Psychosocial Evaluation of Adults with Primary Immunodeficiency.

PURPOSE: Primary immunodeficiency disorder (PID) is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by immune dysregulation and increased susceptibility to infections, with various cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and social effects on patients. This study aimed to evaluate loneliness, social adaptation, anxiety, and depression and to identify associated factors in adults with immunodeficiency. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in Turkey (Feb-Aug 2022) obtained sociodemographic data from patient records. The Social Adaptation Self-Evaluation Scale (SASS), UCLA-Loneliness Scale (UCLA-LS), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were administered in individual patient interviews. HADS-Anxiety (HADS-A) and HADS-Depression (HADS-D) scores were assessed using cut-offs of 10 and 7, respectively; SASS cut-offs for social imbalance and normalcy were < 25 and > 35, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients (60 women, 44 men) with a median age of 34 years (range: 18-89) were included in the study. Mean scores were SASS: 34.46 ± 8.11, UCLA-LS: 44.89 ± 12.66, HADS-A: 9.87 ± 4.77, and HADS-D: 9.12 ± 4.80. SASS score was negatively correlated with HADS-A, HADS-D, and UCLA-LS scores. There were positive correlations between UCLA-LS and HADS-A (r = -0.355, p < 0.01) and HADS-D (r = -0.614, p < 0.01) and between HADS-A and HADS-D (r = -0.454, p < 0.01). Low-income level was associated with higher HADS-A, HADS-D, and UCLA-LS scores and lower SASS score (p = 0.012, p = 0.041, p = 0.008, and p = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Adults with PID are at risk for depression and experience high levels of loneliness. Social maladjustment and loneliness contribute to anxiety and depression, and loneliness is correlated with impaired social functioning. These findings emphasize the importance of biopsychosocial evaluation of individuals diagnosed with PID.

Clinicopathological Evaluation of Gastric Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma: Our Experience.

AIM: Gastric cancer is one of the most common cancers worldwide. In Turkey, stomach cancer is ranked 5th among men and 8th among women in all cancers and is located in the forefront in cancer-related deaths. Signet ring cell adenocarcinoma, which is the histopathological subtype of gastric cancer, has a poor prognosis. The incidence of signet ring cell adenocarcinoma is rising. In the present study, we aimed to describe the clinicopathologic features of signet ring cell adenocarcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 79 patients with 30 being female (38%) and 49 male (62%) who were diagnosed with gastric signet ring cell adenocarcinoma in the Medical Oncology Department of Ankara Numune Training and Research Hospital between January 2004 and October 2015 were retrospectively evaluated. RESULTS: The baseline demographic characteristics of the patients, such as tumor localization, tumor stage, preoperative serum tumor markers, and treatment type (surgery and chemotherapy regimen), and the effects of these variables on survival and mortality were evaluated. Total surgery, stage III disease, moderate to poor grade, preoperative serum CA 19-9 and CEA levels were found as independent predictors of progression risk (p < 0.05). Each 1 ng/mL increase in preoperative serum CEA level was found to increase the risk of progression by 1.20 folds. Again, each 1 U/mL in preoperative serum CA 19-9 level was found to increase the risk of progression and mortality by 1.06 folds. CONCLUSION: The clinicopathologic features of signet ring cell stomach cancer were described. Tumor localization and disease, CA 19-9 and CEA levels, and treatment type (surgery and chemotherapy regimen) were effective on survival and mortality. However, further studies with larger patient groups are needed on this issue. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Altay SB, Akkurt G, Yilmaz N, et al. Clinicopathological Evaluation of Gastric Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma: Our Experience. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2020;10(2):76-84.