Vulvar necrotizing wounds: Unveiling mortality-associated parameters and assessing the efficacy of VAC therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Vulvar Necrotizing Fasciitis (VNF) is a critical, severe soft tissue infection characterized by aggressive progression and significant morbidity and mortality. Rapid diagnosis and immediate, comprehensive treatment, including antibiotic therapy, meticulous surgical debridement, and multidisciplinary care, are crucial for improving outcomes. This study aimed to investigate mortality-related factors in VNF and evaluate treatment modalities, focusing on Vacuum-Assisted Closure (VAC) therapy versus traditional debridement. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed data from 22 VNF patients. Criteria included adults diagnosed with vulvar necrotizing infections, excluding those transferred or not completing treatment at the center. The study examined mortality-related factors and the efficacy of VAC therapy compared to debridement, considering treatment costs and outcomes. RESULTS: Analysis divided patients into survivors (13) and non-survivors (9). Higher heart rate, elevated WBC and CRP levels, and higher Clavien-Dindo scores were associated with increased mortality. VAC therapy, compared to traditional debridement, resulted in significantly lower CRP levels and reduced treatment costs. However, other parameters such as the length of hospital stay and debridement frequency showed no significant differences. CONCLUSION: The study highlights that older age, systemic inflammation, and severe postoperative complications are key factors associated with higher mortality in VNF. VAC therapy emerges as a promising modality, effectively reducing systemic inflammation and healthcare costs. Nonetheless, the retrospective nature and the small sample size of the study limit the generalizability of the findings. Future research, particularly larger, multicentric studies, is essential to further explore and validate the effectiveness of VAC therapy in VNF management.

Different Effect of Dienogest on Endometrium Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Healthy and Endometriosis Tissues

Background: Endometriosis (EM) is an inflammatory condition in which the endometrium is observed to develop outside the uterine cavity. Endometrium has conventionally been recognized as a rich source of endometrial mesenchymal stem cells (E-MSCs). The influence of dienogest, a medication frequently prescribed for EM, on E-MSCs has not been extensively investigated. Aims: To explore effects of dienogest on the E-MSCs derived from healthy (E-MSCs-control) and diseased (E-MSCs-endometriosis) endometrial tissue samples in vitro. Study Design: In vitro study. Methods: We collected samples from healthy and diseased endometrial tissues. E-MSCs were derived from both healthy and EM tissues. The effect of dienogest (VISANNE) on E-MSCs was assessed by examining cell proliferation, telomerase activity, cell migration, and estrogen secretion levels after the isolation and characterization of E-MSCs. Results: We discovered that cellular proliferation rate was higher in the E-MSCs derived from EM tissues compared to those derived from healthy tissue. The proliferation rate and telomerase activity were both suppressed by dienogest treatment, particularly in E-MSCs-endometriosis. The drug treatment also resulted in a decrease in the migration capacity of E-MSCs-endometriosis, from 60.4% to 59.2%. The expression of CXCL12, Ki67, and beta-catenin was analyzed in both E-MSCs-endometriosis and E-MSCs-control. The CXCL12 and Ki67 expressions were quite elevated in the E-MSCs-endometriosis without drug treatment compared to the E-MSCs-control. Following the treatment, these levels declined drastically to the levels close to E-MSCs-control. Similarly, this decrease in gene expression was accompanied by a decrease in estrogen secretion into the medium. Conclusion: This research demonstrates that dienogest exerts a substantial impact on both stromal and stem cells, as it effectively controls the disease by reversing EM markers, despite the absence of progesterone receptors on endometrial stem cells.

Emergent approach to small bowel tumors: diagnosis and treatment.

BACKGROUND: This study presents the diagnosis and treatment of rare small bowel tumors through clinical cases. METHODS: Patients treated between 2000 and 2023 were included in the study. The clinical records of the patients were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 34 patients were included in the study. Of these patients, 26 (75.5%) were male and eight (23.5%) were female. The mean age of the patients was 62.1 years. The most common symptoms and signs were abdominal pain (76.4%), bloating (38.2%), and nausea and vomiting (17.6%). Diagnostic methods included computed tomography (CT) (82.3%), upper gastrointestinal double balloon enteroscopy (35.2%), and capsule endoscopy (5.8%). Diagnoses included adenocarcinoma in 13 cases, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) in 12 cases, and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) in two cases. CONCLUSION: Small bowel tumors frequently present with abdominal pain, bloating, and nausea and vomiting. CT and endoscopic procedures are the primary diagnostic tools. Small bowel cancers are often diagnosed late due to subtle clinical findings and the limitations of endoscopic imaging. Targeted screening strategies may be beneficial for certain at-risk and symptomatic patient groups. Early surgical intervention offers significant advantages for diagnosed patients.

N-Nitrosomorpholine-induced oncocytic transformation in rat endocrine organs.

BACKGROUND: N-Nitrosomorpholine (NMO) is one of the most common N-nitroso compounds. An oncocytic transformation has been demonstrated in renal tubules of NMO-treated rats. In our study, we aimed to investigate the potential transformation of oncocytic cells in 6 endocrine organs, i.e., thyroid, adrenal and pituitary glands, pancreas, testis, and bone, of NMO-exposed rats. METHODS: Thirty male rats were born and raised. Fifteen of them were given a single dose of 320 mg NMO per kg body weight, dissolved in drinking water, by a gavage tube. At the end of 52 weeks, the animals in both series were killed. Right after the killing, 6 different endocrine organs (hypophysis, thyroid, pancreas, adrenal gland, bone [femur], and testicles) of each animal were excised. RESULTS: There was no evidence of oncocytic cell development in the control group. In contrast, oncocytes were observed in 8 out of 13 NMO-treated rats: 2 in the adrenal sections, 1 in the thyroid sections, 3 in the pituitary sections, and 2 in the pancreas sections. Thesticle and bone sections were completely normal. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that NMO induced an oncocytic change in pancreas, thyroid, pituitary, and adrenal glands. To date, no identified specific environmental risk factors that lead to an oncocytic transformation in endocrine glands have been reported previously. Given the increasing prevalence of endocrine-disrupting chemicals in the environment, personal care products, manufactured goods, and food sources, there is a need to advance our understanding of the pathological mechanisms underlying oncocytosis in endocrine organs.

Downregulated GPD1 and MAGL protein levels as potential biomarkers for the metastasis of triple­negative breast tumors to axillary lymph nodes.

Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD1) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) levels are known to be significantly downregulated in both the tissue and serum samples of patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), compared with other BC subtypes and healthy controls. As such, the association between GPD1 and MAGL levels and lymph node metastasis was evaluated in the present study. Utilizing western blotting, lymph node protein extracts from metastasized BC subtypes were analyzed and a significant downregulation of GPD1 and MAGL protein expression levels in the lymph node metastases was demonstrated in the TNBC subtype, compared with healthy controls. This finding further highlighted the potential use of these two proteins in early BC onset and metastasis detection.

The Effect of Residual Gastric Volume on Body Mass Index, Excess Weight Loss Rate and Metabolic Response after Sleeve Gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To investigate the metabolic response and body mass index reduction according to the remaining stomach volume between 6-12 months after the operation in patients who underwent sleeve gastrectomy surgery for obesity and to determine the relationship between the remaining stomach volume and metabolic improvement. Materials and Methods: Patients underwent sleeve gastrectomy in a single center by the same team and with the same standardized method. Residual gastric volumes were calculated from three-dimensional computed tomography images obtained 6-12 months postoperatively. BMI, excess weight loss (EWL), total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), very low density lipoprotein (VLDL), triglyceride, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total protein, albumin values were recorded preoperatively and at the time of residual volume measurement. Results: There were 49 subjects with a mean SD preoperative BMI of 47.26+-6.21 kg/m2 and mean age 37.51+-10.88 years. Mean residual volume was 155.36+-56.71 cc. Residual volume was associated with postoperative mean BMI (28.44+-3.23 kg/m2; p 0.001) and postperative mean EWL%(29.27+-7.66; p=0.001). Residual gastric volume was also negative correlated with postoperative mean HbA1c (p=0.004). HbA1c (p=0.828), LDL (p=0.661), HDL (p=0.848), triglycerides (p=0.641), VLDL (p=0.794), total protein relation (p=0.539) and albumin (p=0.824) were analyzed before and after surgery and were not correlated with residual gastric volume. CONCLUSION: The smaller the residual gastric volume after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, the higher the %EWL and the greater the decrease in HbA1c. This study show that laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is an effective surgical procedure in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Investigation of the effect of pancreatic decellularized matrix on encapsulated Islets of Langerhans with mesenchymal stem cells.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, it was aimed to provide a therapeutic approach for T1DM by encapsulating the pancreatic islets with mesenchymal stem cells and decellularized pancreatic extracellular matrix to support the survival of islets while maintaining their cellular activity. METHOD: Pancreatic extracellular matrix was decellularized using different concentrations of detergent series. After the preparation of the protein-based tissue extracellular matrix was shown to be free of cells or any genetic material by molecular, immunofluorescence and histochemical techniques. Following the homogenization of the decellularized pancreatic extracellular matrix and the analysis of its protein composition by LC-MS, the matrix proteins were incorporated with pancreatic islets and rat adipose tissue-derived MSCs (rAT-MSCs) in alginate microcapsules. Glucose-stimulated insulin secretion property of the islet cells in the microbeads was evaluated by insulin ELISA. The gene expression profile of the encapsulated cells was analyzed by Real-Time PCR. RESULTS: Unlike the protein composition of whole pancreatic tissue, the decellularized pancreas matrix was free of histone proteins or proteins originated from mitochondria. The protein matrix derived from pancreatic tissue was shown to support the growth and maintenance of the islet cells. When compared to the non-encapsulated pancreatic islet, the encapsulated cells demonstrate to be more efficient in terms of insulin expression. CONCLUSION: The extracellular pancreatic matrix obtained in this study was directly used as supplementary in the alginate-based microcapsule enhancing the cell survival. The tissue matrix protein and alginate had a synergistic effect on total insulin secretion, which might have the potential to overcome the insulin deficiency. Despite the improvement in the cell viability and the number, the efficiency of the insulin secretion in response to glucose stimulation from the alginate microcapsules did not meet the expectation when compared with the non-encapsulated pancreatic islets.

The role of next-generation sequencing in the examination of signaling genes in Brca1/2-negative breast cancer cases.

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in women worldwide. Although pathogenic variants in the BRCA1/2 genes are responsible for the majority of hereditary breast cancer cases, a substantial proportion of patients are negative for pathogenic variations in these genes. In cancers, the signal transduction pathways of the cell are usually affected first. Therefore, this study aimed to detect and classified genetic variations in non-BRCA signaling genes and investigate the underlying genetic causes of susceptibility to breast cancer. METHODS: Ninety-six patients without pathogenic variants in the BRCA1/2 genes who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study, and 34 genes were analyzed using next-generation sequencing (NGS) for genetic analysis. RESULTS: Based on the ClinVar database or American College of Medical Genetics criteria, a total of 55 variants of 16 genes were detected in 43 (44.8%) of the 96 patients included in the study. The pathogenic variants were found in the TP53, CHEK2, and RET genes, whereas the likely pathogenic variants were found in the FGFR1, FGFR3, EGFR, and NOTCH1 genes. CONCLUSION: The examination of signaling genes in patients who met the established criteria for hereditary breast cancer but were negative for BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants provided additional information for approximately 8% of the families. The results of the present study suggest that NGS is a powerful tool for investigating the underlying genetic causes of occurrence and progression of breast cancer.

Utility of positron emission tomography for determination of axillary metastasis of breast cancer.

Objectives: The involvement of axillary lymph nodes plays a key role in breast cancer staging. Positron emission tomography is a promising modality for detecting axillary lymph node metastasis. In addition, nomograms are used to predict the status of axillary lymph nodes. In this study, the role of positron emission tomography in determining axillary metastasis and its correlation with the nomogram was evaluated. Material and Methods: The axillary maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax) values of the patients in the preoperative period, the features in the perioperative and postoperative specimen and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center nomogram data were evaluated. Results: As axillary SUVmax detected by Positron emission tomography in the preoperative period increased, so did the likelihood of lymph node involvement. Axillary SUVmax value were compared with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center nomogram data but no correlation was found. Age, lymph node number, histopathology results, mass diameter, presence or absence of lymphovascular invasion and/or perineural invasion, tumor type, estrogen receptor status, Ki67 and Cerb-B2 statuses were not correlated. However, axillary SUVmax was inversely correlated with grade and progesterone receptor status. Conclusion: Results from positron emission tomography of axillary lymph nodes in breasts cancer patients showed that SUVmax was only inversely related to cancer grade and progesterone receptor status while not correlating with other accepted parameters for tumor assessment. Thus there is insufficient reliability for the use of axillary SUVmax alone for accurate assessment of tumor characteristics at present.

Tissue proteome analysis revealed an association between cancer, immune system response, and the idiopathic granulomatous mastitis.

Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis (IGM) is a disease that clinically mimics breast cancers with symptoms of pain, edema, erythema, nipple discharge, nipple retraction, and fistula. Although IGM is considered to be formed by autoimmune responses or infections, the molecular mechanism behind formation and progress is unknown. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying IGM formation, progress, and recurrence by monitoring the changes at the proteome level. Protein extracts prepared from IGM (n = 15) and within-control tissues (n = 15) were subjected to nHPLC followed by LC-MS/MS proteomic analysis. Label-free quantitation analysis revealed that sixty differentially regulated between the two groups. Those proteins were classified based on their role in metabolic pathways using bioinformatics tools. Based on DAVID analysis, 16 of the differently regulated proteins were associated with the immune system, while 17 proteins were involved in cancer metabolism. STRING analysis showed that five of the differentially regulated proteins were associated with combined immune deficiency which were PNP, TAP1, ITGAL, PRKDC, and PTPRC while the other proteins were involved in insulin response and neutrophil degranulation. This study is one of the very few studies that investigated the changes in protein expressions of IGM tissues compared to controls. For the first time, we have shown the relationship of IGM with the immune system at the protein level and also underlined the cancer-like behavior of the disease. Furthermore, the proteins that were pointed out as combined immune deficiency-related proteins may have value as diagnostic markers for idiopathic granulomatous mastitis although further studies are needed to shed more light on the pathogenesis of the disease.

An Atypical Presentation of Hydatid Disease, Accompanied by a Pancreatic Pseudocyst: A Case Report.

Hydatid disease (HD) is a zoonotic disease, which typically affects the liver and the lungs. Primary retroperitoneal localization of the disease is infrequent. The most common symptom is abdominal pain; however, the clinical features of HD may be generally dependent on the location of the cyst. A 53-year-old female patient presented to Kocaeli University General Surgery Clinic, Turkey in September 2019 with complaints of flank pain, constipation and vomiting. The MRI revealed cystic lesions in the pancreas and psoas muscle. Both cysts were excised totally during laparotomy. Histopathology reports showed that the lesion in psoas muscle was hydatid cyst whereas the lesion in pancreas was pancreatic pseudocyst. Postoperative period was uneventful and the patient was discharged with albendazole treatment. No recurrence occurred during follow-up period. Atypical localization for hydatid disease is a diagnostic dilemma for surgeons, especially in endemic countries. Hydatid disease should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of retroperitoneal lesions, inadequate management can lead to complications and fatalities. Surgery combined with antiparasitic therapy, may be an option in the presence of obstruction of gastrointestinal and/or urinary tract.

Elucidation of the changes occurring at the proteome level in ovaries of high-fat diet-induced obese rats.

High-fat diet-induced obesity adversely affects the female reproductive system. The metabolic changes that the high-fat diet causes on the ovaries have not been elucidated. Herein, to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the effects of long-term high-fat diet-fed, the changes in the global proteomic profile of the rat ovaries were investigated. The female rats were randomly divided into two groups based on their diets: the ones that were fed with the high-fat diet and the other ones that were fed with the control diet for 18 weeks. To identify differentially expressed proteins, the changes in ovary proteomes were investigated by two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled to matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight/time-of-flight and label-free quantification with nano-high performance liquid chromatography to tandem mass spectrometry (nHPLC-MS/MS). A total of 80 proteins were differentially regulated. The upregulated proteins were involved in responses to chemical and organic substances, cytokines, external stimuli, and lipids. These proteins were particularly associated with vesicles, microbodies, and cell surface proteins. The downregulated proteins were involved in biological processes associated with cellular respiration. Those proteins created a network consisting of proteins involved in aerobic respiration and energy generation. Our results demonstrated that the mechanisms related to energy production in the ovary tissue were particularly affected by the high-fat diet.

The new normal for breast cancer surgery during COVID-19 pandemic: An international survey conducted by SENATURK.

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way many health institutions approach their workload. Physicians managing patients with cancer now have to deal not only with the disease but also the restrictions and limitations imposed because of the global pandemic. We aimed to determine how surgical preferences in breast cancer management were affected globally using a questionnaire-based survey. METHODS: Under the auspices of the Turkish Senology Society (SENATURK) we asked 122 surgeons from 27 countries to reply to a 26-question survey designed to measure the impact of COVID-19 on their surgical practice when treating patients with breast cancer. RESULTS: The characteristics of participant surgeons were statistically similar when comparing the participants' answers from Turkey and other countries. From the responses given to our questionnaire, it was understood that breast cancer surgery decreased by 25% (p<0.05) in institutions all over the world, including Turkey, but there was no change in the approach technique to the axilla. CONCLUSIONS: Globally breast surgeons have adapted to the new normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many surgical approaches and some follow up protocols have been changed, although the degree of change has varied from country to country. In addition, the availability of multidisciplinary case conferences has been reduced in some centers which may affect the quality of services provided to patients.

Oncoplastic Breast-Conserving Surgery According to Tumor Location.

The use of oncoplastic breast surgery is an essential cornerstone for breast cancer management. The main aim of breast cancer surgery is to obtain an adequate oncological safety margin. Still, the cosmetic outcome also seems important for social and psychological wellbeing and quality of life. After breast-conserving surgery, the remaining breast may be reconstructed with volume displacement or volume replacement techniques. A better cosmetic outcome can be achieved by selecting appropriate surgical techniques according to tumor location. In this review, we show each technique step-by-step based on the tumor's location for each quadrant. The most important thing is to select the technique first for oncological safety and then for better cosmesis.

Haplotype Analysis of Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) Gene in Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of well-characterized vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms, BsmI (rs 1544410), ApaI (rs 7975232), TaqI (rs 731236), and FokI (rs 10735810) and their haplotypes in the pathogenesis of breast cancer in Turkish women. METHODS: The subjects consisted of women including 331 breast cancer patients and 345 healthy controls. After conventional DNA isolation genotyping was done by a PCR-RFLP method, haplotype analysis was performed using Haploview 4.2. RESULTS: Haplotype analysis in different combinations revealed that frequencies of Fbt, fbt, bAt, and bt haplotypes are significantly higher in breast cancer patients than controls (χ2 = 6.862, p = 0.0088; χ2 = 4.176, p = 0.041; χ2 = 4.184, p = 0.0408; χ2 = 8.409, p = 0.0037 respectively). However, no statistically significant difference between genotypes of cases and controls were found when analyzed separately. CONCLUSIONS: All these data support the hypothesis that it is crucial to evaluate VDR gene polymorphism by haplotype analysis in order to understand how changes in VDR sequence influence the function of the VDR gene and how this variability affects the risk of breast cancer.

Proteomic analysis of thyroid tissue reveals enhanced catabolic activity in Graves' disease compared to toxic multinodular goitre.

Graves' disease (GD) and toxic multinodular goitre (TMNG) are the most common thyroid diseases which mainly lead to thyrotoxicosis, however, the underlying mechanism of distinct clinical presentations remains unclear. Protein extracts from the thyroid tissue specimens of the patients with GD and TMNG were subjected to Difference Gel Electrophoresis (DIGE). Differentially regulated protein spots were determined by image analysis, and the spots displaying statistically significant differences were identified by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometer (MALDI-TOF) followed by MASCOT search. Western blot analysis was used to verify changes occurring at the protein levels. The identified proteins were classified based on their functions in metabolic pathways using bioinformatics algorithms. Fifteen proteins showed significant alterations in abundance between the two disease groups. Bioinformatic analysis revealed the differentially regulated proteins were particularly related to catabolism, oxidative stress and especially energy utilization pathways, including glycolysis, proteolysis, ketone body catabolism and other energy metabolism-related pathways. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Previously, GD has been the subject of many studies that performed the proteomics approaches in the orbital tissue samples or tear. This is one of the very few studies that investigate the changes in the proteome of thyroid tissue in GD. We demonstrated mainly the upregulation of catabolic activity-related proteins in patients with GD compared to TMNG. Although it remains to be elucidated, some of these proteins can be used as markers for GD or have a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Our study contributes the increasing data over time by providing new biomarker candidates for GD.

The Effect of Primary Surgery in Patients with De Novo Stage IV Breast Cancer with Bone Metastasis Only (Protocol BOMET MF 14-01): A Multi-Center, Prospective Registry Study.

BACKGROUND: More evidence shows that primary surgery for de novo metastatic breast cancer (BC) prolongs overall survival (OS) in selected cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of locoregional treatment (LRT) in BC patients with de novo stage IV bone only metastasis (BOM). METHODS: The prospective, multicenter registry study BOMET MF14-01 was initiated in May 2014. Patients with de novo stage IV BOM BC were divided into two groups: those receiving systemic treatment (ST group) and those receiving LRT (LRT group). Patients who received LRT were further divided into two groups: ST after LRT (LRT + ST group) and ST before LRT (ST + LRT group). RESULTS: We included 505 patients in this study; 240 (47.5%) patients in the ST group and 265 (52.5%) in the LRT group. One hundred and thirteen patients (26.3%) died in the 34-month median follow-up, 85 (35.4%) in the ST group and 28 (10.5%) in LRT group. Local progression was observed in 39 (16.2%) of the patients in the ST group and 18 (6.7%) in the LRT group (p = 0.001). Hazard of death was 60% lower in the LRT group compared with the ST group (HR 0.40, 95% CI 0.30-0.54, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: In this prospectively maintained registry study, we found that LRT prolonged survival and decreased locoregional recurrence in the median 3-year follow-up. Timing of primary breast surgery either at diagnosis or after ST provided a survival benefit similar to ST alone in de novo stage IV BOM BC patients.

Changes and disruptions in diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of breast cancer during two periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 disease, which rapidly became a pandemic, led to significant changes in the provision of health services. This included radical changes to the supply and delivery of routine services to release resources for emergency care. During this process, a range of restrictions were imposed including the recommended rules to be followed before, during and after surgery. Health services provided for breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and follow-up have also undergone enforced changes meaning the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with priority has come to the fore. In this study, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, between March 11, 2020 and May 31, 2020 was assessed in comparison to pre-pandemic practice in terms of divided into two periods, and breast cancer diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Surgeons dealing with breast cancer treatment and registered to SENATURK (Turkish Senology Academy) were contacted online. The period was divided into two, between March 11th and April 30th and May 1st to May 31st, 2020. Surgeons were requested to complete two electronic evaluation forms, one for each period, investigating change in practice. Only complete responses for both periods were included in the analysis. RESULTS: There were 93 respondents. Except for less multidisciplinary breast councils, there was no delay in radiological and pathological diagnoses. The number of breast cancer surgeries increased in Period 2, and more COVID-19 positive breast cancer patients were operated in Period 2. Benign breast patients were delayed less frequently in Period 2. In the statistical analysis performed between the two groups, it was found that only a significant difference was in the number of outpatients with benign breasts. CONCLUSION: With sufficient awareness of the risks of COVID-19 and with individual protection, breast cancer treatment was not affected during the assessed period of active pandemic in Turkey.

Evaluation of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinomas and nodular goiter.

BACKGROUND: The role of vitamin D has previously been determined in autoimmune and malignant thyroid diseases. We aimed to identify the haplotype distribution of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene, which has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of differentiated thyroid cancers and benign thyroid diseases. METHODS: Two hundred and sixteen patients, 113 with benign and 103 with differentiated thyroid cancers, together with the same number of healthy controls, were included in the study. FokI, BsmI, ApaI, and TaqI SNPs in VDR were analyzed in all participants using the PCR-RFLP method. RESULTS: When the patients with differentiated thyroid cancers or the patients with nodular goiter and control cases were compared for BsmI, ApaI or TaqI polymorphisms, three genotype distributions (BB, Bb, bb; AA, Aa, aa; TT, Tt, tt) were found to not differ significantly. When the patients with differentiated thyroid cancers and control cases were compared for the FokI polymorphism in the VDR gene, the three genotype distributions (FF, Ff, ff) did not differ. However, in patients with nodular goiter, the FF genotype in the FokI polymorphism of the VDR gene was found to be statistically significantly higher (P=0.033). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study in the literature evaluating the role of VDR gene SNPs in nodular goiter. We can suggest that SNP distribution in the VDR gene is not associated with malignancy but may cause some alterations in thyrocyte morphology and functions.

Cutaneous adverse effects of methylene blue in an animal skin-flap model.

Background and objectives: Sentinel lymph node biopsy is important for metastasis surveillance in the management of a number of human cancers. Identification of sentinel lymph nodes may be facilitated by the use of several methods including methylene blue injection. However tissue necrosis is a known effect of methylene blue application. This study aimed to investigate the effects of methylene blue injection on skin flaps using a rodent model.Methods: Modified McFarlane flaps were prepared using Wistar Albino rats. Local injection of methylene blue was given to one group while saline was injected into the control group. A third group received systemic methylene blue via intraperitoneal injection. Observational and histological comparison was made between the groups to investigate the necrotic effects of methylene blue on skip flaps.Results: The control group's surviving flap areas were significantly larger than local methylene blue group's surviving flap area. However, there was no significant difference in skin flap survival area between the control group and the systemic methylene blue group. Furthermore, there is no significant difference between local and systemic methylene blue group's surviving flap areas.Conclusions: Local methylene blue injection increases skin necrosis and decreases rates of surviving flap areas in an experimental rat models.