The effect of obesity on the outcomes of laparoscopic adrenal surgery in patients with Cushing syndrome.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of obesity on the results of laparoscopic adrenal surgery in patients with Cushing syndrome. Methods: This retrospective study was performed in Department of General Surgery at Erciyes University School of Medicine between January 2010 and January 2023. Our analysis included Cushing syndrome patients who underwent unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) with the transabdominal lateral approach. All patients were evaluated in terms of age, sex, tumor diameter, body mass index (BMI), American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, morbidities, surgery history, tumor side, operative time, conversion to open surgery, complications, and length of hospital stay. Results: A total of 90 patients (75 females and 15 males) underwent a transperitoneal LA. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their BMI: obese group (≥30 kg/m2; n = 53, 58.8%) and nonobese group (<30 kg/m2; n = 37, 41.2%). All patients were classified into 3 subgroups: obese patient group, BMI ≥30-39 kg/m2 (n = 23); morbidly obese patient group, BMI ≥40 kg/m2 (n = 14); and nonobese patient group, BMI <30 kg/m2 (n = 53). There was no significant difference in intraoperative complications, conversion to open surgery, operative time, or length of hospital stay between the groups. Only conversion to open surgery was a risk factor for postoperative complications in univariate and multivariate analyses (odds ratio, 15.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.277-185.599; P = 0.031). Conclusion: Our results showed that LA is safe and effective in patients with Cushing syndrome with morbid obesity, allowing acceptable morbidity and length of hospital stay.

Clinicopathologic Analysis and Prognostic Factors for Survival in Patients with Operable Ampullary Carcinoma: A Multi-Institutional Retrospective Experience.

Background and Objectives: In ampullary cancer, 5-year survival rates are 30-50%, even with optimal resection and perioperative systemic therapies. We sought to determine the important clinicopathological features and adjuvant treatments in terms of the prognosis of patients with operable-stage ampullary carcinomas. Materials and Methods: We included 197 patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy to treat ampullary carcinomas between December 2003 and May 2019. Demographics, clinical features, treatments, and outcomes/survival were analyzed. Results: The median disease-free survival (mDFS) and median overall survival (mOS) were 40.9 vs. 63.4 months, respectively. The mDFS was significantly lower in patients with lymphovascular invasion (p < 0.001) and lymph node involvement (p = 0.027). Potential predictors of decreased OS on univariate analysis included age ≥ 50 years (p = 0.045), poor performance status (p = 0.048), weight loss (p = 0.045), T3-T4 tumors (p = 0.018), surgical margin positivity (p = 0.01), lymph node involvement (p = 0.001), lymphovascular invasion (p < 0.001), perineural invasion (p = 0.007), and poor histological grade (p = 0.042). For the multivariate analysis, only nodal status (hazard ratio [HR]1.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-3.65; p = 0.027) and surgical margin status (HR 2.61; 95% CI, 1.09-6.24; p = 0.03) were associated with OS. Conclusions: Nodal status and a positive surgical margin were independent predictors of a poor mOS for patients with ampullary carcinomas. Additional studies are required to explore the role of adjuvant therapy in patients with ampullary carcinomas.

A multicenter, retrospective archive study of radiological and clinical features of ALK-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients and crizotinib efficacy.

To evaluate radiological and clinical features in metastatic anaplastic lymphoma kinase+ non-small cell lung cancer patients and crizotinib efficacy in different lines. This national, non-interventional, multicenter, retrospective archive screening study evaluated demographic, clinical, and radiological imaging features, and treatment approaches in patients treated between 2013-2017. Totally 367 patients (54.8% males, median age at diagnosis 54 years) were included. Of them, 45.4% were smokers, and 8.7% had a family history of lung cancer. On radiological findings, 55.9% of the tumors were located peripherally, 7.7% of the patients had cavitary lesions, and 42.9% presented with pleural effusion. Pleural effusion was higher in nonsmokers than in smokers (37.3% vs. 25.3%, P = .018). About 47.4% of cases developed distant metastases during treatment, most frequently to the brain (26.2%). Chemotherapy was the first line treatment in 55.0%. Objective response rate was 61.9% (complete response: 7.6%; partial response: 54.2%). The highest complete and partial response rates were observed in patients who received crizotinib as the 2nd line treatment. The median progression-free survival was 14 months (standard error: 1.4, 95% confidence interval: 11.2-16.8 months). Crizotinib treatment lines yielded similar progression-free survival (P = .078). The most frequent treatment-related adverse event was fatigue (14.7%). Adrenal gland metastasis was significantly higher in males and smokers, and pleural involvement and effusion were significantly higher in nonsmokers-a novel finding that has not been reported previously. The radiological and histological characteristics were consistent with the literature data, but several differences in clinical characteristics might be related to population characteristics.

Identifying Factors Associated with Non-mesenterovascular Pathology in Patients Undergoing Surgical Treatment for Acute Mesenteric Ischemia.

AIM: To identify factors that can help us to avoid a preoperative incorrect diagnosis of vascular occlusion by evaluating patients who underwent laparotomy with a probable preoperative diagnosis of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI), but later at laparotomy, were diagnosed to have a different pathology than AMI. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 213 patients who were operated with the diagnosis of AMI were enrolled in this study. Based on their operational, clinical, and pathological findings, they were divided into two groups. Patient demographic data, along with the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score, Charlson comorbidity index, history of previous abdominal surgery, and computed tomography (CT) findings were compared between groups. RESULTS: There were 37 patients in Group 1 (non-mesenterovascular pathology) and 176 patients in Group 2 (mesenterovascular pathology). The percentage of ASA 4 patients was higher in Group 2, with 48.3%, compared to 35.1% in Group 1 (p-value: 0.028). Upon admission, Group 2 had a higher rate of pathologic findings on CT examinations. 21.8% of the patients with non-mesenterovascular pathology had normal intra-abdominal findings. In univariate and multivariate analysis for no-nmesenterovascular pathology, patient age less than 65, Charlson comorbidity index 1-2, INR level >1.2, history of previous abdominal operation, and pneumatosis intestinalis were identified as independent risk factors. DISCUSSION: The possibility of non-mesenterovascular pathology in presumed AMI patients should be kept in mind, especially if the patients have a history of abdominal surgery, a low comorbidity index, an elevated international normalised ratio (INR), and are younger than 65 years of age. CONCLUSION: Evaluating the significant parameters identified in this study among patients with a preliminary diagnosis of AMI may prove useful in avoiding misdiagnosis and unnecessary surgeries.

Lack of Association of Acne Severity with Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Eating Attitudes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: this study aimed to investigate the relationship between acne severity and depression, anxiety, stress, and negative eating attitudes in patients with acne vulgaris. METHOD: This study was conducted with 81 patients with acne vulgaris who applied to the dermatology outpatient clinic of Karaman Training and Research Hospital. The patients were asked to complete a sociodemographic data form, the three-factor nutrition questionnaire (TFEQ-21), and the depression anxiety stress scale (DASS-21). Acne severity was assessed using the global acne grading system (GAGS) by an expert dermatologist. RESULTS: Of the 81 patients, 74.1% were female and the average age of the cohort was 22.86 years. The average body mass index of the patients was 21.78 and the GAGS average score was 24.25. Correlation tests revealed the lack of any relationship between the GAGS score and the DASS-21 and TFEQ-21 scale scores (and their subscales). The DASS-21 depression subscale was correlated with the TFEQ-21 total score, and TFEQ-21 emotional eating and TFEQ-21 uncontrolled eating scores. Additionally, a relationship was identified between the DASS21-stress subscale score and TFEQ-21 uncontrolled Eating and TFEQ-21 total score, as well as between the DASS21-anxiety scale and the TFEQ-21 total score and TFEQ-21 uncontrolled eating subscale score. CONCLUSIONS: Although no relationship was found between acne severity and depression, anxiety, or eating disorders, these conditions can increase the risk of eating disorders among acne patients. Therefore, it is critical to take the necessary precautions for the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders in this patient population.

The prognostic factors in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: impact of treatment sequencing.

The prognosis of patients with advanced HCC can vary widely depending on factors such as the stage of the cancer, the patient's overall health, and treatment regimens. This study aimed to investigate survival outcomes and associated factors in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this retrospective study, data from 23 medical oncology clinics were analyzed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) values were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Prognostic factors associated with survival which were identified in univariate analysis were subsequently evaluated in a multivariate Cox-regression survival analysis was conducted using the backward stepwise (Conditional LR) method to determine the independent predictors of PFS and OS. Of 280 patients, 131 received chemotherapy and 142 received sorafenib, 6 received atezolizumab plus bevacizumab and 1 received nivolumab for first-line setting. The median follow-up time was 30.4 (95%CI 27.1-33.6) months. For-first line, median PFS was 3.1 (95%CI2.7-3.5) months, and it was significantly longer in patients who received sorafenib or atezolizumab-bevacizumab or nivolumab (PFS 5.8 (95%CI 4.2-7.5) than in those received chemotherapy (PFS 2.1 (95%CI 1.9-2.3) in the first-line setting (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that male gender (HR: 2.75, 95% CI: 1.53-4.94, p = 0.01), poor ECOG performance score (HR: 1.88, 95% CI: 1.10-3.21, p = 0.02), higher baseline AFP level (HR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.54-3.67, p < 0.001) and upfront sorafenib treatment (HR,0.38; 95% CI: 0.23-0.62, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with shorter PFS. The median OS was 13.2 (95%CI 11.1-15.2) months. It was significantly longer in patients who received sorafenib or atezolizumab-bevacizumab or nivolumab in the first-line setting followed by TKIs (sorafenib or regorafenib, OS 18.6 (95%CI 13.8-23.5)) compared to those who received chemotherapy (OS 10.3 (95%CI 6.6-14.1)) in the first-line setting. The multivariate analysis revealed that upfront chemotherapy treatment approach, male gender (HR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.07-2.94, p = 0.02), poor ECOG performance score (HR: 1.96, 95% CI: 1.24-3.09, p = 0.004) and Child-Pugh score, presence of extrahepatic disease (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.09-2.18, p = 0.01), and higher baseline AFP value (HR: 1.50, 95% CI: 1.03-2.19, p = 0.03) were significantly associated with poor prognosis. Additionally, regarding of treatment sequence, upfront sorafenib followed by regorafenib showed a significantly lower risk of mortality (HR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.25-0.66, p < 0.001). Sorafenib followed by regorafenib treatment was associated with a significantly lower risk of mortality rather than upfront sorafenib followed by BSC group or upfront chemotherapy followed by TKIs. These findings underscore the importance of the optimal treatment sequences to improve survival in patients with advanced HCC.

The XRCC1 and TP53 gene polymorphisms are associated with advanced-stage disease and early distant metastasis at diagnosis in non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Studies on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) suggest that DNA repair capacity may have prognostic implications for disease recurrence and survival. However, there is no study investigating the relationship between SNPs and the risk of metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis in patients with NSCLC. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the potential predictive value of SNPs in detecting the risk of metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis and poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC. Material and Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated 275 patients with NSCLC. Analysis of SNPs from peripheral blood cells was performed by a polymerase chain reaction. Excision repair cross-complementing group 1 (ERCC1)- Asn118Asn, excision repair cross-complementing group 2 (ERCC2)-Lys751Gln, X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1)-Arg399Gln, and tumor protein 53 (TP53)-Arg72Pro polymorphisms were evaluated in conjunction with the development of metastasis. Results: The ERCC1 normal genotype, ERCC2 heterozygote genotype, XRCC1 normal genotype, and TP53 normal genotype were associated with a higher stage and more advanced-stage disease at the time of initial diagnosis (P = 0.027, 0.005, <0.001, and 0.006, respectively). Also, XRCC1 normal genotype and TP53 normal genotype were associated with the risk of metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis (P = <0.001 and 0.002, respectively). Moreover, the XRCC1 normal genotype was associated with the risk of brain metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis (P = 0.031). Conclusions: We showed that SNPs are related to a higher stage and more advanced-stage disease at the time of initial diagnosis in patients with NSCLC, and XRCC1 and TP53 gene polymorphisms are associated with the risk of metastasis. These results may contribute to the identification of high-risk groups and may help to earlier diagnosis and treatment in patients with NSCLC.

Does Decreased Vitamin D Level Trigger Bipolar Manic Attacks?

BACKGROUND: Bipolar disorder is a chronic psychiatric disorder with depression and manic episodes. It is one of the leading causes of disease-related disability worldwide. Despite the presence of various alternative drug options for bipolar disorder, some patients do not adequately benefit from the treatment. Therefore, possible underlying mechanisms need to be clarified. Recently, studies on the relationship between bipolar disorder and vitamin D (Vit D) have attracted attention. Although many studies have found an association between depression and Vit D deficiency, little is known about the relationship between manic episodes and Vit D. The aim of this study was to compare Vit D and related metabolites of bipolar manic episodes prior to treatment, bipolar remission after treatment, and healthy control groups. METHODS: This case-control study consisted of 34 bipolar manic episode patients and 34 healthy controls. Disease activity was evaluated with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) and Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). Firstly, serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25-OHD), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels of patients in the bipolar manic episode were measured and compared with healthy control. Secondly, serum 25-OHD, Ca and P levels in the euthymic periods of the same patients were measured and compared with healthy control. RESULTS: Bipolar manic episode Vit D levels were lower when compared to healthy controls; while there was no difference in terms of Ca and P levels. There was no significant difference between the bipolar euthymic period patients and the healthy control group in terms of 25-OHD, Ca and P levels. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated low serum Vit D concentrations in the acute manic episode of bipolar disorder. Decreased Vit D level may play a role in the onset of the manic episode, or malnutrition and insufficient sunlight during the manic episode may have caused Vit D deficiency. Future studies are needed to exclude potential confounding factors and to compare all mood episodes.

Trocar Site Location in Laparoscopic Appendectomy-A Prospective Randomized Study.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic appendectomy has been used in the treatment of appendicitis, which is among the most common emergency pathologies worldwide. There is no consensus on the best trocar entry sites. The purpose of the present study was to compare various trocar entry sites in the literature and to find the localization with the optimal usage area. METHODS: Patients who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy between 2021 and 2022 were randomized into 4 groups and included in the study. The demographic data, perioperative, and postoperative findings of the patients were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 200 patients participated in the study and 73% were male. No differences were detected between the groups in terms of demographic data, preoperative findings, length of stay, and complications of the patients. However, when the mean surgery times of the groups were examined (47.2±26.9, 58.4±23.1, 54.5±18.3, 55.8±18.6 min), it was observed that this period was less in Group 1 ( P =0.02). When the postoperative Visual Analogue Scale values were analyzed (4.8±2.2, 6.2±1.7, 5.5±2.0, and 5.8±1.9), Group 1 was found to be less painful ( P =0.00001). CONCLUSION: When the surgical procedure is optimized and environmental factors are homogenized, Group 1 trocar entry sites seem advantageous for the procedure in terms of postoperative patient pain scale and operation times.

Is the Prognostic Nutritional Index a Prognostic Marker for the Survival of Patients with Lymph-Node Positive Stage II-III Gastric Cancer Who Receive Adjuvant Chemotherapy?

PURPOSE: The prognostic nutritional index (PNI), like other systemic inflammatory markers, has been shown to be a prognostic factor in various cancer patients. In this study, we aimed to show whether PNI calculated before adjuvant chemotherapy is a prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with lymph node-positive stage II-III gastric cancer. METHODS: The PNI was calculated using the albumin and lymphocyte count. The PNI cut-off value was found to be 39.5. They were divided into two groups as being ≤ 39.5 (PNI low group) and > 39.5 (PNI high group). RESULTS: Our study included 168 patients with lymph node-positive stage II-III gastric cancer who received adjuvant chemotherapy. Of the patients, 116 (69.0%) were 65 years or younger, and 52 (31.0%) were over 65 years old. Of the patients, 117 (69.6%) were pT3, 51 (30.4%) were pT4. Seventy-three (43.4%) patients had pN1-2 disease and 95 (56.6%) patients had pN3 disease. The number of stage II patients was 73 (43.5%) and the number of stage III patients was 95 (56.5%). There were 73 patients with PNI ≤ 39.5 and 95 patients with PNI > 39.5. The mOS of the patients with low PNI group was 39.5 months, while the OS of the patients with high PNI group was 96.8 months (p = 0.002). In the group of patients with PNI low group, mDFS 24.4 months was significantly higher than those with PNI high group was 50.7 months (p = 0.021). The PNI score was statistically significant in univariate and multivariate analyzes for both DFS and OS. CONCLUSION: PNI can be used as an independent prognostic factor for both OS and DFS in patients lymph node-positive, stage II-III gastric cancer who will receive adjuvant chemotherapy.

Is there any prognostic significance in pleural involvement and/or effusion in patients with ALK-positive NSCLC?

PURPOSE: Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations occurs in approximately 3-5% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Pleural involvement/effusion is common in ALK-positive patients with NSCLC at baseline. The aim of the study was to evaluate the characteristics of ALK-positive patients who have Ple-I/E. METHODS: In this multicenter study, patients with ALK-positive NSCLC who have Ple-I/E were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and demographic characteristics of the disease, response rates, median progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were evaluated in 362 ALK-positive patients with NSCLC. RESULTS: Of the patients, 198 (54.7%) were male. The median age at the time of diagnosis was 54 (range 21-85) years. All patients' histology was adenocarcinoma (100%). At baseline, 57 (15.7%) patients had Ple-I/E. There was no association between Ple-I/E and gender, lung metastasis, or distant lymphadenopathy (LAP) metastasis. The frequencies of liver, brain, and bone metastases were significantly higher in ALK-positive patients without Ple-I/E compared to those with Ple-I/E (respectively 18.2% vs 4.8%, p = 0.008; 19.1% vs 4.8%, p = 0.001; 20.6% vs 8.9%, p = 0.002). The median PFS was longer in ALK-positive patients who had Ple-I/E (18.7 vs 10.6 months, p = 0.017). Similarly, the median OS was longer in ALK-positive patients who had Ple-I/E (44.6 vs 22.6 months, p = 0.051). CONCLUSION: Brain, liver, and bone metastases were lower in ALK-positive patients with Ple-I/E. Patients presented with Ple-I/E were prone to have better PFS and OS.

Low-dose (7.5 mg/kg) bevacizumab may be a viable option in recurrent ovarian cancer: A retrospective study.

Objective: Bevacizumab (BEV) is a humanized monoclonal antibody of vascular endothelial growth factor receptors and, as a result of clinical trials, was approved for the treatment of recurrent ovarian cancer (ROC). The aim of this study was to assess the clinical utility of BEV in patients with ROC in real-world practice beyond clinical trials. Materials and Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort study, we evaluated the medical data of all patients with ROC who were treated with BEV between October 2013 and March 2020. Results: A total of 76 females were evaluated. Forty-nine (64.5%) patients were platinum sensitive and 27 (35.5%) patients were platinum resistant. BEV was used in combination with chemotherapy agents in all patients, and the most preferred combinations were gemcitabine/carboplatin (GC) (78.9%) and carboplatin/paclitaxel (14.5%). In all patients, the BEV dose was 7.5 mg/kg every 3 weeks. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.1 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.6-12.6), and the median overall survival (OS) was 22.3 months (95% CI: 17.5-27.2). In multivariate analysis, serous histological type (P = 0.01), maintenance BEV administration (P = 0.001), and combination of GC-BEV (P < 0.001) were associated with better PFS, while serous histological type (P = 0.016) and good performance status (P = 0.006) were associated with prolonged OS. Conclusions: Low-dose (7.5 mg/kg) BEV was found to be effective in the second-line treatment of patients with ROC in our real-life study. In addition, the combination of BEV with GC was shown to be a viable option, especially in the treatment selection of platinum-resistant patients.

Sunitinib-induced small bowel wall edema as a prognostic marker in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of small bowel wall edema (SBWE) on computed tomography (CT) images in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with sunitinib and to investigate the relationship between the presence of SBWE and survival. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the presence of SBWE on CT images of 27 mRCC patients who received at least one cycle of sunitinib. Then, we analyzed the relationship between the presence of SBWE and progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: All 27 patients had SBWE on at least one CT scan. The median value of SBWE thickness was 2.5 mm. SBWE thickness was ≤2.5 mm in 13 patients (group A) and >2.5 mm in 14 patients (group B). The median OS was significantly higher in group B (55 vs. 18 months, respectively, P = 0.02). Although it was not statistically significant (13 vs. 8 months, respectively, P = 0.69), the median PFS was longer in group B than in group A. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that sunitinib treatment caused SBWE in all patients with mRCC who received the drug. Also, this study demonstrated an association between higher SBWE thickness and better survival outcomes.

Does red blood cell distribution width predict prognosis in metastatic renal cell carcinoma patients using first-line vascular endothelial growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy?

Aim: It is red cell distribution width (RDW) that has been reported to show an inflammatory response which has been studied recently. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the pre-treatment RDW in patients using first-line vascular endothelial growth factor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (VEGFR TKI) with the diagnosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) predicts treatment response and is a prognostic factor or not. Methods: About 92 patients diagnosed with mRCC who were being treated with sunitinib or pazopanib in the first line between January 2015 and June 2021 were included in the study. The patients were divided into 2 groups, as being ≤15.3 and >15.3, according to the RDW cut-off value calculated by ROC analysis. Results: The mOS of patients with a RDW of ≤15.3% was 45.0 (30.0-59.9) months, and of 21.3 (10.4-32.2) in those with a RDW of >15.3%. This difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). In the group of patients with a RDW of ≤15.3, median progression free survival (mPFS) (38.04 [16.3-59.7] months) was found to be significantly higher than those with a RDW of >15.3 (17.1 [11.8-22.5] months) (p = 0.04). In multivariate analysis, RDW level (≤15.3, >15.3), was determined to be prognostic markers (p = 0.022). Conclusion: In mRCC patients, the RDW value measured before first-line VEGFR TKI therapy is an independent prognostic marker.

Major and minor salivary gland cancers: A multicenter retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Most of the studies on salivary gland cancers are limited for various reasons such as being single-center, small number of patients, including only major or minor SGCs, or only including epidemiological data. METHODS: A total of 37 medical oncology clinics from different regions of Turkey participated in this retrospective-multicenter study. The analyzed data included clinical and demographical features, primary treatment, metastasis localizations, and treatments and includes certain pathologic features. RESULTS: The study included data from a total of 443 SGCs. 56.7% was in major salivary glands and 43.3% was in minor salivary glands. Distant metastasis in the major SGCs was statistically significantly more common than in the minor SGCs, locoregional recurrence was statistically significantly more common in the minor SGCs than in the major SGCs (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Epidemiological information, metastasis and recurrence patterns, treatment modalities, and survival analysis of the patients over 20 years of follow-up are presented.

Real-world outcomes of pazopanib in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma: a retrospective Turkish oncology group (TOG) study.

AIM: Description of patient characteristics, effectiveness and safety in Turkish patients treated with pazopanib for metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (STS). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This multicenter study is based on retrospective review of hospital medical records of patients (≥ 18 years) treated with pazopanib for non-adipocytic metastatic STS at 37 Oncology clinics across Turkey. Objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated with further analysis of data on the three most common histological subtypes (leiomyosarcoma [LMS], undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma [UPS], synovial sarcoma [SS]) in the cohort. RESULTS: Data of 552 adults (57.6% women, median age: 52 years) were analyzed. DCR and ORR were 43.1% and 30.8%, respectively. Median PFS was 6.7 months and OS was 13.8 months. For LMS, UPS and SS, median PFSs were 6.1, 5.9 and 7.53 months and median OSs were 15.03, 12.87 and 12.27 months, respectively. ECOG ≥ 2 was associated with poor PFS and OS. Liver metastasis was only a factor for progression. Second-line use of pazopanib (vs. front-line) was associated with better PFS, its use beyond third line predicted worse OS. Adverse events (AE) occurred in 82.7% of patients. Most common AEs were fatigue (58.3%) and anorexia (52.3%) which were graded as ≥ 3 in 8.2% and 7.4% of patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pazopanib is effective and well-tolerated in treatment of non-adipocytic metastatic STS. Its earlier use (at second-line), good performance status may result in better outcomes. Worldwide scientific collaborations are important to gain knowledge on rarer STS subtypes by conducting studies in larger patient populations.

The prognostic role of HIF-1α and NF-κB expression in RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer: A Turkish Oncology Group (TOG) study.

BACKGROUND: Not all RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients experience the same benefit from anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) treatments. Studies have shown that nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), interleukin 8 (IL-8) and transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) may be therapeutic targets for mCRC. The aim of this study was to clarify the prognostic value of NF-κB, HIF-1α, IL-8, and TGF-ß expression in patients with left-sided mCRC receiving EGFR inhibitors. METHODS: Patients with RAS wild-type, left-sided mCRC treated with anti-EGFR on the first line between September 2013 and April 2022 were included. Immunohistochemical staining for NF-κB, HIF-1α, IL-8 and TGF-ß was performed from tumor tissues of 88 patients. Patients were divided into NF-κB, HIF-1α, IL-8 and TGF-ß expression positive and negative group, moreover, expression positive group were also divided into two group as expression intensity low and high group. The median follow-up was 25.2 months. RESULTS: Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 8.1 (6-10.2) months in the cetuximab group, 11.3 (8.5-14) months in the panitumumab group (p = 0.09). Median overall survival (OS) was 23.9 (4.3-43.4) months in the cetuximab group, 26.9 (15.9-31.9) months in the panitumumab group (p = 0.8). Cytoplasmic NF-κB expression was present in all patients. The mOS was 19.8 (11-28.6) months in NF-κB expression intensity low group and 36.5 (20.1-52.8) months in high group (p = 0.03). The mOS of the HIF-1α expression negative group was significantly longer compared with expression positive group (p = 0.014). There was no significant difference in IL-8 and TGF-ß expression status on mOS and mPFS (for all, p > 0.05). Positive expression of HIF-1α was poor prognostic for mOS in the univariate analysis (HR:2.7, 95% CI 1.18-6.52, p = 0.02) and in multivariate analysis (HR 3.69, 95% CI 1.41-9.6, p = 0.008). High cytoplasmic expression intensity of NF-κB was found to have a good prognostic value for mOS (HR 0.47, 95% CI 0.26-0.85, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: High cytoplasmic expression intensity of NF-κB and negative expression of HIF-1α could be a good prognostic marker for mOS in RAS wild-type left-sided mCRC.

Prognostic Significance of Adipose Tissue Distribution and Metabolic Activity in PET/CT in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer.

PURPOSE: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of adipose tissue distribution and metabolic activity in PET/CT to predict survival in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). METHODS: The volume, density (HU), and FDG uptake (standardized uptake value (SUV)) of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and maximum FDG uptake of the tumor tissue were measured. Subcutaneous adipose tissue of volume-to-density ratio (SAT ratio) was calculated. RESULTS: The median OS for the patients with SAT ratio value < -1.1 and ≥ -1.1 were 38.5 (95% CI 31.54-45.58) and 24.5 (95% CI 14.13-34.93) months, respectively (p = 0.05). During follow-up, 69 patients experienced disease progression. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 11.03 months (95% CI: 9.11-12.95). Median PFS for patients with tumor SUV max value < 11.5 and ≥ 11.5 were 9.2 (95% CI 7.25-11.27) and 12.6 (95% CI 10.02-15.27) months, respectively (p = 0.14). Forty-eight patients received bevacizumab therapy. VAT SUV mean (HR: 0.09; 95% CI 0.01-0.52, p = 0.008) was significantly associated with PFS in patients receiving bevacizumab. SAT ratio was the significant parameter for the OS (HR: 0.58; 95% CI 0.33-1.01, p = 0.05) and PFS (HR: 1.99; 95% CI 1.02-3.91, p = 0.043). CONCLUSIONS: SAT ratio was an independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with mCRC. Higher SAT volume is correlated with longer survival in mCRC patients.

Ibrutinib and panitumumab used in combination safely in a patient with metachronous colorectal cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Ibrutinib is a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor used in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Panitumumab, an mAb for epidermal growth factor receptor, is used in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). We wanted to present our case where we used ibrutinib and panitumumab in combination in a patient with metachronous CLL and CRC. A 58-year-old male patient with a diagnosis of CLL was receiving ibrutinib treatment and primary rectal cancer was detected. FOLFOX + panitumumab were started when metastasis was detected in the lung after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy for rectal cancer. The patients used ibrutinib and panitumumab in combination. There was no cumulative or unexpected toxicity due to the combination of both antineoplastic agents. The most important point to be considered in the use of combined drugs is the evaluation of drug-drug interactions. Toxic effects of the combination of ibrutinib and cetuximab have been reported in a patient with metastatic CRC. We used ibrutinib together with panitumumab in our case and we did not encounter any cumulative or unexpected side effects during the treatment.

Is pancreatic giant cell tumor resistant to standard chemotherapy?

Pancreatic giant cell tumors (PGCTs), undifferentiated pancreatic carcinoma are rare tumors of the pancreas. PGCTs consist of osteoclastic, pleomorphic and mixed variants. PGCT is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. PGCT has a worse prognosis than pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Although surgery can be curative, there is no standard treatment approach for advanced PGCT. We present a case of PGCT that is resistant to standard therapy and progresses in a short time.