Pancreatic carcinoma, thrombosis and mean platelet volume: single center experience from the southeast region of Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the general characteristics of patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pancreatic cancer as well as evaluate the relationship between mean platelet volume (MPV), DVT and survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-seven patients with pancreatic cancer, who were admitted to Cukurova University Medical Faculty, Department of Medical Oncology, were enrolled in the study RESULTS: The mean age was 59±20. Forty-nine (63.6%) were men and 28 women (36.4%) . Sixty-eight (88.3%) patients had adenocarcinoma and 9 (11.7%) had a malignant epithelial tumor. Thirty-six (46.7%) had liver metastasis at diagnosis. Twenty-six (33.8%) patients were alive, 20 (26%) were dead and in 31 (40.2%) the status was unknown. Only 14 (18.1%) patients had DVT. In 42 (54.5%) patients MPV values were normal, in 28 (36.4%) patients they were above normal, and in 7 (9.1%) patients they were below normal. There was no statistically significant difference between gender, tumour localization, chemotherapy and survival rates (p:0.56, p:0.11, p:0.21). There was no significant difference between DVT, gender, localisation, histological subtype, the presence of metastasis, stage and if the patient had been treated with chemotherapy (p:0.5, p:0.6, p:0.2, p:0.32, p:0.1, p:0.84). There was also no significant difference between MPV and DVT (p:0.57) but there was a significant difference between liver metastasis and DVT (p:0.02). Age, stage, the presence of metastasis and DVT were prognostic in pancreatic cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: Cases of pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis should be studied more carefully as thrombosis is more common in these patients.

Measurement of the knowledge level about breast self-exam among the female employees of a university hospital, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Periodic mammography, clinical breast examination and breast self-exam (BSE) facilitate getting a therapeutic response and improve disease prognosis, by leading to early diagnosis of the breast cancer. METHODS: The study included a total of 618 women working in Çukurova University, Faculty of Medicine, as technician, secretary, staff, midwife and doctor. They answered a 22-items questionnaire consisting of questions about general knowledge, 8 of these were about BSE. RESULTS: While it was statistically significant that the education was not correlated with the age of onset of BSE and timing of BSE, the education was significantly efficient in terms of knowing the aim of the BSE, its frequency, post-menopausal BSE time, nipple discharge properties in the case of breast cancer, diagnostic methods and the risks. While it was statistically significant that the profession was not related to age of onset of BSE and knowing the right day of the month on which BSE should be performed, the education was likely to be efficient in knowing the frequency, post-menopausal BSE time, aim of the BSE, nipple discharge properties in the case of breast cancer, diagnostic methods and the risks. When the percentage of giving right answers to the questions and educational background and professional groups were compared, it was seen that the difference of the number of right answers and professional groups was significant. CONCLUSION: Based on our results, we concluded that the education about BSE is warranted in order to increase the likelihood of female healthcare personnel to diagnose breast cancer at an earlier stage, given their role in raising the awareness of the population.