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.