Atezolizumab Lung Toxicity and Importance of Combination Treatment: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer is one of the most common and mortal cancers worldwide. According to pathological and clinical groups, treatments vary, and a tailored approach is considered. Adjuvant therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiation, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), are recommended by recent guidelines for patients with locally advanced cancer. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to report the case of a patient with stage 2B squamous cell lung carcinoma who was managed for pulmonary toxicity after receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and atezolizumab treatment. CASE REPORT: A 66-year-old male patient received chemotherapy and immunotherapy after surgery for squamous cell lung cancer. A diagnosis of atezolizumab-associated pneumonitis was made using laboratory tests and imaging due to the patient's worsening dyspnea after treatment. Due to the patient's rapid progression, pulse steroid and MMF therapy were administered concurrently. When Klebsiella pneumoniae growth was detected in the sputum culture during the follow-up, IVIg was used to supplement the medication. The patient showed significant clinical and radiological improvement. CONCLUSION: In this study, we present an atezolizumab-induced pneumonitis case of a squamous cell lung cancer patient. It may be life-saving not to avoid aggressive treatment approaches by combining the steps of guideline recommendations in patients with rapidly progressive pneumonitis.

How reliable is the high-volume definition in prostate cancer patients: the potential game-changing role of PSMA.

PURPOSE: To evaluate whether metabolic and volumetric data from 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT performed during staging of de-novo high-volume mCSPC patients who received docetaxel could be used to predict survival. METHODS: Forty-two de-novo high-volume mCSPC patients, who received ADT + Docetaxel and underwent 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT for staging, were included in the study. The association between patients' pathological data, all PSA measurements, treatments they received, the data obtained from 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT and progression-free and overall survival were examined. RESULTS: In the multivariate analysis, PSMA-TV (primary) and PSMA-TV (WB) variables were shown to be independent negative predictors of overall survival. For the threshold value of 19.91 cm 3 obtained for PSMA-TV (primary), HR was calculated as 6.31, the 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-39.18, P = 0.048. For the threshold value of 1226.5 cm 3 obtained for PSMA-TV (WB) variable, HR was calculated as 58.62, the 95% CI: 2.55-1344.43, P = 0.011. In our study, SUVmax (WB) variable was found to be an independent and negative predictor of progression-free survival. For the determined threshold value of 17.74, HR was calculated as 16.24, 95% CI: 1.18-22.76, P = 0.037. CONCLUSION: Metabolic and volumetric data obtained from 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT can be used to predict survival in de-novo high-volume mCSPC. Our results show that in ADT + Docetaxel receiving patients, a subgroup with higher PSMA-TV (WB) values have a significantly worse prognosis. This situation suggests that the high-volume disease definition in the literature may be insufficient for this group, and that 68 Ga-PSMA PET/CT can play an essential role in demonstrating the heterogeneity within the group.

Clinical Features and Prognostic Factors of Metastatic Non-Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Study from the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to evaluate clinical features, prognostic factors, and treatment preferences in patients with non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC). METHODS: Patients with metastatic nccRCC were selected from the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium (TKCC) database. Clinical features, prognostic factors, and overall survival (OS) outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients diagnosed with nccRCC were included in this study. The median age at diagnosis was 62 years (interquartile range: 56-69). Papillary (57.6%) and chromophobe tumors (12.7%) are common histologic subtypes. Sarcomatoid differentiation was present in 19.5% of all patients. When the patients were categorized according to the International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk scores, 66.9% of the patients were found to be in the intermediate or poor risk group. Approximately half of the patients (55.9%) received interferon in the first line. At the median follow-up of 53.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 34.7-71.8), the median OS was 19.3 months (95% CI: 14.1-24.5). In multivariate analysis, lung metastasis (hazard ratio [HR]:2.22, 95% CI: 1.23-3.99) and IMDC risk score (HR: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.01-5.44 for intermediate risk; HR: 8.86, 95% CI: 3.47-22.61 for poor risk) were found to be independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: In this study, survival outcomes are consistent with previous studies. The IMDC risk score and lung metastasis are the independent prognostic factors for OS. This is an area that needs research to better treat this group of patients and create new treatment options.

Serum fetuin-A and RANKL levels in patients with early stage breast cancer.

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the primary cause of mortality due to cancer in females around the world. Fetuin-A is known to increase metastases over signals and peroxisomes related with growing. Receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL) takes part in cell adhesion, and RANKL inhibition is used in the management of cancer. We aimed to examine the relationship between serum fetuin-A, RANKL levels, other laboratory parameters and clinical findings in women diagnosed with early stage BC, in our population. Methods: Women having early stage BC (n=117) met our study inclusion criteria as they had no any anti-cancer therapy before. Thirty-seven healthy women controls were also confirmed with breast examination and ultrasonography and/or mammography according to their ages. Serum samples were stored at -80°C and analysed via ELISA. Results: Median age of the patients was 53 (range: 57-86) while it was 47 (range: 23-74) in the healthy group. Patients had lower high-density lipoprotein levels (p=0.002) and higher neutrophil counts (p=0.014). Fetuin-A and RANKL levels did not differ between the groups (p=0.116 and p=0.439, respectively) but RANKL leves were found to be lower in the favorable histological subtypes (p=0.04). Conclusions: In this study, we found no correlation between serum fetuin-A levels and clinical findings in patients diagnosed with early stage BC. However, RANKL levels are found to be lower in subgroups with favorable histopathologic subtypes such as tubular, papillary and mucinous BC and there was statistically significant difference.

External Validation of a Novel Risk Model in Patients With Favorable Risk Renal Cell Carcinoma Defined by International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC): Results From the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium (TKCC) Database.

BACKGROUND: A novel prognostic model was recommended for patients with metastatic RCC (mRCC) by the International mRCC Database Consortium (IMDC). In this study, we aimed to externally validate a novel risk model for the IMDC-favorable risk group in patients with mRCC. METHODS: The Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium (TKCC) is a multicenter registry that includes 13 cancer centers in Turkey. As described by Schmidt et al., 3 parameters (ie, time from diagnosis to systemic therapy <3 vs. ≥3 years, Karnofsky Performance Status [KPS] 80 vs. >80, and the presence of brain, liver, or bone metastasis) were used to divide the IMDC favorable risk group into 2 new categories: very favorable and favorable risk groups. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Time to treatment failure (TTF) and objective response rate (ORR) in the very favorable and favorable risk groups were the secondary endpoints. RESULTS: A total of 545 patients with mRCC from all IMDC risk groups and 112 patients from the favorable risk group were included in this study. According to the novel classification model, 44 (39.3%) and 68 (60.7%) patients with former favorable risk were categorized into very favorable and favorable risk groups, respectively. The median OS (55.8 months vs. 34.2 months, P = .025) and TTF (25.5 months vs. 15.5 months, P = .010) were longer in the very favorable risk group than in the favorable risk group. The concordance index of the new IMDC model in all patients was 0.65 for OS. Despite the higher ORR in the very favorable risk group than in the favorable risk group, the difference between the groups was not statistically significant (52.4% vs. 44.7, P = .573). CONCLUSIONS: This was the first study to externally validate the novel IMDC risk model presented in the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium 2021.

The relationship between systemic immune inflammation index and survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinomatreated withtyrosine kinase inhibitors.

This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII)and its impact on survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). A total of 706patients with mRCC treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs)between January 2007 and June 2020 (i.e., sunitinib, pazopanib) were included in this study. SII was calculated in 621 patients with the following formula:[neutrophil (cellsx109/L) x platelet (cellsx109/L)] / lymphocyte (cellsx109/L).All patients were classified into SII-high and SII-low groups based on the cut-off value of SII at 756, which was the median SII level of our study group. The minimal follow-up duration was 10 months in all cohorts. The median age of patients was 60 (interquartile range (IQR):53-67) years. Three out of four patients were male. The majority of patients (85.7%) had clear cell histology, and sarcomatoid differentiation was observed in 16.9% of all patients. There were 311 and 310 patients in the SII-low and SII-high groups, respectively. In general, baseline characteristics were similar in each group. However, the rate of patients treated with sunitinib (63.3% vs. 49.0%, p < 0.001) and those who underwent nephrectomy (83.6% vs. 64.2%, p < 0.001) was higher in the SII-low group than in the SII-high group. On the other hand, patients with the IMDC poorrisk (31.6% vs. 8.0%, p < 0.001), those with bone (51.8% vs. 32.2%, p < 0.001) or central nervous system (12.9% vs. 5.8%, p = 0.026) metastasis, and those with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group(ECOG) 2-4 performance score (28.1% vs.17.7%, p = 0.002) were more common in the SII-high group than in the SII-low group. The median overall survival (OS) was longer in the SII-low group than in the SII-high group (34.6 months vs. 14.5 months, p < 0.001). Similarly, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was longer in the SII-low group than in the SII-high group (18.0 months vs. 7.7 months, p < 0.001).In multivariableanalysis, SII was an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio (HR):1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.05-1.85, p = 0.01) and PFS (HR:1.60, 95% CI:1.24-2.05, p < 0.001).Pre-treatment level of high SII might be considered a predictor of poor prognosisin patients with mRCC treated with TKIs.

The relationship between pan-immune-inflammation value and survival outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma treated with nivolumab in the second line and beyond: a Turkish oncology group kidney cancer consortium (TKCC) study.

BACKGROUND: Pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) is an easily accessible immune marker based on peripheral blood to estimate prognosis in patients with cancer. This study evaluates the prognostic value of PIV in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated with nivolumab. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with mRCC treated with nivolumab in the second line and beyond were selected from the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium (TKCC) database. PIV was calculated using the following formula: neutrophil (103/mm3) x monocyte (103/mm3) x platelet (103/mm3)/lymphocyte (103/mm3). RESULTS: A total of 152 patients with mRCC were included in this study. According to cut-off value for PIV, 77 (50.7%) and 75 (49.3%) patients fell into PIV-low ([Formula: see text] 372) and PIV-high (> 372) groups, respectively. In multivariate analysis, PIV-high (HR: 1.64, 95% CI 1.04-2.58, p = 0.033 for overall survival (OS); HR: 1.55, 95% CI 1.02-2.38, p = 0.042 for progression-free survival (PFS)) was independent risk factor for OS and PFS after adjusting for confounding variables, such as performance score, the International mRCC Database Consortium (IMDC) risk score, and liver metastasis. CONCLUSION: This study established that pre-treatment PIV might be a prognostic biomarker in patients with mRCC treated with nivolumab in the second line and beyond.

Effect of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage III Cervical Cancer Patients Treated with Concurrent Chemoradiation: A Multicenter Study.

INTRODUCTION: A significant proportion of cervical cancer (CC) patients are diagnosed at a locally advanced stage. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) is the cornerstone of treatment for patients with locally advanced CC. However, the role of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) after CCRT is controversial. In this study, we analyzed the efficacy of AC after CCRT in stage III CC patients. METHODS: We performed a multicenter, retrospective analysis of 139 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage III CC patients treated with CCRT of whom 45.3% received AC. Our goal was to determine the impact of AC on survival in these patients. RESULTS: Five-year progression-free survival (PFS) was 37.5% and 16% in patients receiving CCRT with and without AC, respectively (p = 0.008). Median PFS was 30.9 months (CI 95% 14.8-46.9) and 16.6 months (CI 95% 9.3-23.9) in patients receiving CCRT with and without AC, respectively. Five-year overall survival (OS) was 78.2% and 28.4% in patients receiving CCRT with and without AC, respectively (p < 0.001). Median OS was 132.2 months (CI 95, %66.5-197.8) and 34.9 months (CI 95% 23.1-46.7) in patients receiving CCRT with and without AC, respectively. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that AC provides OS and PFS benefit in stage III CC patients. Larger studies are needed to identify subgroups of patients who would benefit from AC.

Survival and Prognostic Factors in Limited-stage Small-cell Lung Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the factors affecting overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with limited stage-small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC). STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Prof. Dr. Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey from January 2002 to October 2019. METHODOLOGY: Data of 89 patients was analysed, who were treated with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for LS-SCLC, of whom some had also received prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI). The clinical course and survival rates of LS-SCLS patients treated with different treatment modalities, were evaluated and the prognostic factors were analysed by Cox-regression analysis. RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 59.6 (39 - 83) years-old; 82% were men. The median follow-up duration was 20 (1 - 189) months. The median PFS and OS were 16 (95% CI, 13-18) months and 33 (95% CI, 25-41) months. Patients, who underwent PCI had better OS compared to patients who did not [54 (95% CI, 27-87) months vs. 19 (95% Cl,, 13-25) months, log-rank, p = 0.004]. Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicities were observed in 12 (13.5%) patients and grade 3-4 esophagitis was observed in 25 (28.1%) patients. Younger age, ECOG 0-1, stage I-II disease, complete response to CRT were good prognostic factors on OS and PFS. A complete response to  CRT was also a good independent factor in terms of PFS and OS. CONCLUSION: In this study, younger age, better ECOG status, stage I-II disease, and complete response to CRT had a favourable impact on OS and PFS in LS-SCLC. In addition, PCI has been shown to increase survival in these patients. Key Words: Limited-stage, Small-cell lung cancer, Thoracic radiotherapy, Chemoradiotherapy.

Nivolumab in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: results from the Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium database.

Aim: The authors present real-world data on the efficacy and safety of nivolumab in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Methods: The Turkish Oncology Group Kidney Cancer Consortium (TKCC) database includes patients with mRCC from 13 cancer centers in Turkey. Patients with mRCC treated with nivolumab in the second line and beyond were extracted from the TKCC database. Results: A total of 173 patients were included. The rates of patients treated with nivolumab in the second, third, fourth and fifth lines were 47.4%, 32.4%, 14.5% and 5.7%, respectively. The median overall survival and progression-free survival were 24.2 months and 9.6 months, respectively. Nivolumab was discontinued owing to adverse events in 11 (6.4%) patients. Conclusion: Nivolumab was effective in patients with mRCC and no new safety signal was observed.

Lay abstract Nivolumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) that blocks the communication between T cells and cancer cells and instead activates T cells to fight against cancer. Metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is one of the most susceptible tumors to ICIs. The Checkmate 025 trial showed the efficacy of nivolumab in patients with previously treated mRCC. In this real-world study, 173 patients with mRCC were treated with nivolumab in the second line and beyond. Nivolumab was effective in the real-world setting without additional safety concerns.

Clinical and Pathological Characteristics of Patients with High-Risk Breast Cancer Based on BRCA Mutation Profiles: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the differences in clinicopathological features of Turkish patients with high-risk breast cancer based on the mutation status of two breast cancer susceptibility genes (BRCA1/2) . MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study enrolled patients with invasive breast cancer who have been evaluated for BRCA1/2 mutations due to the presence of high-risk factors admitted to two tertiary referral centers in Turkey. Clinical and histopathological features were analyzed in BRCA1 mutation carriers, BRCA2 mutation carriers, and non-carriers. RESULTS: A total of 302 patients with a mean age of 44.2±9.9 (22-82) years were included. BRCA1/2 mutation was found in 75 (24%) patients, of whom 41 (13.6%) were BRCA1 mutation carriers and 37 (12.3%) were BRCA2 mutation carriers. Moreover, 104 (34.4%) and 4 (1.3%) patients had family history of breast and ovarian carcinoma, respectively. The rates of triple negativity (56.1%), histologic grade 3 (65.9%), and lymphovascular invasion (78%) were significantly higher in BRCA1 mutation carriers than in non-carriers and BRCA2 mutation carriers. Furthermore, 87% of triple-negative BRCA1 mutation carriers had histologic grade 3 tumors compared with 38.9% in non-triple-negative BRCA1 mutation carriers, and the difference was significant. CONCLUSION: Findings of this study showed that BRCA1-related breast cancers represent a distinct group with unique pathological features, which are usually associated with a poor prognosis.

The effect of body mass index on location of recurrence and survival in early-stage colorectal cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Obesity has become one of the major public health problems in many countries. Controversial results were reported in publications on the relationship between obesity and mortality in patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (CRC) and that receive curative treatment. In this study, we evaluated the effects of body mass index (BMI) on the location of recurrence and disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with early-stage CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients that were followed up and treated in the Department of Medical Oncology between 1999 and 2016 were retrospectively included in the study. Patients with operated Stage I, II, and III CRC were included in the study. Patients were divided into three groups based on their BMI (kg/m2) of below 25, between 25 and 30, and above 30. RESULTS: A total of 950 patients, of which 527 (55.5%) were male and 423 (44.5%) were female, were included in the study. The median age of the patients was 56 years. Of the patients, 408 (42.4%) had BMI of <25, 370 (38.9%) had BMI between 25 and 30, and 172 (18.2%) had BMI of ≥30. Local recurrence rate was significantly higher in the group with BMI ≥30 compared to the other groups (P <0.01). When compared with DFS, there was a statistically significant difference between groups with BMI of <25 and ≥30 (P = 0.02) and that difference was more evidently observed in Stage III (P = 0.02). There was no statistically significant difference of overall survival in the BMI groups (P = 0.87). In multivariate analysis, the BMI ≥30 (hazard ratio [HR], 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-2.17), rectal tumor (HR, 1.70, 95% CI, 1.15-2.51), Stage III (HR, 3.91, 95% CI, 1.86-8.25), number of positive lymph nodes (HR, 1.05, 95% CI, 1.03-1.07), and R1 resection (HR, 3.47, 95% CI, 1.71-7.05) were identified as independent risk factors negatively affecting DFS. CONCLUSION: In this study, we observed that the high BMI increased the risk of recurrence, especially in Stage III CRC patients, and that the recurrence frequently occurred locally.

Efficacy and tolerability of adjuvant therapy in ≥70-year-old patients with T3N0M0 colorectal cancer: An observational study.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the efficacy and tolerability of adjuvant chemotherapy in ≥70-year-old patients with stage IIA (T3N0M0) colorectal cancer. METHODS: Lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, margin positivity, dissected lymph node count of <12, and presence of perforation/obstruction were accepted as risk factors. Those patients with at least one risk factor were regarded as having high risk. RESULTS: The study included 168 patients, among which 95 (56.5%) were male and 73 (43.5%) were female. The median age of patients was 73 years (range: 70-94). One hundred one (60.1%) patients were identified to have high risk. Eighty-one (87%) patients received 5-flourouracil+leucovorin and 12 (13%) patients received capecitabine regimens as adjuvant chemotherapy. The patients receiving capecitabine regimen had significantly higher rates of dose reduction at initiation and during the treatment. Among low-risk group, there was no statistically significant difference between patients with and without adjuvant chemotherapy in terms of disease-free survival or overall survival (p = 0.528 and p = 0.217, respectively). In high-risk group, patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy significantly differed from those not receiving adjuvant chemotherapy in terms of median disease-free survival and overall survival (p = 0.009 and p < 0.001, respectively). While the grade, lymph node status, and adjuvant chemotherapy were identified as the most significant independent factors for disease-free survival, the most significant factors for overall survival were the age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, adjuvant chemotherapy, and recurrence. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study showed improved disease-free survival and overall survival in high-risk ≥70-year-old patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy due to T3N0M0 colorectal cancer. We believe that 5-flourouracil+leucovorin or capecitabine regimens should be recommended for these older high-risk patients who could receive adjuvant chemotherapy regardless of age.

Factors Affecting Disease-Free Survival in Operated Nonmetastatic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors.

BACKGROUND: Possibly originating from interstitial Cajal cells, gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) have variable biological behaviors. In this study, we aimed to examine the factors affecting the disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with GIST who underwent operation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included the patients who were followed up and treated for GIST in our oncology clinic between 2002 and 2017. The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology criteria (Miettinen risk score) were used for risk stratification of patients. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients were included to the study, where female patients constituted 52.7%, and the median age was 56 (range: 24-83) y. Most common primary tumor location was the stomach (51.4%), followed by the small intestine (33.8%), colorectum (10.8%), and retroperitoneum (4.1%). Miettinen risk score showed 12 patients (16.7%) at very low risk, 15 patients (20.8%) at low risk, 18 patients (25%) at intermediate risk, and 27 patients (37.5%) at high risk. DFS was significantly lower in patients with small intestine involvement than in cases with stomach involvement (P = 0.004). DFS was significantly lower in patients at high risk than in patients with no high risk (P = 0.034). Small intestine localization (hazard ratio [HR], 8.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14-8.18), high-risk score (HR, 5.16; 95% CI, 1.42-12.75), c-kit positivity (HR, 0.24; 95% CI, 0.13-0.69), and adjuvant therapy (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.20-0.92) were found to be the most significant factors affecting DFS. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed negative effects of small intestine localization and high-risk category and positive effects of c-kit positivity and adjuvant therapy on DFS in patients with GIST who underwent operation. When a decision will be made in favor of adjuvant therapy, tumor localization and c-kit mutation should also be considered in addition to risk score.

Factors Affecting Survival in Neuroendocrine Tumors: A 15-Year Single Center Experience

Background: Neuroendocrine tumors are a heterogeneous group of tumors that can originate from all of the neuroendocrine cells in the body, mostly from the gastrointestinal tract. In addition to early diagnosis, streaming patients into appropriate prognostic groups is an important component of treatment. In this study, we examined the factors that affect survival in patients we followed in our center between 2000-2016. Methods: The demographic data, clinical and pathological features of patients were obtained from their medical files. TNM staging and tumor grading were performed according to AJCC and WHO 2010 classification. SPSS 15.0 for Windows programme was used for statistical analysis. Results: 85 patients (32 male, 53 female) were included into the study. The median age of the patients was 55,7 (27-83) years. Eighty percent of the tumors were of gastroenteropancreatic system, most commonly stomach (27.1%) origin. Nineteen patients (22.4%) died during follow-up. In univariate analysis; age (p<0,001), stage (p=0.002), primary tumor localization (p=0.005), grade (p<0.001), Ki-67 value (p<0.001), number of metastases (p=0.001) and type of surgery (p<0.001) were found to be factors affecting survival. Age (p=0.024) and Ki67 (p <0.001) were the independent prognostic factors for survival in multivariate analysis. For the cut-off value of 6%, Ki-67 had a sensitivity of 83.3% and specifity of 71.4% for survival determination. Conclusion: Ki-67 ratio and age were the most important factors affecting survival in neuroendocrine tumors in our study. Ki-67 ratio has a high sensitivity and specificity for predicting survival, a cut-off value of 6% may be used to predict survival.

Prognostic significance of primary tumor localization in stage II and III colon cancer.

AIM: To investigate the effects of tumor localization on disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with stage II-III colon cancer. METHODS: This retrospective study included 942 patients with stage II and III colon cancer, which were followed up in our clinics between 1995 and 2017. The tumors from the caecum to splenic flexure were defined as right colon cancer (RCC) and those from splenic flexure to the sigmoid colon as left colon cancer (LCC). RESULTS: The median age of the patients was 58 years (range: 19-94 years). Male patients constituted 54.2%. The rates of RCC and LCC were 48.4% (n = 456) and 51.6% (n = 486), respectively. During the median follow-up of 90 mo (range: 6-252 mo), 14.6% of patients developed recurrence and 9.1% of patients died. In patients with stage II and III disease with or without adjuvant therapy, DFS was similar in terms of primary tumor localization (stage II; P = 0.547 and P = 0.481, respectively; stage III; P = 0.976 and P = 0.978, respectively). In patients with stage II and III disease with or without adjuvant therapy, OS was not statistically significant with respect to primary tumor localization (stage II; P = 0.381 and P = 0.947, respectively; stage III; P = 0.378 and P = 0.904, respectively). The difference between median OS of recurrent RCC (26 ± 6.2 mo) and LCC (34 ± 4.9 mo) cases was eight months (P = 0.092). CONCLUSION: Our study showed no association of tumor localization with either DFS or OS in patients with stage II or III colon cancer managed with or without adjuvant therapy. However, post-recurrence OS appeared to be worse in RCC patients.