Luminal A Breast Cancer: How Feasible is Omitting Axillary Dissection Without Neoadjuvant Therapy.

Background: Luminal A breast cancer has a good prognosis and the criteria for adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) are not clear. The aim of this study was to present our results of upfront surgery and long-term survival in luminal A tumors as well as the rates of protection from axillary dissection. Material and Methods. 271 Luminal A breast cancer patients who had operated at our center were evaluated retrospectively. In patients with 2 or less sentinel lymph node (SLN) positivity who did not receive neoadjuvant therapy and underwent breast-conserving surgery, axillary lymph node dissection was omitted (OAD). Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was performed in patients with positive SLN who did not meet these criteria (axillary dissection after sentinel/ADAS). Results: While Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy (SLNB) was performed in 212 (77.9%) patients, SLNB + Axillary Dissection (AD) was performed in 58 (21.3%), and direct axillary dissection was performed in 1 (0.8%) patient. OAD was applied to 18 (23.6%) of the positive patients. Discussion/Conclusions. ALND rates are still strikingly high in luminal A breast cancer treatment, despite the disease's milder clinical course. In order to avoid complications of axillary dissection, patients should be considered for NAC as much as possible. Novel neoadjuvant or other therapy options are also required.

Pancreatic fistula rates after internal and external stenting of the pancreatojejunostomy anastomosis following pancreatoduodenectomy.

Background: This retrospective comparative case series study aims to analyze the pancreatic fistula rates of internal and external stenting of the pancreatojejunostomy (PJ) anastomosis in patients who underwent pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for periampullary tumors.Methods: Ninety-eight patients with periampullary tumors who were operated between 2010 and 2017 were enrolled in this study. A classic open PD with Roux-en-Y PJ reconstruction was performed in all cases.Results: The PJ anastomosis of 53 patients (54%) were stented internally whereas in 45 patients (46%) external stenting was preferred. Pancreatic fistula was observed in 29 patients (29.6%). Internal stenting and soft pancreatic tissue were found to be related to higher pancreatic fistula rates with odds ratios of 3.27 (p = .024) and 3.4 (p = .017), respectively. When only grade B and grade C fistulas were taken into account, the type of stenting has lost its significance but the texture of the remnant pancreas was still associated with 'clinically important' pancreatic fistula.Conclusions: We concluded that the external stenting of the PJ anastomosis may be considered as an effective approach for reducing postoperative pancreatic leaks in PD-planned patients for periampullary tumors. Although our study was retrospectively designed, we used standard charts to gather patient data and compared two stenting methods among homogeneous patient groups.

Is extralevator abdominoperineal resection necessary for low rectal carcinoma in the neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy era?

Background: We aimed to compare the short-term surgical and early surgical oncological outcomes of abdominoperineal resection (APR) and extralevator APR (ELAPR) in patients with low rectal carcinoma that have received neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NACRT), whose abdominal procedures were performed laparoscopically.Methods: One hundred and four patients who underwent APR or ELAPR for stage II/III low rectal carcinoma NACRT between 2013 and 2016 were evaluated by reviewing the standard charts for colorectal carcinoma.Results: Median follow-up for patients in APR group was 56 months(24-67 months) and 52 months(27-64 months) for ELAPR group. The postoperative complication rates were higher in ELAPR than in APR (perineal wound infection 38% vs. 22.5%(p = .03), perineal wound dehiscence 57% vs. 25%(p = .01), persistent perineal pain 28.5% vs. 13%(p = .01), urinary dysfunction 23% vs. 14.5%(p = .02), reoperation 16.5% vs. 4.8%(p = .03), respectively). Circumferential resection margin positivity, the number of lymph nodes dissected, and the rate of intra-operative perforation of the tumor were similar for both surgical techniques. Local recurrence rates at postoperative 2 years were also similar after APR and ELAPR (8% vs. 9.5%, p = .2).Conclusion: We conclude that in the era of routinely used NACRT, ELAPR is not superior to conventional APR for stage II/III low rectal carcinomas. ELAPR is associated with increased morbidity and has no short-term surgical oncological advantage over APR.

HIPEC in Ovarian Cancer: When and to Whom?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the optimal candidates for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) and cytoreductive surgery (CRS) in ovarian cancer. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. Place and Duration of the Study: Health Sciences University, Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtasian Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, between 2013 and 2021. METHODOLOGY: Ovarian cancer patients who underwent HIPEC and CRS for peritoneal involvement were included in this study. Thermosolutions were prepared as a closed system by using HT 2000 hyperthermic perfusion device. Then, cisplatin was applied at 100 mg/m2 at 42-42.5 °C for 60 minutes after CRS. RESULTS: A total of 47 patients were enrolled. The median age was 54 years (27-80) at the time of diagnosis. Forty (85.1%) patients had high grade serous carcinoma and 22 (46.7%) patients had clinical stage 3C disease. The median peritoneal cancer index (PCI) was 13 (3-24) in the whole population. HIPEC was applied as first-line treatment in 25 (51%) patients. Eleven (23.4%) patients had HIPEC in the post-neoadjuvant interval whereas 10 (21.3%) patients had it in platinum sensitive relapse. Median progression free survival (PFS) was 31(95% CI:11-50), 33 (95% CI:1-67), and 18 (95% CI:8-27) months in the primary, post-neoadjuvant interval, and platinum-sensitive relapse HIPEC groups, respectively. The patients with lower PCI (PCI<13) had significantly better OS than others with higher PCI (PCI>13, 145 months versus 42 months, p=0.034). CONCLUSION: HIPEC with CRS should be considered in selected serous carcinoma patients with peritoneal involvement, especially for the patients with primary ovarian cancer with lower PCI (PCI<13). KEY WORDS: Ovarian cancer, HIPEC, Peritoneal cancer index.

Clinicopathological features of non-carcinoid malignant epithelial appendix tumors and risk factors for recurrence, single-center experience.

Background: Non-carcinoid appendix epithelial tumors are rare. These tumors include low-grade and high-grade mucinous neoplasm also adenocarcinomas. We aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features, treatment, and risk factors of recurrence. Methods: Patients diagnosed between 2008 and 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Categorical variables were expressed as percentages and compared using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact tests. Overall survival and Disease-free survival of the groups were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and the log-rank test was used to compare the survival rates. Results: A total of 35 patients were included in the study. Of the patients, 19 (54%) were women and the median diagnosis age of patients was 50.4 years (19-76). As for pathological types, a total of 14 (40%) patients were mucinous adenocarcinoma and 14 (40%) patients were Low-Grade Mucinous Neoplasm (LGMN). Lymph node excision and lymph node involvement were 23 (65%) and 9 (25%) patients respectively. The majority of patients were stage 4 (27, 79%) and 25 (71%) of these patients had peritoneal metastasis. A total of 48.6% patients had been treated with cytoreductive surgery and hyper-thermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy. Median Peritoneal cancer index value was 12 (2-36). The median follow-up time was 20 (1-142) months. Recurrence developed in 12 (34%) of patients. When risk factors for recurrence are considered, there was a statistically significant difference in appendix tumors with high-grade, adenocarcinoma pathology, ones with peritoneal cancer index ≥12 and not having pseudomyxoma peritonei. Median disease-free survival was 18 (13-22, 95% CI) months. Median overall survival could not be reached while the 3-year survival rate was 79%. Conclusion: The risk of recurrence is higher in high-grade appendix tumors, having peritoneal cancer index ≥ 12, not having pseudomyxoma peritonei and adenocarcinoma pathology. High-grade appendix adenocarcinoma patients should be followed closely for recurrence.

The effect of CEA/Albumin ratio in gastric cancer patient on prognostic factors.

AIM: Gastric cancer is an important disease worldwide with high mortality and morbidity rates. Novel targeted treatment approaches and recent improvements in immunotherapy have significantly improved survival. New indicators that can help determine the prognosis of stomach cancer have been of interest to researchers. We evaluated and recorded the patients' final preoperative CEA/albumin ratios and investigated the effect of this ratio on lymph node involvement, pathological tumor stage, and overall survival. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated data from electronic files of patients who were operated for stomach cancer in our center between January 2012 and December 2017. The study included 195 patients who were followed up regularly and whose complete medical data were available. RESULTS: The effect of CEA/Albumin ratio on the number of Metastatic Lymph Nodes was analyzed using Linear Regression and was found to be statistically significant (p = 0.001). One unit increase in CEA/Albumin ratio increases the number of Metastatic Lymph Nodes by 0.223 (Confidence Interval: 0.097-0.380) units, and this variable alone explains 5.7% of the change in the number of Metastatic Lymph Nodes. CONCLUSION: Neoadjuvant treatment decisions can be made by estimating the T and N stages by using CEA/albumin ratio in cases where conventional radiological methods are insufficient. KEY WORDS: Albumin, Carcinoembryonic antigen, Gastric cancer, Lymph node, Prognosis.

Serum AMDL DR-70 levels: a new concept in the diagnosis and follow-up of colorectal carcinoma.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic potential of DR-70 assay in patients with colorectal cancer and to investigate the relationship between serum DR-70 levels and the biological characteristic of the tumor. Patients & methods: The experimental group included patients who were diagnosed with colorectal adenocarcinoma after biopsy specimen. The control group of this study consisted of patients whose total colonoscopy was reported as normal. Results: Serum levels of DR-70 was found to be significantly higher in patients with colorectal cancer than healthy participants (p = 0.001). Receiver operating curve analyses indicated a cut-off value of 1.69 µg/ml for serum DR-70 levels. Stage of the disease, grade of the tumor, number of metastatic lymph nodes and microsatellite instability status were significantly related to serum DR-70 levels (p = 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Conclusion: It can be concluded that serum levels of DR-70 can be regarded as an indicator for the diagnosis of colorectal cancer.

A Rare Malignity of Childhood: Krukenberg Tumor-Case Report and Review of Literature.

Krukenberg tumor (KT) is a rare ovarian carcinoma containing mucin-filled signet ring cells. It accounts for 1%-2% of all ovarian tumors. It is seen at an average age of 40 years. Reported pediatric cases of KT in the literature are very limited. Herein, we present an adolescent with a KT that was compatible with metastatic ring cell colon carcinoma.

Experimental determination of human peripheral nerve stimulation thresholds in a 3-axis planar gradient system.

In MRI, strong, rapidly switched gradient fields are desirable because they can be used to reduce imaging time, obtain images with better resolution, or improve image signal-to-noise ratios. Improvements in gradient strength can be made by either increasing the gradient amplifier strength or by enhancing gradient efficiency. Unfortunately, many MRI pulse sequences, in combination with high-performance amplifiers and existing gradient hardware, can cause peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS). This makes improvements in gradient amplifiers ineffective at increasing safely usable gradient strength. Customized gradient coils are one way to achieve significant improvements in gradient performance. One specific gradient configuration, a planar gradient system, promises improved gradient strength and switching time for cardiac imaging. The PNS thresholds for planar gradients were characterized through human stimulation experiments on all three gradient axes. The specialized gradient was shown to have significantly higher stimulation thresholds than traditional cylindrical designs (y-axis SR(min) = 210 +/- 18 mT/m/ms and DeltaG(min) = 133 +/- 13 mT/m; x-axis SR(min) = 222 +/- 24 mT/m/ms and DeltaG(min) = 147 +/- 17 mT/m; z-axis SR(min) = 252 +/- 26 mT/m/ms and DeltaG(min) = 218 +/- 26 mT/m). This system could be operated at gradient strengths 2 to 3 times higher than cylindrical configurations without causing stimulation.

Giant retroperitoneal dedifferentiated liposarcoma.

INTRODUCTION: Liposarcoma is the most frequent type of retroperitoneal sarcomas. Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is the least common subtype and is an extremely rare tumor. CASE REPORT: We present the case of a 53-year-old male who was referred with a giant retroperitoneal mass. The patients' mass was deemed unresectable by the previous institution and received chemotherapy with no benefit. We macroscopically removed the 38x32 cm mass with right nefrectomy. Pathological examination revealed dedifferentiated liposarcoma. CONCLUSION: Surgery is the gold standart in the treatment of retroperitoneal sarcomas. Giant masses present a challenge for the surgeon with possible major vascular injuries and multiorgan resections. Therefore it is important for these patients to be referred for surgery without delay. KEY WORDS: Dedifferentiated liposarcoma, Liposarcoma, Retroperitoneal sarcoma.

Malignancy in Solitary Thyroid Nodules: Evaluation of Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to evaluate patients with suspicious solitary nodules undergoing bilateral total thyroidectomy for the presence of malignancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 141 patients with true solitary thyroid nodules who underwent bilateral total thyroidectomy at the Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Hospital between 2008 and 2013 were retrospectively evaluated. Parameters including demographics, ultrasonographic findings, and laboratory values were analyzed. RESULTS: When the final pathology results were evaluated, malignancy was found in 52/141 (36.9%) patients. 49 (94.2%) of these lesions were papillary carcinoma. Colloidal nodules accounted for 30.3% of all benign cases. Nodular irregularity, increased vascularity, microcalcification, and central/lateral lymphadenopathy significantly increased the risk of malignancy. Among these factors, increased vascularity was the most important risk factor and microcalcification the second. Nodule size did not affect the risk of malignancy. CONCLUSION: Irregular borders, microcalcification, increased vascularity, and detection of cervical lymphadenopathy were found to be correlated with malignancy in solitary nodules.

Bethesda Made It Clearer: A Review of 542 Patients in a Single Institution.

BACKGROUND: It is essential to interpret fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) material correctly to create a common language among pathologists and surgeons, leading to a uniform approach to thyroid nodule management. We aimed to compare FNAB reports of patients at our institution who were treated with total thyroidectomy, before and after the Bethesda classification system. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy for thyroid nodules are reviewed. 226 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy before the Bethesda era (2006-2009) were classified as Group-I, and 316 patients in whom total thyroidectomy was performed after the Bethesda classification system was introduced (2010-2014) were classified as Group-II. RESULTS: Before Bethesda, 'nondiagnostic' or 'benign' lesions were reported in 16.4 and 45% of patients, respectively, which then significantly decreased to 4.7 and 32.9% as the Bethesda classification criteria came into use. In Group-II, the actual malignancy rates were 13.3, 2.8, 7.3, 15.5, 85.4, and 96.5% for Bethesda I, II, III, IV, V, and VI, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our experience confirms that the Bethesda classification system leads to a significant reduction in lesions that used to be reported as 'benign' without compromising the actual rates of malignancy. It ensures better classification of so-called suspicious lesions, and allows for more accurate predictions of suspicious or malignant lesions.

The Role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the Primary Staging of Gastric Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to explore the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the primary staging of gastric cancer in the comparison of ceCT as routine staging method and evaluate influencing parameters of 18F-FDG uptake. METHODS: Thirty-one patients (mean age: 58.9±12.6) who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT for primary staging of gastric cancer between June 2011 and June 2012 were included to the study. 18F-FDG PET/CT findings were compared with pathological reports in patients who underwent surgery following PET/CT. 18F-FDG PET/CT findings of primary lesions, lymph nodes and adjacent organs were compared with ceCT findings and pathological reports. Since 6 patients were accepted as inoperable according to 18F-FDG PET/CT and/or ceCT and/or laparotomy and/or laparoscopy findings, pathological confirmation could not be possible. RESULTS: In the postoperative TNM staging of patients, while 1 (4%), 1 (4%), 4 (16%), 2 (8%), 12 (48%) and 5 (20%) patients were staged as T0, Tis, T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively, 8 (32%), 6 (24%), 6 (24%) and 5 (20%) patients were N0, N1, N2 and N3 respectively. 18F-FDG PET/CT was totally normal in 2 patients. While primary tumors were FDG avid in 27 patients, in 17 and 6 patients FDG uptake was observed in perigastric lymph nodes and distant organs, respectively. Mean SUVmax of FDG avid tumors was calculated as 13.49±9.29 (3.00-44.60). However, SUVmax of lymph nodes was computed as 9.28±6.92 (2.80-29.10). According to sub-analysis of histopathological subtypes of primary tumors, SUVmax of adenocarsinomas was calculated as 15.16 (3.00-44.60), of signet ring cells as 9.90 (5.50-17.70), of adenocarcinomas with signet ring cell component as 11.27 (6.20-13.90) (p=0.721). In the comparison with histopathological examination while ceCT was TP, TN, FN in 23, 1 and 1 patients, 18F-FDG PET/CT was TP, FP, FN in 20, 1 and 4 patients, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, PPD and NPV of ceCT in the detection of lymph node metastasis was calculated as 83.3%, 75%, 80%, 87.5% and 66.6%, respectively. These parameters for 18F-FDG PET/CT were 64.7%, 100%, 76%, 100% and 57.1%. CONCLUSION: Despite lower sensitivity than ceCT, diagnostic power of 18F-FDG PET/CT in the preoperative staging of gastric cancer is acceptable. Because of its high PPV, it might be beneficial in the evaluation of patients with suspected lymph nodes. The role of 18F-FDG PET/CT seems to be limited in the early stage and signet ring cell carcinomas due to lower 18F-FDG uptake.

Local planar gradients with order-of-magnitude strength and speed advantage.

A three-axis uniplanar gradient coil was designed and built to provide order-of-magnitude increases in gradient strength of up to 500 mT/m on the x- and y-axes, and 1000 mT/m for the z-axis at 640 A input over a limited FOV ( approximately 16 cm) for superficial regions, compared to conventional gradient coils, with significant gradient strengths extending deeper into the body. The gradient set is practically accommodated in the bore of a conventional whole-body, cylindrical-geometry MRI scanner, and operated using standard gradient supplies. The design was optimized for gradient linearity over a restricted volume while accounting for the practical problems of torque and heating. Tests at 320 A demonstrated up to 420-mT/m gradients near the surface at efficiencies of up to 1.4 mT/m/A. A new true 2D gradient-nonlinearity correction algorithm was developed to rectify gradient nonlinearities and considerably expand the imageable volumes. The gradient system and correction algorithm were implemented in a standard 1.5 T scanner and demonstrated by high-resolution imaging of phantoms and humans.