Survival outcomes and prognostic nutritional index in very elderly small-cell lung cancer patients: importance of active treatment and nutritional support.

BACKGROUND: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a highly aggressive tumor with a high metastatic potential, particularly affecting current or former heavy smokers. Treatment typically involves chemotherapy, often combined with radiotherapy, and immunotherapy for extensive disease. Prophylactic cranial irradiation is recommended to reduce brain metastases. Elderly SCLC patients face unique challenges due to frailty and comorbidities, leading to increased risks of treatment-related toxicity and malnutrition. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI), a composite marker of nutritional and immune status, has shown promise in predicting outcomes in various malignancies. However, the optimal treatment approach for very elderly SCLC patients remains unclear, as they are often excluded from clinical trials. AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the survival outcomes of SCLC patients aged 75 years or older and their correlation with PNI. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. METHODS: The study retrospectively analyzed data from 71 SCLC patients aged ≥75 years, focusing on age, gender, smoking status, chronic diseases, performance status, clinical stage, treatment modality, and pretreatment PNI. Survival estimates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of overall survival (OS). RESULTS: The results demonstrated that 26.8% of very elderly SCLC patients received no active treatment, resulting in a significantly shorter median survival time of 1.3 months. In contrast, patients who underwent aggressive treatment, such as palliative chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus radiotherapy, had significantly longer median survival times. Multivariate analysis revealed that receiving chemotherapy plus radiotherapy was associated with a significant survival benefit compared to no treatment. Furthermore, low PNI (≤40) was independently associated with decreased OS. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the importance of active treatment and nutritional support in improving survival outcomes for very elderly SCLC patients. The findings suggest that low PNI and lack of oncological treatment are associated with worse survival outcomes. Therefore, integrating nutritional assessment, interventions, and appropriate treatment strategies are crucial in managing lung cancer patients. Larger, multicenter studies are needed to validate these findings and explore potential interventions to optimize nutritional status and improve outcomes for elderly patients with SCLC.

Real-Life Analysis of Efficacy and Safety of Everolimus Plus Exemestane in Hormone Receptor-Positive, Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-2-Negative Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients: A Turkish Oncology Group (TOG) Study.

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of everolimus (EVE) plus exemestane (EXE) in hormone-receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative (HER2-) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients in real-life settings. METHODS: Overall, 204 HR+, HER2- MBC patients treated with EVE + EXE after progressing following prior endocrine treatment were included. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and safety data were analyzed. RESULTS: The objective response rate, median PFS, and median OS were 33.4%, 8.9 months, and 23.4 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that negative progesterone receptor status was a significant determinant of poor treatment response (p = 0.035) and PFS (p = 0.024). The presence of bone-only metastasis was associated with better treatment response (p = 0.002), PFS (p < 0.001), and OS (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: We confirmed the favorable efficacy and safety profile of EVE + EXE for HR+, HER - MBC patients.

Efficacy and tolerability of current treatments for hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients with visceral metastases.

Aim: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of the first-line treatment options for hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients with visceral metastases. Materials & methods: The records of 191 patients diagnosed with hormone-refractory prostate cancer with visceral metastases were analyzed retrospectively. Results: Docetaxel was administered to 61.2% (n = 117), abiraterone to 14.2% (n = 27) and enzalutamide to 9.4% (n = 18) as the first-line treatment. The median survival of the patients receiving docetaxel, abiraterone and enzalutamide as the first-line treatment during the hormone-refractory period was 15 (95% Cl: 12.9-17) months, 6 (95% Cl: 1.8-10.1) months and 11 (95% Cl: 0.9-23.1) months (p = 0.038), respectively. Conclusion: The present study established a statistically significant difference in favor of docetaxel in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival.

Lay abstract The optimal therapeutic option for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) patients with visceral metastases is unknown. We assessed the efficacy and tolerability of the first-line treatment options for CRPC patients with visceral metastasis. One hundred ninety-one patients diagnosed with CRPC with visceral metastases were included in the study. The present study established a statistically significant difference in favor of docetaxel in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival between first-line docetaxel, abiraterone and enzalutamide treatments in CRPC patients with visceral metastases. For patients who cannot undergo chemotherapy, enzalutamide, among novel androgen pathway inhibitors, may be the most appropriate option, given its numerical, although statistically insignificant, difference in overall survival and its fewer side effects compared with abiraterone.

Comparison of survival with somatostatin analog and chemotherapy and prognostic factors for treatment in 165 advanced neuroendocrine tumor patients with Ki-67 20% or less.

The objectives of this study were to compare progression-free survival (PFS) with somatostatin analog (SSA) versus chemotherapy (CTx) in first-line therapy and to determine the patient group in which these treatments were more effective in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) with a Ki-67 index of 20% or less. Patients who received SSA or CTx and had unresectable locally advanced and metastatic NETs with a Ki-67 index of 20% or less were retrospectively selected from 13 centers in the Turkish database between 2000 and 2015. One hundred and sixty-five patients were enrolled. The median age was 56 years and the male-to-female ratio was 1.09. Seventy-four (45%) patients were of grade 1 NET and 91 (55%) were of grade 2. SSA was given to 104 patients, whereas 61 were treated with CTx. The objective response rate after SSA was 15.4%; another 73.1% had stable disease. The objective response rate after CTx was 36.1%, and 40.9% had stable disease (P=0.008). The median PFS in SSA patients was 21 months (95% confidence interval: 12.4-29.6), and 8 months for CTx (95% confidence interval: 5.5-10.6) (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between PFS of receiving SSA and CTx in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET) patients; however, the PFS of receiving SSA was longer in non-PNET patients (P<0.001). SSA was better treatment in advanced NET patients with a Ki-67 index of less than 5%, having a primary resected and a performance status of 0 (P<0.05). SSA may be preferred over CTx in advanced NET patients with low-to-intermediate grade.

Evaluation of prognostic factors in localized high-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma: report of a multi-institutional experience of Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology.

Most data on prognostic factors for patients with high-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (HGUPS) is obtained from analyses of soft tissue sarcomas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathologic features and their impact on outcomes specifically in patients diagnosed with HGUPS. In this multicenter trial, we retrospectively analyzed 112 patients who were diagnosed and treated at 12 different institutions in Turkey. We collected data concerning the patients, tumor characteristics, and treatment modalities. There were 69 males (61.6 %) and 43 females (38.4 %). Median age was 56 years (19-90). The most common anatomic site of tumor origin was the upper extremity. Pleomorphic variant was the predominant histological subtype. Median tumor size was 8.2 cm (0.6-30 cm). Tumors were mainly deeply seated (57.1 %). Fifty-seven patients (50.9 %) were stage II and the remainder were stage III at the time of diagnosis. Median follow-up was 30 months (2-160). The primary site of distant metastasis was the lung (73.5 %) and the second most common site was the liver (11.7 %). The 5-year overall survival, distant metastasis-free survival, and local recurrence-free survival rates were 56.3, 53.4, and 67.2 %, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score of II (p = 0.033), deep tumor location (p = 0.000), and development of distant metastasis (p = 0.004) were negatively correlated with overall survival, and perioperative radiotherapy and negative microscopic margins were significant factors for local control rates (p = 0.000 for each). Deep tumor location (p = 0.003) was the only adverse factor related to distant metastasis-free survival. Deep tumor location, ECOG performance score of II, and development of distant metastasis carry a poor prognostic implication on overall survival. These will aid clinicians in predicting survival and treatment decision.

The effect of the gastrectomy on survival in patients with metastatic gastric cancer: a study of ASMO.

AIM: To investigate the role of surgical resection of primary tumor on overall survival (OS) in advanced gastric cancer patients at the time of diagnosis. PATIENTS & METHODS: The survival rates of metastatic gastric cancer patients whose gastric primary tumor was resected at time of diagnosis were compared with metastatic gastric cancer patients whose primary tumor was nonresected. RESULTS: The median progression-free survival and OS in operated and nonoperated group were 10 versus 6, 14 versus 9 months, respectively (p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, gastric resection of primary tumor, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, second-line chemotherapy had a significant effect on OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.52 [95% CI: 0.38-0.71], HR: 0.57 [95% CI: 0.42-0.78], HR: 1.48 [1.09-2.01]; p ≤ 0.001, p = 0.001 and p = 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSION: Subpopulations of patients with metastatic gastric cancer might benefit from surgical removal of primary tumor.

The mean platelet volume may predict the development of isolated bone metastases in patients with breast cancer: a retrospective study of the Young Researchers Committee of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

PURPOSE: To determine the predictive value of the mean platelet volume (MPV) and the MPV/platelet count ratio on the development of isolated bone metastasis in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: A total of 121 previously untreated female patients with isolated bone metastases from breast cancer (group 1) were included in this retrospective cohort study. The patients enrolled in this study had similar age, biological subtypes, and duration of follow-up after diagnosis. Group 1 was compared with both 71 previously untreated women with breast cancer with no metastases at all (group 2) and 39 healthy women (group 3). Demographic data, laboratory tests and histological features of all of the patients in groups 1 and 2 were recorded and the study variables from each of the three groups were compared. RESULTS: In group 1, the cut-off value (9.2 fL) for the MPV was determined and patients were stratified into 4 subgroups. The MPV was higher in group 1 than in either group 2 or group 3. Group 1 patients had a MPV of 8.8±3.1 fL (mean 5.1, range: 6.1-15.6) and the cut-off value for MPV was 9.2 fl. For patients in group 1, the MPV distribution was stratified into 4 groups as follows: group A included MPV values <6.08 fL, in group B values ranged from 6.09 to 8.46 fL, group C included values from 8.47 to 10.05 fL, and group D included patients with MPV values >10.06 fL. MPV and the presence of lymphovascular invasion were found to be independent risk factors for the development of isolated bone metastases. CONCLUSION: We concluded that MPV can be used to predict the development of isolated bone metastases.

Prognostic significance of pretreatment albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade and platelet-albumin-bilirubin (PALBI) grade in patients with small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a common cancer among the world's lung cancers. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, the prognosis is still poor. There is no effective biomarker other than stage in daily practice. However, in daily practice, patients may have different features and survival times even though they have the same stage. Previously, albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade, platelet-albumin-bilirubin (PALBI) grade were used to determine the prognosis of acute-chronic liver failure and acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding in liver cirrhosis. In subsequent studies, they were found to be associated with prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and other solid cancers. However, the prognostic relationship between ALBI grade, PALBI grade, and SCLC is unknown. Therefore, we conducted this study to examine the relationship between ALBI grade and PALBI grade and prognosis in SCLC patients. Data of 138 patients with advanced SCLC at diagnosis between 2009 and 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. The results of the multivariate analysis were as follows: ALBI grade 1 vs 2, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.608, p = 0.002 for OS and HR = 1.575, p = 0.002 for PFS; ALBI grade 1 vs 3, HR = 2.035, p < 0.001 for OS and HR = 2.675, p < 0.001 for PFS; PALBI grade 1 vs 2, HR = 1.302, p = 0.006 for OS and HR = 1.674, p = 0.002 for PFS; and PALBI grade 1 vs 3, HR = 1.725, p < 0.001 for OS and HR = 2.675, p < 0.001 for PFS. In conclusion, the ALBI and PALBI grades were determined to be associated with the prognosis of SCLC, and they can be used as easy, inexpensive, and practical markers in determining the follow-up treatment and prognosis of SCLC patients.

Efficacy of adjuvant capecitabine in residual triple negative breast cancer: a multicenter observational Turkish Oncology Group (TOG) study.

BACKGROUND: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by high rates of recurrence, especially in patients with residual disease after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). Capecitabine is being used as standard adjuvant treatment in residual TNBC. We aimed to investigate the real-life data regarding the efficacy of capecitabine in residual TNBC. DESIGN AND METHODS: In this retrospective multicenter study, TNBC patients with residual disease were evaluated. Patients, who received standard anthracycline and taxane-based NAC and adjuvant capecitabine were eligible. Overall survival (OS), disease free survival (DFS) and toxicity were analyzed. RESULTS: 170 TNBC patients with residual disease were included. Of these, 62.9% were premenopausal. At the time of analysis, the recurrence rate was 30% and death rate was 18%. The 3-year DFS and OS were 66% and 74%, respectively. In patients treated with adjuvant capecitabine, residual node positive disease stood out as an independent predictor of DFS (p = 0.024) and OS (p = 0.032). Undergoing mastectomy and the presence of T2 residual tumor was independent predictors of DFS (p = 0.016) and OS (p = 0.006), respectively. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of capecitabine was found lower compared to previous studies. Selected patients may have further benefit from addition of capecitabine. The toxicity associated with capecitabine was found lower than anticipated.

Adrenocortical Cancer in the Real World: A Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical Features and Management from the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

INTRODUCTION: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare yet highly malignant tumor associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This study aims to delineate the clinical features, survival patterns, and treatment modalities of ACC, providing insights into the disease's prognosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 157 ACC patients was performed to assess treatment methodologies, demographic patterns, pathological and clinical attributes, and laboratory results. The data were extracted from the hospital's database. Survival analyses were conducted using the Kaplan-Meier method, with univariate and multivariate analyses being performed through the log-rank test and Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: The median age was 45, and 89.4% had symptoms at the time of diagnosis. The median tumor size was 12 cm. A total of 117 (79.6%) patients underwent surgery. A positive surgical border was detected in 26 (24.1%) patients. Adjuvant therapy was administered to 44.4% of patients. The median overall survival for the entire cohort was 44.3 months. Median OS was found to be 87.3 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 74.4-100.2) in stage 2, 25.8 (95% CI 6.5-45.1) months in stage 3, and 13.3 (95% CI 7.0-19.6) months in stage 4 disease. Cox regression analysis identified age, Ki67 value, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and hormonal activity as significant factors associated with survival in patients with nonmetastatic disease. In metastatic disease, only patients who underwent surgery exhibited significantly improved overall survival in univariate analyses. CONCLUSION: ACC is an uncommon tumor with a generally poor prognosis. Understanding the defining prognostic factors in both localized and metastatic diseases is vital. This study underscores age, Ki67 value, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and hormonal activity as key prognostic determinants for localized disease, offering critical insights into the complexities of ACC management and potential avenues for targeted therapeutic interventions.

Relationship between brain metastasis and thyroid transcription factor 1.

Brain metastases (BMs) are common in lung adenocarcinomas (ACs). Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF-1) is important in the diagnosis of AC. This study aimed to examine the relationship between TTF-1 and BM for the first time in literature. The data of 137 patients with AC that developed BM between 2009 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. A total of 137 patients, 120 (87.6%) male, and 17 (12.4%) female were examined. Their mean age was 59.78 ± 0.82 years. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score was 0-1 (< 2) for 39 (28.5%) patients and 2-4 (≤ 2) for 98 (71.5%). TTF-1 was positive in 100 (73%) patients and negative in 37 (27%). More than five BMs were present in 102 (74.4%) patients and less than five in 35 (25.6%). All the patients received whole-brain radiotherapy. None of the patients was suitable for surgery or radiosurgery. The median survival time was 6.4 [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.67-7.1] months. The survival time was 7 (95% CI, 5.91-8.09) months for the TTF-1 (+) patients and 5.8 (95% CI, 4.1-7.5) months for the TTF-1 (-) patients. In the univariate analysis, there was a significant relationship between survival time and age (p = 0.047), TTF-1 (p = 0.024), and ECOG performance score (p = 0.002). The multivariance analysis revealed a significant relationship between survival and TTF-1 (p = 0.034) and ECOG score (p = 0.007). We found a correlation between survival time and ECOG performance score and TTF-1. TTF-1 can be used as a biomarker to monitor prognosis in the follow-up and treatment of patients with AC that develop BM.

Retrospective Evaluation of Fulvestrant Efficacy and Clinical Results in Patients Using Fulvestrant.

AIM: Fulvestrant is a drug used in the treatment of metastatic hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (mHRPBC). Although clinical trials have shown the efficacy of fulvestrant, real-life data are limited and data from clinical trials and real-life settings sometimes may be seen differently. Therefore, we retrospectively reviewed mHRPBC patients followed in our center and taking fulvestrant to evaluate the efficacy and clinical outcomes of the drug and also to identify factors affecting the efficacy and clinical outcomes of fulvestrant. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients who were followed up with the diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer between 2010 and 2022 and using fulvestrant were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 9 [95% confidence interval (CI): 7.13-10.18] months and the median overall survival time was 28 (95% CI: 22.53-34.93) months. According to multivariate analyses, PFS was associated with age (p=0.041), body mass index (BMI) (p=0.043), brain metastasis (p=0.033), fulvestrant line (p=0.002), and use of pre-fulvestrant chemotherapy (p=0.032). CONCLUSION: Fulvestrant is an effective drug in mHRPBC. Fulvestrant is more effective in patients whose BMI index is under 30, without brain metastases, without prior chemotherapy, under 65 years of age, and used fulvestrant in the early treatment line. The efficacy of fulvestrant may vary according to age and BMI.

Real-life comparison of afatinib and erlotinib in non-small cell lung cancer with rare EGFR exon 18 and exon 20 mutations: a Turkish Oncology Group (TOG) study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the survival of first- and second-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with rare EGFR exon 18 and exon 20 mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated survival characteristics of 125 patients with EGFR exon 18 and exon 20 mutated NSCLC who received erlotinib or afatinib as first line treatment between 2012 and 2021 from 34 oncology centres. Since exon 20 insertion is associated with TKI resistance, these 18 patients were excluded from the study. RESULTS: EGFR exon 18 mutations were seen in 60%, exon 20 mutations in 16%, and complex mutations in 24% of the patients with NSCLC who were evaluated for the study. There were 75 patients in erlotinib treated arm and 50 patients in afatinib arm. Patients treated with erlotinib had progression-free survival time (PFS) of 8.0 months and PFS was 7.0 months in the afatinib arm (p = 0.869), while overall survival time (OS) was 20.0 vs 24.8 months, respectively (p = 0.190). PFS of exon 18 mutated arm was 7.0 months, exon 20 mutated arm was 4.3 months, and complex mutation positive group was 17.3 months, and this was statistically significant (p = 0.036). The longest OS was 32.5 months, seen in the complex mutations group, which was not statistically different than exon 18 and in exon 20 mutated groups (21.0 and 21.2 months, respectively) (p = 0.323). CONCLUSION: In this patient group, especially patients with complex mutations are as sensitive to EGFR TKI treatment similar to classical mutations, and in patients with rare exon 18 and exon 20 EGFR mutation both first- and second-generation EGFR-TKIs should be considered, especially as first- and second-line options.

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.

First-line treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer.

Fluoropyrimidine+cisplatin/oxaliplatin+trastuzumab therapy is recommended for the first-line treatment of HER2-positive metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma. However, there is no comprehensive study on which platinum-based treatment should be preferred. This study aimed to compare the treatment response and survival characteristics of patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancer who received fluorouracil, oxaliplatin, and leucovorin (mFOLFOX)+trastuzumab or cisplatin and fluorouracil (CF)+trastuzumab as first-line therapy. It was a multicenter, retrospective study of the Turkish Oncology Group, which included 243 patients from 21 oncology centers. There were 113 patients in the mFOLFOX+trastuzumab arm and 130 patients in the CF+trastuzumab arm. The median age was 62 years in the mFOLFOX+trastuzumab arm and 61 years in the CF+trastuzumab arm (P = 0.495). 81.4% of patients in the mFOLFOX+trastuzumab arm and 83.1% in the CF+trastuzumab arm had gastric tumor localization (P = 0.735). The median progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly higher in the mFOLFOX+trastuzumab arm (9.4 months vs. 7.3 months, P = 0.024). The median overall survival (OS) was similar in both groups (18.4 months vs. 15.1 months, P = 0.640). Maintenance trastuzumab was continued after chemotherapy in 101 patients. In this subgroup, the median OS was 23.3 months and the median PFS was 13.3 months. In conclusion, mFOLFOX+trastuzumab is similar to CF+trastuzumab in terms of the median OS, but it is more effective in terms of the median PFS in the first-line treatment of HER2-positive metastatic gastric and GEJ cancer. The choice of treatment should be made by considering the prominent toxicity findings of the chemotherapy regimens.

Efficacy and safety of folfiri plus aflibercept in second-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer: Real-life data from Turkish oncology group.

Aims: The addition of aflibercept to the fluorouracil and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) regimen significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) previously treated with oxaliplatin. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of second-line FOLFIRI and aflibercept combination in patients with metastatic CRC in real-life experience. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and thirty-three patients who treated with FOLFIRI and aflibercept in the second-line were included in the study. The clinical and pathological features of the patients were recorded retrospectively. Survival (overall and progression-free survival [PFS]), response rates, and safety data were analyzed. Results: The median age was 61. Majority of patients (87.5%) received first-line bevacizumab and 10.1% of patients received anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents. About 80% of patients had KRAS, 18.6% of patients had NRAS, and 6.4% of patients had BRAF mutations. The median OS was 11.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.6-12.6) and the median PFS was 6 months (95% CI, 5.5-6.5). About 4.6% of patients had complete response and 30.6% of patients had partial response as best tumor response. Grade 1-2 toxicities were seen in 33.4% of patients, while grade 3-4 toxicities were recorded in 27% of patients. Eight patients (2%) died due to treatment toxicity. Conclusions: Overall and PFS were similar in routine clinical practice compared to phase III pivotal VELOUR trial. However, response rates were found to be higher. It was observed that there were fewer adverse events compared to the VELOUR trial.

Demographical and Clinical Features of Marginal Zone Lymphomas: A Retrospective Study of Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

Marginal zone lymphomas (MZLs) are rare and indolent subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphomas, and their clinical behaviours are heterogeneous. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and prognostic characteristics of MZL. In this multicentre retrospective study, we analyzed demographical, clinical and prognostic features of 64 MZL patients. The median age was 54.0 and 78.1% of the patients had extra-nodal disease at presentation. Most of the patients were treated with chemotherapy. The 5 years and 10 years overall survival (OS) rates were 74.5% and 62.1%, respectively. The analysis of factors associated with OS showed that ECOG performance score was an important prognostic factor, with 133.0 months (95% CI 49.3-216.5) versus 18.0 months (95% CI 12.1-23.7) for ECOG 0-1 and 2-3, respectively (p = 0.011). Prognosis of MZL is favorable and ECOG performance score was found associated with OS. Further detailed studies with large patient numbers are needed to clarify the clinical features and treatment management of MZLs.

Does primary tumor localization has prognostic importance in seminoma patients?: Turkish Oncology Group Study.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether primary tumor localization may be a risk factor for relapse and survival in seminomatous germ cell tumors (GCT) patients. METHODS: In our study, 612 seminomatous GCT patients diagnosed in 22 centers between 01.01.1989 and 03.02.2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Patient interview information, patient files and electronic system data were used for the study. RESULTS: The primary tumor was localized in the right testis in 305 (49.9%) patients and in 307 (50.1%) in the left testis. Mean age of the patients was 36 years (range 16-85±10.4). The median follow-up period was 47 months (1-298). Recurrence was observed in 78 (12.7%) patients and 29 (4.7%) died during the follow-up period. Four-year overall survival (OS) was 95.4% and 4-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 84.5%. The relationship between localization and relapse was significant in 197 patients with stage 2 and stage 3 (p=0.003). In this patient group, 41 (20.8%) relapses were observed. Thirty (73.2%) of the relapses were in the right testis and 11 (26.8%) in the left testis. Four-year OS was 92.1% in patients with right tumor; and 98.7% in patients with left tumor (p=0.007). When 612 patients were evaluated with a mean follow-up of 4 years, there was a 6.6% survival advantage in patients with left testicular tumor and this difference was significant (p=0.007). CONCLUSION: Survival rates of patients with primary right testicular localization were worse compared with left testicular localization, and relapse rates were higher in stage 2 and 3 patients with right testicular localization.

Retrospective evaluation of patients diagnosed solid pseudopapillary neoplasms of the pancreas.

PURPOSE: Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) is a rare, low-grade neoplasm with excellent prognosis. In this study, we evaluated clinicopathological characteristics of patients diagnosed with SPN retrospectively. METHODS: This is a retrospective study intended to characterize patients with the diagnosis of SPN between 2005 and 2015. Clinicopathological features, recurrence rate, and overall survival of 28 patients were recorded. Malignant SPN criteria were defined as the presence of distant metastasis (developed at diagnosis or during follow up) or lymph node involvement. RESULTS: The mean age at diagnosis was 42 (range: 17-41). Among patients, 82% (n = 23) were female and 17.9% (n = 5) were male. The mean size of tumor was 5.81 cm (range: 2-15). The mean follow up period was 55.6 months, 1-year survival was 96.5% and 5-year survival rate was 88%. A total of 25 patients were alive at the end of follow-up period and 3 of the patients became exitus due to disease. Two patients had a metastatic presentation in livers at the diagnosis and metastasis developed in 3 patients during follow-up (liver of 1 patient, peritoneum in 1 patient and liver and peritoneum in 1 patient). The reason of admission was headache in 68% patients. The type of operation was frequently subtotal pancreatectomy (n = 11, 39.3%) and distal pancreatectomy (n = 10, 35.7%). Tumors were located frequently in body and tail regions (n = 18, 64.3%) and the number of patients with malignant criteria was 6 (21.4%). Although the mean age of malignant patients was significantly higher than benign patients (P = 0.046), there was no significant difference between 2 groups in terms of gender, tumor size, capsule invasion, perineural invasion, vascular invasion, and margin status. CONCLUSION: SPN is a rarely seen tumor with low malignity potential. Surgical resection provides long-term survival rate even in local invasion or metastasis conditions.

A retrospective analysis on first-line bevacizumab, cetuximab, and panitimumab-containing regimens in patients with RAS-wild metastatic colorectal cancer: A Collaborative Study by Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

PURPOSE: To compare the efficacy and adverse effect profiles of the first-line treatment of patients with KRAS wild type metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) in Turkey who were treated based on regimens including bevacizumab, cetuximab and panitumumab. METHODS: This retrospective multicenter observational study involved a total of 238 patients who received chemotherapy in combination with either bevacizumab or cetuximab or panitumumab as first-line therapy for KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients with full medical records having pathological diagnosis of CRC adenocarcinoma were included in the study. The demographic, laboratory, histopathological and clinical characteristics of the patients were determined, and three groups were compared based on the study variables. RESULTS: The mean age of the entire sample (n=238) was 58±11 years, 64% of which were male. The most frequent tumor localization was the rectum (37%) and G2 was the most common tumor grade (59.7%). About 63% of the patients had metastatic disease at diagnosis, with the most common site of metastasis being lung (14.7%) and liver (52.5%). Overall survival (OS) was 63.9%, while 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 91.7, 56.6 and 36.9%, respectively. The expected mean survival was 49.1 months (95% CI, 42.9-55.3). The 1-, 3- and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates following first-line treatment were 65.3, 26.1 and 5.6%, respectively, while disease free survival (DFS) in patients without metastasis at diagnosis was 68.5%. An analysis carried out disregarding which treatment the patients received (FOLFOX or FOLFIRI) revealed that a panitumumab-containing combination resulted in poorer prognosis compared to bevacizumab or cetuximab-containing combination (p<0.001). With regard to the adverse effect profile, the most common adverse effects were neuropathy and neutropenia in patients receiving FOLFOX-bevacizumab; neutropenia and perforation in patients receiving FOLFIRI-bevacizumab; rash and pustular infection in patients receiving FOLFIRI-cetuximab; and diarrhea in patients who received FOLFIRI-panitumumab combination. CONCLUSION: This is the first multicenter study performed in Turkey evaluating the response to treatment and adverse effects in patients with KRAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer.