Trabectedin for L-Type Sarcoma: A Retrospective Multicenter Study.

(1) Background: Metastatic L-type sarcomas (liposarcoma and leiomyosarcoma) are rare and have a poor prognosis. Trabectedin is an effective agent that can be used after anthracyclines. This study was designed to evaluate the real-life effectiveness and safety of trabectedin.

Bi-weekly irinotecan is an effective and convenient regimen in the treatment of relapsed or refractory small cell lung cancer.

Background: Despite initial dramatic responses, metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC) invariably recurs. Irinotecan is one of the active agents for patients with recurrent SCLC. In the second line, weekly or three-weekly irinotecan regimens have been adopted, however, the optimal dose and schedule is not defined.

Efficacy of cumulative cisplatin dose on survival in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy: multicenter study by Turkish Oncology Group.

Objective: To investigate the impact of cumulative cisplatin dose on clinical outcomes in locally advanced cervical cancer patients undergoing definitive chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 654 patients with stage IB3-IVA disease treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. Radiotherapy was applied as external beam pelvic with or without para-aortic radiotherapy and brachytherapy.

Effect of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha expression on survival in patients with metastatic cervical squamous cell carcinoma treated with first-line chemotherapy and bevacizumab.

This study addresses the gap in understanding the prognostic relevance of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) expression in metastatic cervical squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) patients undergoing anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-based therapy. A retrospective multicenter study (n = 34) explored HIF-1 alpha expression via immunohistochemistry in patients treated with platinum chemotherapy and bevacizumab. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly lower in the HIF-1 alpha low score group compared to the high score group (4.

Efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in patients with low-grade serous ovarian cancer.

To investigate the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in patients with recurrent low-grade serous ovarian carcinoma. The data of patients who received at least two cycles of bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy were retrospectively recorded. The median age of 51 patients was 56 (range: 33-75) years.

Seven-Year Single-Center Experience of the Efficacy and Safety of Ferric Carboxymaltose in Cancer Patients with Iron-Deficiency Anemia.

Anemia remains an essential concern affecting the quality of life and the survival of cancer patients. Although there are different approaches to treating anemia in cancer patients, the number of studies reporting the efficacy of iron replacement in cancer patients is limited. In this study, the efficacy and safety of iron carboxymaltose, a parenteral iron treatment option, in the treatment of anemia, were examined retrospectively.

Cessation of Rectal Screening for Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci: Experience from a Tertiary Care Hospital from Türkiye.

Objective: Here, we compared the impact of different polices on the epidemiology of Vancomycin-resistant bloodstream infections (VRE-BSIs) in a tertiary care hospital including two hospital buildings (oncology and adult hospitals) in the same campus.

Material And Methods: All patients who were hospitalized in high-risk units were screened weekly for VRE colonization via rectal swab between January 2006 and January 2013. After January 2013, VRE screening was only performed in cases of suspicion of VRE outbreak and during point prevalence studies to evaluate the epidemiology of VRE colonization.

KELIM score predicts outcome in patients with platinum-resistant/refractory recurrent ovarian cancer.

To assess the prognostic role of the CA-125 elimination rate constant K (KELIM) score in platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer patients receiving second-line treatment. A retrospective study was carried out including 117 patients with advanced-stage platinum-resistant/refractory ovarian cancer treated with liposomal doxorubicin ± bevacizumab. The KELIM score, calculated using CA-125 measurements within the first 100 days of chemotherapy, was used.

Retrospective comparison of flot and modified dcf as first-line chemotherapy in metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma.

Background: The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy and the safety of the FLOT and the modified DCF (mDCF) regimens in patients with metastatic gastric (GC) and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma as first-line treatment.

Methods: The medical records of 72 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Survivals and hematological adverse events of the patients were examined.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on nosocomial multidrug-resistant bacterial bloodstream infections and antibiotic consumption in a tertiary care hospital.

We investigated the change in the epidemiology of nosocomial bloodstream infections (BSIs) caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria during Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and antibiotic consumption rates at a pandemic hospital and at the Oncology Hospital which operated as COVID-19-free on the same university campus. Significant increases in the infection density rate (IDRs) of BSIs caused by carbapenem-resistant (CRAB) and ampicillin-resistant (ARE) were detected at the pandemic hospital, whereas carbapenem-resistant BSIs were increased at the non-pandemic Oncology Hospital. Pulsed field gel electrophoresis showed a polyclonal outbreak of CRAB in COVID-19 intensive care units.

Ovarian Carcinoma Presenting With a Large Cervical Mass.

Cervical metastasis in ovarian cancer is a rare entity. Therefore, care should be taken in the differential diagnosis of cervical masses as it may mimic a primary tumor. This report aimed to emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in these tumors.

Newly diagnosed cancer and the COVID-19 pandemic: tumour stage migration and higher early mortality.

Background: We compared the new outpatient clinic referrals during the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic with the year before.

Methods: We compared baseline characteristics of the 2208 new referrals in 2020 (n=922) and 2019 (n=1286) with Χ and Mann-Whitney U tests and calculated ORs with binary logistic regression. To evaluate the expected changes in the cancer survival secondary to stage migration, we used the 5-year survival data of Survival, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program 2010-2016.

Lesson learned from the pandemic: Isolation and hygiene measures for COVID-19 could reduce the nosocomial infection rates in oncology wards.

Introduction: It was previously demonstrated that seasonal influenza incidence was significantly decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, possibly due to respiratory and hygiene precautions. From this point, we hypothesized that the COVID-19 precautions could lead to a decrease in nosocomial infection rates in oncology inpatient wards.

Methods: We evaluated the nosocomial infection rates in an inpatient palliative oncology ward in the first 3 months of the COVID-19 pandemic in our country and compared this rate with the same time frame of the previous year in our institution.

Does docetaxel matter in metastatic gastric cancer? FOLFOX versus FLOT regimens as first-line treatment.

We aimed to compare the efficacy and the safety of the FOLFOX and the FLOT regimens in metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) as first-line treatment. It was a retrospective multicenter observational study. The comparisons between groups were conducted in terms of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR) and hematologic adverse events.

Poorer baseline performance status is associated with increased thromboembolism risk in metastatic cancer patients treated with immunotherapy.

Purpose: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer patients. However, the association of VTE with immunotherapy remains poorly defined. We therefore evaluated the frequency of VTE in patients receiving immunotherapy and tried to determine predisposing factors.

Frequency of germline BRCA1/2 mutations and association with clinicopathological characteristics in Turkish women with epithelial ovarian cancer.

Aim: This study aims to determine the frequency of germline BRCA 1/2 mutations in Turkish women with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and evaluate its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all women with recently diagnosed EOC presenting to Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Training and Research Hospital Medical Oncology Clinic between 2016 and 2019 were referred for BRCA testing. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 76 patients applying to Medical Genetics and BRCA1/2 genes were sequenced using next-generation sequencing.

Evaluation of early unplanned readmissions and predisposing factors in an oncology clinic.

Background: Unplanned readmission in the first 30 days after discharge is an important medical problem, although the data on cancer patients is limited. So we planned to evaluate the rates and causes of early readmissions and the predisposing factors.

Methods: Patients hospitalized in Hacettepe University Oncology services between August 2018 and July 2019 were included.

Perspectives, fears and expectations of patients with gynaecological cancers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A Pan-European study of the European Network of Gynaecological Cancer Advocacy Groups (ENGAGe).

Background: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on European gynaecological cancer patients under active treatment or follow-up has not been documented. We sought to capture the patient perceptions of the COVID-19 implications and the worldwide imposed treatment modifications.

Methods: A patient survey was conducted in 16 European countries, using a new COVID-19-related questionnaire, developed by ENGAGe and the Hospital Anxiety & Depression Scale questionnaire (HADS).

Lycopene sensitizes the cervical cancer cells to cisplatin via targeting nuclear factor- kappa B (NF-κB) pathway.

Background/aim: Lycopene is associated with anticancer effects in various tumor types. However, the exact underlying mechanisms of action of lycopene in human cervical cancer remain to be determined. This study aimed to determine anticancer efficacy and mechanism of lycopene in human cervical carcinoma (HeLa) cells.

COVID-19 pandemic: changes in cancer admissions.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic could create a collateral damage to cancer care denoting disruptions in care due to a significant burden on healthcare and resource allocations. Herein, we evaluate the early changes in the inpatient and outpatient oncology clinics to take a snapshot of this collateral damage at Hacettepe University Cancer Institute.

Methods: Patients applying the outpatient clinic and outpatient palliative care (OPC) clinic for the first time and patients admitted to inpatient wards in the first 30 days after the first case of COVID-19 in Turkey were evaluated.

Multi-institutional validation of the ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO consensus conference risk grouping in Turkish endometrial cancer patients treated with comprehensive surgical staging.

In this study, 683 patients with endometrial cancer (EC) after comprehensive surgical staging were classified into four risk groups as low (LR), intermediate (IR), high-intermediate (HIR) and high-risk (HR), according to the recent consensus risk grouping. Patients with disease confined to the uterus, ≥50% myometrial invasion (MI) and/or grade 3 histology were treated with vaginal brachytherapy (VBT). Patients with stage II disease, positive/close surgical margins or extra-uterine extension were treated with external beam radiotherapy (EBRT)±VBT.