSD.

The role of cardiac biomarkers as predictors of trastuzumab cardiotoxicity in patients with breast cancer.

Aim: Identification of patient with increased risk of cardiotoxicity would allow not only prevention and early diagnosis of chemotherapy related cardiotoxicity but also administration of optimal dose and duration of chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-two women with HER2(+) breast cancer treated with trastuzumab were included in this study. Patients were prospectively followed with routine cardiac evaluation.

The Perspective of Non-oncologist Physicians on Patients with Metastatic Cancer and Palliative Care (ALONE Study): A Study of the Palliative Care Working Committee of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

The aim of our study was to determine the perspective of non-oncologist physicians regarding their attitudes and beliefs associated with palliative care for patients with metastatic cancer. The study was planned as a cross-sectional survey, and non-oncologist physicians were reached via e-mail and social networking sites. The first part of the questionnaire involved demographic properties, the second part inquired as to the perspectives of participants regarding metastatic disease, and the third part was used to determine beliefs and attitudes about palliative care.

Investigational tests and treatments performed in terminal stage cancer patients in two weeks before death: Turkish oncology group (TOG) study.

Although more palliative care is necessary for terminally ill cancer patients, excess investigational tests, invasive procedures, and treatments are given instead. Between November 2009 and December 2013, six hundred and twenty-four patients with end-stage cancer who were died at inpatient setting evaluated retrospectively. Patients' characteristics, sites of tumor and metastasis, tests and invasive procedures, treatments performed in the last 2 weeks before death were collected from the hospital files and analyzed.

ABO and Rh blood groups frequency in women with HER2 positive breast cancer.

Purpose: The role of genetic factors in the development of cancer is widely accepted. Data on the role of ABO blood group and Rh factor in breast cancer is inconclusive. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of a possible association between HER2 (+) breast cancer in Turkish women and ABO blood groups and Rh factor.

ABO and Rh blood groups and risk of colorectal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Previous studies have observed an association between ABO blood group and risk for certain gastrointestinal malignancies, including pancreatic and gastric cancer. However, it is unclear whether there is such an association with colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, possible relationships between ABO blood groups and Rh factor and KRAS status in patients with CRC were investigated.

Long-term outcome of mesna, ifosfamide, mitoxantrone, etoposide (MINE) regimen as a consolidation in patients with aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma responding to CHOP.

In aggressive non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), CHOP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, prednisolone) regimen has been standard for decades, and rituximab has increased response rates and survival in CD20 positive patients, recently. The aim of this prospective trial was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and toxicity of MINE as a consolidation treatment in aggressive NHL patients who had achieved CR or unproven CR after six cycles of CHOP in the first line setting. The primary end-point was disease-free-survival (DFS).

The symptomatic benefit (the clinical benefit response) from the second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric adenocarcinoma.

There are few reports on use of symptomatic benefits as an alternative or adjunctive for the assessment of objective response in chemotherapy of the advanced cancer. This study is performed to assess the symptomatic benefits (the clinical benefit response), in addition to the efficacy and toxicity of cisplatin plus infusional 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) combination as second-line therapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Fifty-eight advanced gastric cancer patients with previous chemotherapy were enrolled into the study.

Impact of TNF-alpha and IL-6 levels on development of cachexia in newly diagnosed NSCLC patients.

Objectives: We investigated the role of cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in cachexia development in newly diagnosed nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Methods: : We evaluated 44 (M/F:41/3) NSCLC patients and 12 (M/F:10/2) age matched healthy smokers. NSCLC cases with a weight loss of > or =10% consisted the cachectic group (n:23, M/F:21/2) and the ones with <10% weight loss consisted the noncachectic group (n:21, M/F:19/2).

Divided dose of cisplatin combined with gemcitabine in malignant mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma is a rare but notoriously chemoresistant tumor. An impressive activity of gemcitabine and cisplatin combination in malignant mesothelioma has been shown. However, the hematological toxicity and nephrotoxicity related to this regimen affect the patient's life negatively.