Retrospective Analyses of PD-L1, LAG-3, TIM-3, OX40L Expressions and MSI Status in Gastroenteropancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms.

We investigated expressions of PD-L1, LAG-3, TIM-3, and OX40L as immune checkpoint proteins, and MSI (repetitive short-DNA-sequences due to defective DNA-repair system) status were analyzed with immunohistochemistry from tissue blocks. Of 83 patients, PD-L1 expression was observed in 18.1% (n = 15) of the patients. None of the patients exhibited LAG-3 expression. TIM-3 expression was 4.9% (n = 4), OX40L was 22.9% (n = 19), and 8.4% (n = 7) of the patients had MSI tumor. A low-to-intermediate positive correlation was observed between PD-L1 and TIM-3 expressions (rho: 0.333, p < 0.01). Although PD-L1 expression was higher in grade 3 NET/NEC, MSI status was prominent in grade 1/2 NET.

Niraparib-induced pure red cell aplasia.

INTRODUCTION: Niraparib, a strong poly(adenosine diphosphate-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, contributed significantly to progression-free survival as a maintenance therapy in the platinum-sensitive period in both first-line and recurrent ovarian cancer, regardless of the BRCA mutation. Grade 3-4 anemia, which has a manageable side effect profile, especially hematological, is seen in almost 1 out of every 4 patients. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no reported case of pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) induced by niraparib treatment. CASE REPORT: A 65-year-old woman diagnosed with stage 3 serous carcinoma of the tuba received niraparib front-line maintenance treatment had grade 4 anemia after 3 months of niraparib treatment. She underwent bone marrow aspiration and biopsy because of refractory anemia, which needs red blood cell (RBC) transfusions despite interruption of treatment. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: The patient was treated with 1 mg/kg methyl prednisolone, after histopathological assessment was consistent with PRCA. The hemoglobin count returned to the normal range with steroid treatment. DISCUSSION: In daily practice, it should be kept in mind that in the case of refractory anemia induced by niraparib, the underlying cause might be PRCA and can be improved with steroid administration.

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

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

Efficacy of Capecitabine and Temozolomide Regimen in Neuroendocrine Tumors: Data From the Turkish Oncology Group.

INTRODUCTION: This study aims to report the efficacy and safety of capecitabine plus temozolomide (CAPTEM) across different lines of treatment in patients with metastatic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). METHODS: We conducted a multicenter retrospective study analyzing the data of 308 patients with metastatic NETs treated with CAPTEM between 2010 and 2022 in 34 different hospitals across various regions of Turkey. RESULTS: The median follow-up time was 41.0 months (range: 1.7-212.1), and the median age was 53 years (range: 22-79). Our results across the entire patient cohort showed a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 10.6 months and a median overall survival (OS) of 60.4 months. First-line CAPTEM treatment appeared more effective, with a median PFS of 16.1 months and a median OS of 105.8 months (median PFS 16.1, 7.9, and 9.6 months in first-, second- and ≥third-line respectively, P = .01; with median OS values of 105.8, 47.2, and 24.1 months, respectively, P = .003) In terms of ORR, the first-line treatment again performed better, resulting in an ORR of 54.7% compared to 33.3% and 30.0% in the second and third or higher lines, respectively (P < .001). Grade 3-4 side effects occurred only in 22.5% of the patients, leading to a discontinuation rate of 9.5%. Despite the differences in outcomes based on treatment line, we did not observe a significant difference in terms of side effects between the first and subsequent lines of treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The substantial superior outcomes in patients receiving first-line CAPTEM treatment highlight its potential as an effective treatment strategy for patients with metastatic NET.

Comparison of PD-L1 and VISTA expression status in primary and recurrent/refractory tissue after (chemo)radiotherapy in head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND: PD-L1 and VISTA are thought to play a role in escape from the immune system, tumor progression, and treatment response in tumoral tissue. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of radiotherapy (RT) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) on PD-L1 and VISTA expression in head and neck cancers. METHODS: PD-L1 and VISTA expression were compared between the primary biopsy taken at the time of diagnosis and refractory tissue biopsies of patients who received definitive CRT or recurrent tissue biopsies of patients who had surgery followed by adjuvant RT or CRT. RESULTS: In total, 47 patients were included. Radiotherapy had no effect on the expression levels of PD-L1 and VISTA in patients with head and neck cancer (p = 0.542 and p = 0.425, respectively). A positive correlation was found between PD-L1 and VISTA expression (p < 0.001; r = 0.560). PD-L1 and VISTA expression in the first biopsy were found to be significantly higher in clinical lymph node-positive patients compared to node-negative patients (PD-L1 p = 0.038; VISTA p = 0.018). The median overall survival of patients with ≥ 1% VISTA expression in the initial biopsy was significantly shorter than that of patients with < 1% VISTA expression (52.4 vs. 110.1 months, respectively; p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: It was found that PD-L1 and VISTA expression did not change with RT or CRT. Further studies are needed to evaluate the relationship of PD-L1 and VISTA expression with RT and CRT.

The role of spleen volume change in predicting immunotherapy response in metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) is a significant issue in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), as it is in the majority of cancer types. An important deficiency in immunooncology today is the lack of a predictive factor to identify this patient group. Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) are a type of cell that contributes to immunotherapy resistance by inhibiting T cell activity. While it accumulates in the tumor microenvironment and blood, it can also accumulate in lymphoid organs such as the spleen and cause splenomegaly. Therefore we aimed to evaluate the effect of increase in splenic volume, which can be considered as an indirect indicator of increased MDSC cells, on survival outcomes in mRCC patients. METHODS: We analyzed 45 patients with mRCC who received nivolumab as a second-line or subsequent therapy. Splenic volume was analyzed from baseline imaging before starting nivolumab and from control imaging performed within the first 6 months of treatment initiation. Additionally, we analyzed how patients' body mass index (BMI), IMDC risk score, ECOG performance status, nephrectomy status, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), Platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and sites of metastasis. RESULTS: Median splenic volume change was 10% (ranging from - 22% to + 117%) during follow-up. Change in splenic volume was found to be associated with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.025, 0.04). The median PFS in patients with increased splenic volume was 5 months, while it was 17 months in patients without increased splenic volume. (HR 2.1, 95% CI (1-4), p = 0.04). The median OS in patients with increased splenic volume was 9 months, while it was 35 months in patients without increased splenic volume (HR 2.7, 95% CI (1.1-6.2), p = 0.025). In four patients with decreased splenic volume, neither PFS nor OS could reach the median value. Log-rank p value in respectively (0.015, 0.035), The group in which an increase in volume was accompanied by a high NLR had the shortest survival rate. Basal splenic volume was analyzed separately. However, neither PFS nor OS differed significantly. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the change in splenic volume throughout immunotherapy regimens may be utilized to predict PFS and OS in mRCC patients undergoing treatment.

Effects of Sarcopenia, Myosteatosis, and the Prognostic Nutritional Index on Survival in Stage 2 and 3 Gastric Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the relationship between sarcopenia, myosteatosis, and systemic inflammatory response biomarkers and their prognostic role in stage 2 and 3 gastric cancer patients. METHODS: This study included 84 patients with stage 2 or 3 gastric cancer who underwent a gastrectomy. Computed tomography scans were used to determine the skeletal muscle index (SMI) at the third lumbar vertebra level for sarcopenia and myosteatosis. RESULTS: Based on the Asian Working Group of Sarcopenia (AWGS2019) criteria, the sarcopenia incidence was 36.9% and that of myosteatosis 46.4%. Univariate analysis showed that sarcopenia (48 vs. 14 mo, p < 0.001), myosteatosis (45 vs. 16 mo, p = 0.016), a low prognostic nutritional index (60 vs. 15 mo, p = 0.003), stage 3 (104 vs. 21 mo, p = 0.013), and old age (45 vs. 16 mo, p = 0.015) were poor prognostic markers. Multivariate analysis revealed that sarcopenia (AWGS2019), age, and stage significantly affected overall survival (hazard ratio: 3.31, 95% CI: 1.85-5.1; 1.96, 95% CI: 1.06-6.63; 2.5, 95% CI: 1.2-5.1, respectively). CONCLUSION: We showed that sarcopenia directly affects overall gastric cancer survival.

Greater financial toxicity correlates with increased psychological distress and lower quality of life among Turkish cancer patients.

PURPOSE: This study aims to investigate the factors that influence financial toxicity and its effects on both quality of life and psychological distress in Turkish cancer patients. METHODS: Data from 400 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy at a public university in Turkey was analyzed. The Comprehensive Score for Financial Toxicity (COST), Patient Health Questionnaire for Depression and Anxiety (PHQ-4), and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General (FACT-G) were used to measure financial toxicity, psychological distress, and health quality of life, respectively. RESULTS: Patients' median COST score was 22 (SD = 10.1; range: 1-44) and was consistent with mild financial toxicity. Financial toxicity was associated with lower education level (p < 0.001), lower monthly income (p < 0.001), being a woman (p = 0.021), living in another city (p = 0.012), and previous cancer surgery (p = 0.02). A negative and statistically significant correlation was found between financial toxicity and quality of life (r = - 0.139; p = 0.005) and psychological distress (r = - 0.398; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This investigation demonstrated that financial toxicity was a significant determinant of quality of life and psychological distress.

Long-term follow-up results of surgically treated patients with foraminal and far lateral disc herniations.

PURPOSE: Foraminal and far lateral disc herniations are rarer cause of nerve root compression. There are reports regarding the outcome, however long-term follow-up results of surgically treated patients are few. The purpose of this retrospective study is to analyze the clinical characteristics and long-term surgical outcomes of the foraminal and far lateral disc herniations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 114 patients who underwent an operation for foraminal and far lateral disc herniaitions were reviewed. Visual analogue scale of back and leg pain, the ocurrence of motor deficit and sensory dysesthesia before and after operations were used to compare the results of early and long-term outcome. RESULTS: A total of 114 telephone interviews were conducted. The mean follow up was 134 months. Complete relief of symptoms were reported by 77 patients (67.1%). The average VAS of radicular leg pain was 7.5 Post-operatively the average VAS of radicular pain decreased to 2.2. Preoperatively, 9 patients (7.6%) had motor deficit and 17 (14.4%) patients had sensory dysesthesia. Post-operatively 9 (100%) of the patients showed motor, and 12 (70.6%) of the patients showed sensory improvement. In 17 patients with hypoesthesia the complaints continued during 2 weeks to 6 months. They were given gabapentin as medical treatment, however 5 of these patients still have sensory dysesthesia. The outcome was: 67.1% excellent (77 patients), 26.3% good (30 patients), 6.1% fair (7 patients). CONCLUSION: The far lateral approach is a minimally invasive and safe procedure with low complication rates.

The possible relation between temporal muscle mass and glioblastoma multiforme prognosis via sarcopenia perspective.

BACKGROUND: The optimal sarcopenia measurement method in patients with a diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is unknown. It has been found that temporal muscle thickness (TMT) may reflect sarcopenia and be associated with survival, but the relationship between temporal muscle area (TMA) and GBM prognosis has never been evaluated before. The primary outcome of the study was to evaluate the relationship between TMA/TMT and overall survival (OS) time in newly diagnosed GBM patients. METHODS: The data of patients who presented at the university hospital between January 2009 and January 2019 with a confirmed diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme at the time of diagnosis were analyzed retrospectively. Temporal muscle thickness and TMA were measured retrospectively from preoperative MRIs of patients diagnosed with GBM. Due to the small number of patients and the failure to determine a cut-off value with acceptable sensitivity and specificity using ROC analysis, the median values were chosen as the cut-off value. The patients were basically divided into two according to their median TMT (6.6 mm) or TMA (452 mm2 ) values, and survival analysis was performed with the Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: The median TMT value was 6.6 mm, and the median TMA value was 452 mm2 . The median overall survival (OS) was calculated as 25.8 months in patients with TMT < 6.6 mm, and 15.8 months in patients with TMT ≥ 6.6 mm (p = 0.29). The median overall survival (OS) of patients with TMA < 452mm2 was 26.3 months, and the group with TMA ≥ 452mm2 was 14.6 months (p = 0.06). The median disease-free survival was 18.3 months (%95 CI: 13.2-23.4) in patients with TMT < 6.6mm, while mDFS was 10.9 (%95 CI: 8.0-13.8) months in patients with TMT ≥ 6.6mm (p = 0.21). The median disease-free survival was found to be 21.0 months (%95 CI: 15.8-26.1) in patients with TMA < 452 mm2 and 10.5 months (%95 CI: 7.8-13.2) in patients with TMA ≥ 452 mm2 (p = 0.018). DISCUSSION: No association could be demonstrated between TMT or TMA and OS of GBM patients. In addition, the median DFS was found to be longer in patients with low TMA. There is an unmet need to determine the optimal method of sarcopenia in GBM patients.

Does docetaxel matter in metastatic gastric cancer? FOLFOX versus FLOT regimens as first-line treatment.

We aimed to compare the efficacy and the safety of the FOLFOX and the FLOT regimens in metastatic gastric cancer (mGC) as first-line treatment. It was a retrospective multicenter observational study. The comparisons between groups were conducted in terms of progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR) and hematologic adverse events. Seventy-nine patients, diagnosed with mGC between March 2012 and December 2019, treated with FOLFOX (n = 43) or FLOT (n = 36) regimens as first-line treatment were included in the study. The mPFS was 10.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI), 5.8-16.1] in the FLOT arm and 7.1 months (95% CI, 5.1-9.1) in the FOLFOX arm (P < 0.001). The ORR was 63.9% in the FLOT arm and 30.2% in the FOLFOX arm (P = 0.003). The mOS was 13.3 months (95% CI, 11.3-15.4) in the FLOT arm and 10.9 months (95% CI, 8.2-13.5) in the FOLFOX arm (P = 0.103). The hematologic adverse events in all grades were 88.4% (n = 38) in the FOLFOX arm compared with 80.6% (n = 29) in the FLOT arm (P = 0.335). The FLOT regimen might be a preferred option in mGC with an improved PFS and ORR compared with the FOLFOX regimen.

Clinical and laboratory outcomes of the solid cancer patients reinfected with SARS-CoV-2.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to evaluate the clinical and laboratory outcomes of solid cancer patients who were reinfected with COVID-19. Methods: Patients who were tested negative on the COVID-19 PCR test and those with improved clinical conditions after infection with COVID-19 were enrolled in this study. Patients who received a positive COVID-19 PCR test 28 days after the initial positive PCR test were considered as reinfected. Results: A total of 1024 patients with the diagnosis of solid malignancy and COVID-19 PCR positivity were examined. The reinfection rate was 3.1%. Mortality rate of reinfection was 34.3%. The serum ferritin and creatinine values in reinfection were found to be significantly higher than the first infection (respectively; p = 0.015, p = 0.014). Conclusion: This study has demonstrated one of the first preliminary clinical results of COVID-19 reinfection in solid cancer patients.

Plain language summary Solid cancer patients are at a higher risk than general population in terms of COVID-19 infectivity and COVID-19-associated death and disease. It is also known that COVID-19 infection has a more severe course in immunocompromised patients. Solid cancer patients may be a vulnerable subgroup of patients to reinfection with COVID-19. The rate of reinfection was 3.1% (n = 32) in our study population of 1024 solid cancer patients who were tested positive on a COVID-19 PCR test. The death rate of the patients with solid cancer was 34.3% (n = 11). In addition, we demonstrated that intensive care follow-up is significantly longer during the reinfection period. It was demonstrated that the time between the last dose of chemotherapy for the patients and the reinfection COVID PCR positivity did not affect the death rate. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people's daily lives and treatments in many aspects. Owing to the high death rate of reinfection, even if cancer patients have reinfection, our approach is to continue cancer treatment as soon as the patient is cured. Finally, we support the priority vaccination of cancer patients.

Current status of biosimilars in Turkey: A survey among medical oncologists.

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate biosimilar understanding and preference trends of medical oncologists in Turkey. METHODS: A survey consisting of 24 multiple-choice questions with checkbox answers was conducted among medical oncologists. The questionnaire was divided into five parts to some intentions: demographic characteristics, general knowledge about biosimilars, knowledge about local approval and reimbursement issues, individual preference trends, and ranking the knowledge of their own. All answers were analyzed as whole cohort, specialists and fellows. RESULTS: Fellows (n = 47) consisted 42%, and academic clinicians (n = 37) consisted 35% of the participants. In the whole cohort, the overall rate of correct answers was 55.1% in the general knowledge about the biosimilars part, and 26.7% in the local approval and reimbursement issues part. At all, 57.7% of the participants declared that they object to switch from a reference product to a biosimilar product. The rate of those who defined themselves as extremely knowledgeable decreased from 8.1% to 2.7% in the whole cohort at the end of the survey. CONCLUSION: The need for more accurate and clarified local regulations and education emerging in the biotechnology era must be met.

Retrospective comparison of flot and modified dcf as first-line chemotherapy in metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to compare the efficacy and the safety of the FLOT and the modified DCF (mDCF) regimens in patients with metastatic gastric (GC) and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) adenocarcinoma as first-line treatment. METHODS: The medical records of 72 patients were retrospectively reviewed. Survivals and hematological adverse events of the patients were examined. Factors affecting survivals were analyzed in univariate analysis. A multivariate analysis was performed with the factors contributing to survivals in univariate analysis. RESULTS: The median PFS (mPFS) was 10.1 months (95% CI, 6.8-13.4) in the FLOT arm (n = 33) and 7.4 months (95% CI, 9.1-21.6) in the mDCF arm (n = 39) (p = 0.041). The median OS (mOS) was 12.9 months (95% CI, 9.7-16.1) in the FLOT arm and 15.4 months (95% CI, 9.1-21.6) in the mDCF arm (p = 0.622). It was found that all grade neutropenia was 51.3% vs. 72.7% (p = 0.063), febrile neutropenia was 8.3% vs. 6.3% (p = 0.743), and thrombocytopenia was 48.7% vs. 51.5% (p = 0.813) in the FLOT and mDCF arms, respectively. Anemia was 59% in the FLOT arm and 100% in the mDCF arm (p < 0.001). Grade 3-4 anemia was 7.7% in the FLOT arm and 24.2% in the mDCF arm (p = 0.052). DISCUSSION: It was shown that the mPFS was significantly increased in the FLOT arm compared to the mDCF arm as the first-line treatment in patients with metastatic GC and GEJC. Hematological adverse events were more favorable in the FLOT arm than in the mDCF arm.

Prognostic factors of perioperative FLOT regimen in operable gastric and gastroesophageal junction tumors: real-life data (Turkish Oncology Group).

BACKGROUND: Perioperative FLOT regimen is a standard of care in locally advanced operable gastric and GEJ adenocarcinoma. We aimed to determine the efficacy, prognostic factors of perioperative FLOT chemotherapy in real-life gastric and GEJ tumors. METHODS: The data of patients who were treated with perioperative FLOT chemotherapy were retrospectively analyzed from 34 different oncology centers in Turkey. Baseline clinical and demographic characteristics, pretreatment laboratory values, histological and molecular characteristics were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 441 patients were included in the study. The median of age our study population was 60 years. The majority of patients with radiological staging were cT3-4N(+) (89.9%, n = 338). After median 13.5 months (IQR: 8.5-20.5) follow-up, the median overall survival was NR (95% CI, NR to NR), and median disease free survival was 22.9 (95% CI, 18.6 to 27.3) months. The estimated overall survival at 24 months was 62%. Complete pathological response (pCR) and near pCR was achieved in 23.8% of all patients. Patients with lower NLR or PLR have significantly longer median OS (p = 0.007 and p = 0.033, respectively), and patients with lower NLR have significantly longer median DFS (p = 0.039), but PLR level did not affect DFS (p = 0.062). The OS and DFS of patients with better ECOG performance scores and those who could receive FLOT as adjuvant chemotherapy instead of other regimens were found to be better. NLR was found to be independent prognostic factor for OS in the multivariant analysis. At least one adverse event reported in 57.6% of the patients and grade 3-4 toxicity was seen in 23.6% patients. DISCUSSION: Real-life perioperative FLOT regimen in operable gastric and GEJ tumors showed similar oncologic outcomes compared to clinical trials. Better performance status, receiving adjuvant chemotherapy as same regimen, low grade and low NLR and PLR improved outcomes in real-life. However, in multivariate analysis, only NLR affected OS.

Clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with solid tumors: Turkish National Registry Data.

We present demographic, clinical, laboratory characteristics and outcomes of the patients with solid malignancies and novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) collected from the National COVID-19 Registry of Turkey. A total of 1523 patients with a current or past diagnosis of solid tumors and diagnosed with COVID-19 (confirmed with PCR) between 11 March and 20 May 2020 were included. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality. Median age was 61 (range: 18-94), and 752 (49%) were male. The most common types of cancers were breast (19.8%), prostate (10.9%) and colorectal cancer (10.8%). 65% of the patients had at least one comorbidity. At least one COVID-19-directed therapy was given in 73% of the patients.. Hospitalization rate of the patients was 56.6% and intensive care unit admission rate was 11.4%. Seventy-seven (5.1%) patients died within 30 days of diagnosis. The first multivariate model which included only the demographic and clinical characteristics showed older age, male gender and presence of diabetes and receipt of cytotoxic therapy to be associated with increased 30-day mortality, while breast and prostate cancer diagnoses were associated with lower 30-day mortality. In the second set, we further included laboratory parameters. The presence of leukocytosis (OR 6.7, 95% CI 3.3-13.7, P < .001), lymphocytopenia (OR 3,1, 95% CI 1,6-6,1, P = .001) and thrombocytopenia (OR 3,4 95% CI 1,5-8,1, P = .005) were found to be associated with increased 30-day mortality. Relatively lower mortality compared to Western countries and China mainly results from differences in baseline risk factors but may also implicate the importance of intensive supportive care.

Immunogenicity and safety of the CoronaVac vaccine in patients with cancer receiving active systemic therapy.

Aim: To evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of the CoronaVac vaccine in patients with cancer receiving active systemic therapy. Methods: This multicenter, prospective, observational study was conducted with 47 patients receiving active systemic therapy for cancer. CoronaVac was administered as two doses (3 µg/day) on days 0 and 28. Antibody level higher than 1 IU/ml was defined as 'immunogenicity.' Results: The immunogenicity rate was 63.8% (30/47) in the entire patient group, 59.5% (25/42) in those receiving at least one cytotoxic drug and 100% (five of five) in those receiving monoclonal antibody or immunotherapy alone. Age was an independent predictive factor for immunogenicity (odds ratio: 0.830; p = 0.043). Conclusion: More than half of cancer patients receiving active systemic therapy developed immunogenicity.

Effect of serum uric acid level and Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer risk score on febrile neutropenia mortality.

PURPOSE: The study was aimed to evaluate the effect of uric acid (UA) on the 30-day mortality of patients admitted to the tertiary referral hospital with a complaint of febrile neutropenia (FEN). The secondary aim was to evaluate the use of combining serum UA levels with the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) risk score. METHODS: A retrospective study in which the MASCC score and serum UA levels were used to evaluate the mortality risk within 30 days among patients with FEN. RESULTS: A total of 118 FEN episodes were included in the study and 17 (14%) of these patients died. While this rate is 23% in the high-risk group according to the MASCC score, it is 7% in the low-risk group (p = 0.011). In multivariate analysis of the parameters that significantly affect the 30-day FEN mortality, MASCC risk score (OR, 4.28; CI 95% 1.19-15.39, p = 0.013) and having a level of serum UA > 7 mg/dL (OR, 4.46; CI 95% 1.19-15.38, p = 0.032) was significantly increased the risk of in 30-day mortality of FEN. The rate of 30-day mortality of FEN was 0% in patients with a low MASCC risk score and UA level compared with 50% in the high MASCC risk score and high UA level group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Increased level of UA at the time of FEN diagnosis was independently associated with an increased rate of 30-day mortality of FEN. The combination of the MASCC risk score and serum UA level might thoroughly predict the 30-day mortality of FEN.

The role of serum albumin/globulin ratio in combination with prognostic risk indexes of febrile neutropenia.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the serum albumin/globulin ratio (AGR) on the 30-day mortality of febrile neutropenia (FEN). The second aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the combination of the AGR with the Multinational Association for Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and Clinical Index of Stable Febrile Neutropenia (CISNE) risk indexes on 30-day mortality of FEN. METHODS: A retrospective study evaluating the effect of serum AGR, MASCC and CISNE scores on 30-day FEN mortality. RESULTS: A total of 137 FEN episodes in 120 patients were included in this study. Nineteen patients (14%) died within the first 30 days of FEN episodes. The 30-day mortality rate was calculated as 4% in patients with high AGR and 23% in patients with low AGR (P = .002). According to the MASCC and CISNE risk scores, the mortality rates in low-risk patients were 8% and 6%, respectively, and in the high-risk group 22% and 29%, respectively (P = .024 vs P < .001). In the group of patients with MASCC <21 and CISNE ≥3, the 30-day mortality rate was 7%, when the AGR was >1.13, and in those with AGR ≤1.13 mortality rate increased to 50% (P = .012). CONCLUSION: A low AGR in a patient with FEN was found to be associated with an increased risk of 30-day mortality. Combining the AGR with MASCC and CISNE risk indexes might increase the predictive value of these scoring systems on 30-day mortality.