Investigation of the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function in cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE: The Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Cognitive Function (FACT-Cog) is a questionnaire that is used to evaluate the quality of life and cognitive functions according to individual self-reports. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the FACT-Cog. METHODS: Cancer patients who were treated with chemo or radiotherapy and had a score of 24/30 and more in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) were included in this study. Cognitive functions assessed with the FACT-Cog and the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Core Questionnaire Core 30: Cognitive Function subscale (EORTC QLQ-CF). RESULTS: One hundred and forty cancer patients [female = 87 (62.1%), male = 53 (37.9%)] were included. The mean age of the participants was 47.93 ± 11.90 years. The Cronbach's α of the FACT-Cog scale was 0.82. Test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient values of the FACT-Cog questionnaire were varied from 0.855 to 0.954. There were found low correlations between the total score of the FACT-Cog and the MMSE (r = 0.26, p = 0.002), and moderate correlations between the EORTC QLQ-CF subscale and the FACT-Cog (r = -0.43; p < 0.001). SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: It showed the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the FACT-Cog questionnaire for cancer patients. It may be beneficial to use this questionnaire for the effects of cancer treatment.

Worse patient-physician relationship is associated with more fear of cancer recurrence (Deimos Study): A study of the Palliative Care Working Committee of the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG).

OBJECTIVE: Fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) is an important psychological trauma associated with reduction in the quality of life, disruptions in the level of adjustment, emotional distress and anxiety. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the impact of patient-physician relationship on FCR. METHODS: The study was designed as a multicentre survey study. The cancer survivors, who were under remission, were evaluated with structured questionnaires. Patient-physician relationship (PPR) scale in which higher scores indicate better relationship and FCR inventory was used. RESULTS: Between January and April 2019, 1,580 patients were evaluated. The median age was 57.0 (19-88), and 66% were female. There was high level of FCR scores in 51% of participants. There was a negative correlation between PPR and FCR scores (r = -.134, p < .001). In multivariate analysis, young age, female gender, history of metastasectomy and worse PPR were associated with high levels of FCR. CONCLUSION: It is the first data showing the adverse impact of worse PPR on FCR. The strategies to improve the PPR should be practised. In addition, the cancer survivors, who are under the risk of FCR, should be evaluated and managed.

The role of ABO blood groups in glial neoplasms.

INTRODUCTION: There are numerous diseases that are claimed to have a correlation with AB0 blood groups. Analysis on distribution of blood groups in primary brain tumors and clinical value has revealed conflicting results. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between AB0 blood groups and glial neoplasms (GN) and their effects on prognosis. METHODS: A retrospective cross sectional study was performed. Patients admitted between 2000-2014 and had a diagnosis of GN were evaluated. Blood groups of patients were analyzed and compared with the National blood group data obtained from Turkish Red Crescent Society. The prognostic significance of AB0 blood groups was analyzed within glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), anaplastic astrocytoma and grade 1-2 astrocytoma. RESULTS: 759 patients with a diagnosis of glial neoplasia were evaluated. Distribution of AB0 blood groups in the different grades of Glial neoplasia was similar with the national blood group frequencies. There was not a statistically significant difference between grades of glial neoplasia and healthy control patients. Median overall survival (mOS) of GBM patients were 12.9 months in A (95% CI, 10.2-15.5), 13.4 months in B (95% CI, 7.3-19.5), 5.7 months in AB (95% CI, 0.8-10.6), 12.8 months in 0 blood groups (95% CI, 8.6-16.8) (p = .46). mOS of anaplastic astrocytoma patients were 24.4 months in A (95% CI, 15.2-33.6), 47.2 months in B (95% CI, 9.9-84.5), 37.8 months in AB (95% CI, 10.2-80.3), 29.2 months in 0 blood groups (95% CI, 21.2-33.4) (p = .96). mOS in grade 1-2 were 84.2, 90.6 and 144 months for A, AB and 0 blood groups respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In our patient group, when compared with general population, there seems to be no association between frequencies of AB0 blood groups and Glial Neoplasia. In addition, the AB0 blood groups have no prognostic impact on glial neoplasms.

Comparison of prognosis and clinical features between synchronous bilateral and unilateral breast cancers.

PURPOSE: The clinical significance of synchronous bilateral breast cancer (SBBC) is unclear and its influence on prognosis is controversial. Our study objective was to determine the epidemiological features, tumor characteristics, and prognosis of SBBC in comparison with those of unilateral breast cancer (UBC). METHODS: A total of 3675 breast cancer patients diagnosed and treated between 2000 and 2014 were evaluated. Of these patients, 132 (3.6%) had bilateral breast cancer, including 55 patients (1.5%) with SBBC and 77 (2.1%) with metachronous bilateral breast cancer (MBBC). The patient demographic characteristics, including survival data and clinicopathological tumor characteristics, were obtained from medical charts and compared between the patients with SBBC and those with UBC. RESULTS: The median age in the SBBC group was 51 years (range 32-77). The mastectomy rate was higher in the SBBC group (72.7%) than in the UBC group (66.6%) (p=0.08). In both the SBBC and UBC groups, the baseline clinicopathological features and the history of treatment with radiotherapy and chemotherapy were similar. Infiltrating ductal carcinoma was the most common histology in both groups. Lobular histology was more frequent in the SBBC group (36.3%) than in the UBC group (17.1%; p<0.001). Stage IV disease at initial presentation was more frequent in the SBBC group than in the UBC group (34.5 vs 8.7%, p<0.001). The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 90% and 82% in the SBBC and UBC groups, respectively (p=0.99). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 83% and 88%, respectively (p=0.357). The multivariate Cox regression analysis, including stage, hormone receptor status, grade, and SBBC, revealed that the presence of SBBC was not associated with OS (hazard ratio 0.929; 95% confidence interval, 0.455-0.1894, p=0.839). CONCLUSION: Despite the differences in histology, initial stage, and other characteristics, the prognoses of UBC and SBBC were similar.

Efficacy and safety of eribulin monotherapy in patients with heavily pretreated metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Eribulin is a non-taxane microtubule inhibitor, which can be used after anthracycline and taxane treatment in patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC). The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of eribulin monotherapy in heavily pretreated MBC patients. METHODS: In this single-center trial, a total of 66 MBC patients who received eribulin monotherapy in Hacettepe University Cancer Institute between 2013 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was carried out for progression free survival (PFS) and for overall survival (OS). Two-sided p values <0.05 were considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients who received at least one cycle of eribulin were registered. Most patients were heavily pretreated with a median of 4 (range 2-7) previous chemotherapy lines prior to eribulin. Median patient age was 50 years (range 28-67). Most patients were treated with eribulin at 4th or 5th line (33.3 and 27.3%, respectively). Brain metastases were present in 19 (28.8%) patients at the time of initial eribulin administration. Median PFS was 5 (95% CI 4.1-5.8) and median OS was 8 (95% CI 6-9.9) months. Fifteen patients (22.7%) responded to treatment with partial remission (PR) and 36 (54%) had stable disease (SD). No hypersensitivity reactions and no toxic deaths were observed. Three (5%) patients experienced grade 4 neurotoxicity. Fourteen (21.5%) patients developed grade 3-4 neutropenia. CONCLUSION: Eribulin monotherapy is an effective and safe regimen for MBC patients. Its low toxicity profile compared to other intravenous cytotoxic agents and the ease in its intravenous administration make this agent a preferable option for both physicians and patients.

Tendency of cancer patients and their relatives to use internet for health-related searches: Turkish Oncology Group (TOG) Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to reveal the habits of using internet by cancer patients and their relatives to access health-related information and services in Turkey. METHODS: An 18-item questionnaire survey was applied in cancer patients and their relatives. RESULTS: A total of 1106 patients (male, 37.3%, and female, 62.7%) and their relatives were included in the study. The responders had been using internet to obtain health information about oncological diseases, once a month (34.2%), 1-2 times a week (27.4%) or 2-3 times a month (21.9%). After diagnosis of cancer was made, participants more frequently (64.4%) investigated health-related issues, while 64.9% of them considered internet as an important search tool, and 16.7% of them had thought to give up cancer therapy under the influence of internet information. Some (33.1%) participants had used herbal medicine, and 16.7% of them had learnt these herbal products from internet. Still 12.7% of them had not questioned the accuracy of internet information, while 26.9% of them indicated that they had not shared the internet information about cancer with their physicians, and 13 % of them searched information in internet without asking their physicians. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients and their relatives showed a higher tendency to use health-related internet information which may mislead them, and can result in treatment incompliance. Health professionals should offer evidence-based information to the patients and their relatives through internet.

Correlation of educational status and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer: a single center experience.

PURPOSE: Educational status may be an important parameter in assessing breast cancer risk and prognosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the level of education and clinicopathological characteristics of breast cancer, including tumor grade, HER-2 and estrogen receptor (ER) status, tumor size, axillary lymph node involvement and metastasis. METHODS: The study included 1800 women who were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during 2005-2013 at Hacettepe University Cancer Institute. Patients were divided into three groups according to their educational status at the time of diagnosis as follows: low (illiterate and elementary school, 5 years or less of education), medium (secondary school and upper secondary school, 6-12 years of education) and high (university level, more than 12 years of education). The associations between educational status and clinicopathologic features of breast cancer at the time of diagnosis were evaluated. RESULTS: In all patient, a significant relationship was found between educational status and T stages (p<0.0001). Patients with higher educational levels were reported to have smaller tumor size regardless to their age and were less likely to have axillary lymph node involvement (p=0.001) or metastasis (p=0.001). A significant correlation was found between educational status and ER positivity in patients over 50 years of age (p=0.03). When the patients of all ages were evaluated, no statistically significant correlation was shown (p=0.27) between educational status and ER positivity. A significant relationship was found between educational status and HER-2 status (p=0.003), regardless of the patients' age. HER-2 positivity increased in patients with low educational status, however this significance was lost in patients over the age of 50 (p=0.1). CONCLUSION: The relationship between educational status and biological factors in breast cancer are not conclusive as yet, but this particular study revealed that educational status played a major influence in each of the five breast cancer prognostic factors: ER status, HER-2 status, tumor size, lymph node status and metastasis.

Chemotherapy might not be beneficial in lymph node- negative, hormone-positive, and HER2-negative breast cancer patients: a long-term retrospective analysis.

INTRODUCTION: In lymph node-negative, hormone-positive, and Her2-negative breast cancer patients, the benefits of adding adjuvant chemotherapy to hormonal therapy continue to be debated, especially for low to intermediate grade and small tumors. METHODS: Excluding patients with T4 disease, we retrospectively reviewed the records of patients with long-term follow-up at our center between 2003 and 2014. Among node-negative, hormone-positive and HER2-negative breast cancer patients, we compared two groups of patients: those given both chemotherapy (doxorubicin+cyclophosphamide) and hormonotherapy, and those prescribed hormonotherapy alone. The primary endpoints were progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Overall, no difference was observed between these two treatment groups in either DFS or OS. However, for both outcomes, there was a trend towards improved DFS and OS favoring the hormone-only group. CONCLUSIONS: In selected subgroups of breast cancer patients, administering adjuvant hormonal therapy alone seems to be at least as good if not better than combining hormonotherapy and chemotherapy.

Treatment outcomes and prognostic factors in patients with driver mutant non-small cell lung cancer and de novo brain metastases.

Central nervous system (CNS) metastases can be seen at a rate of 30% in advanced stages for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Growing evidence indicates the predictive roles of driver gene mutations in the development of brain metastases (BM) in recent years, meaning that oncogene-driven NSCLC have a high incidence of BM at diagnosis. Today, 3rd generation targeted drugs with high intracranial efficacy, which can cross the blood-brain barrier, have made a positive contribution to survival for these patients with an increased propensity to BM. It is important to update the clinical and pathological factors reflected in the survival with real-life data. A multi-center, retrospective database of 306 patients diagnosed with driver mutant NSCLC and initially presented with BM between between November 2008 and September 2022 were analyzed. The median progression-free survival (mPFS) was 12.25 months (95% CI, 10-14.5). While 254 of the patients received tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), 51 patients received chemotherapy as first line treatment. The median intracranial PFS (iPFS) was 18.5 months (95% CI, 14.8-22.2). The median overall survival (OS) was 29 months (95% CI, 25.2-33.0). It was found that having 3 or less BM and absence of extracranial metastases were significantly associated with better mOS and iPFS. The relationship between the size of BM and survival was found to be non-significant. Among patients with advanced NSCLC with de novo BM carrying a driver mutation, long-term progression-free and overall survival can be achieved with the advent of targeted agents with high CNS efficacy with more conservative and localized radiotherapy modalities.

PROPSEA, safety evaluation of palbociclib and ribociclib in older patients with breast cancer: A prospective real-world TOG study.

INTRODUCTION: In this study, the toxicities and management of palbociclib and ribociclib in older patients (≥65 years) with metastatic breast cancer patients were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Among older patients receiving palbociclib and ribociclib, Geriatric 8 (G8) and Groningen Frailty Index were used to evaluate frailty status. Dose modifications, drug withdrawal and other serious adverse events (SAEs) were recorded and analyzed according to baseline patient characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients from 28 centers in Turkey were included (palbociclib = 76, ribociclib = 84). Forty-three patients were ≥ 75 years of age. The most common cause of first dose modification was neutropenia for both drugs (97% palbociclib, 69% ribociclib). Liver function tests elevation (10%) and renal function impairment (6%) were also causes for ribociclib dose modification. Drug withdrawal rate was 3.9% for palbociclib and 6% for ribociclib. SAEs were seen in 11.8% of those taking palbociclib and 15.5% of those on riboclib. An ECOG performance status of ≥2 and being older than 75 years were associated with dose reductions. Severe neutropenia was more common in patients with non-bone-only metastatic disease, those receiving treatment third-line therapy or higher, coexistance of non-neutropenic hematological side effects (for ribociclib). Neutropenia was less common among patients with obesity. DISCUSSION: Our results show that it can be reasonable to start palbociclib and ribociclib at reduced dose in patients aged ≥75 years and/or with an ECOG performance status ≥2.

Real life experience of patients with locally advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy: a Turkish oncology group study.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) in gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) and gastric cancer (GC) was shown to improve survival in recent studies. We aimed to share our real-life experience of patients who received NACT to compare the efficacy and toxicity profile of different chemotherapy regimens in our country. This retrospective multicentre study included locally advanced GC and GEJ cancer patients who received NACT between 2007 and 2021. Relation between CT regimens and pathological evaluation were analysed. A total of 794 patients from 45 oncology centers in Turkey were included. Median age at the time of diagnosis was 60 (range: 18-86). Most frequent NACT regimens used were FLOT (65.4%), DCF (17.4%) and ECF (8.1%), respectively. In the total study group, pathological complete remission (pCR) rate was 7.2%, R0 resection rate 86.4%, and D2 dissection rate was 66.8%. Rate of pCR and near-CR (24%), and R0 resection (84%) were numerically higher in FLOT arm (p > 0.05). Patients who received FLOT had also higher chemotherapy-related toxicity rate compared to patients who received other regimens (p > 0.05). Median follow-up time was 16 months (range: 1-154 months). Estimated median overall survival (OS) was 58.4months (95% CI: 35.2-85.7) and disease-free survival (DFS) was 50.7 months (95% CI: 25.4-75.9). The highest 3-year estimated OS rate was also shown in FLOT arm (68%). We still do not know which NACT regimen is the best choice for daily practice.  Clinicians should tailor treatment regimens according to patients' multifactorial status and comorbidities for to obtain best outcomes. Longer follow-up period needs to validate our results.

Prognosis of Liposarcoma Patients in Modern ERA: Single-Center Experience.

Objective Liposarcomas are relatively rare tumors. Prognostic and predictive factors and treatment options are limited. We herein presented our 10-year experience with liposarcomas. Materials and Methods Adult patients with liposarcoma treated between 2005 and 2015 in our center were included. Demographic and clinicopathologic features of patients were retrieved from patient files. Statistical Analyses Outcomes in terms of disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were assessed along with potential prognostic factors using Kaplan-Meier analyses. Results A total of 88 patients were included. The median age was 52. Rates of well-differentiated (WDLS), dedifferentiated (DDLS), myxoid (MLS), and pleomorphic liposarcomas (PLS) were 42, 9.1, 37.5, and 4.5%, respectively. Only 10% of patients had high-grade tumors and 93% had localized disease. Ninety-six percent of patients ( n = 84) underwent surgery. Adjuvant chemotherapy was delivered to 16 patients. The most common regimen was ifosfamide-doxorubicin. Recurrences were observed in 30 patients, 21 had local, and 9 had distant metastasis. Five-year DFS of patients with the localized disease was 68%. All patients with PLS had relapses and those had the highest distant relapse rates among all subtypes. Multivariate analysis showed T stage and grade were associated with DFS. Five-year OS of the entire population was 68%. Five-year OS was 79, 76, 50, and 0% in WDLS, MLS, DDLS, and PLS, respectively ( p = 0.002). Conclusion Management of liposarcomas is still challenging. Surgery is the mainstay of treatment. Novel effective therapies are needed, particularly in advanced disease settings.

The real-life efficacy and safety of osimertinib in pretreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients with T790M mutation: a Turkish Oncology Group Study.

INTRODUCTION: Osimertinib, an irreversible third-generation EGFR-TKI, is the standard of care for second-line treatment of T790M-mutant advanced NSCLC patients whose disease progressed after first-line EGFR-TKI therapy. In this multicenter study, we aimed to determine the real-life efficacy and safety of Osimertinib in pretreated advanced NSCLC patients with T790M mutation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective trial included advanced T790M-mutant pretreated NSCLC patients who received Osimertinib from 24 different centers in Turkey. Primary endpoint was time-to-treatment discontinuation (TTD). Secondary endpoints were objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS: Of 163 patients, 68.7% had EGFR exon 19 deletion and 22.7% had exon 21 L858R mutation. Osimertinib was given as second-line treatment in 96 patients (58.9%) and third-line in 48 patients (29.4%). After median of 13-month follow-up, median TTD was 21.6 months with an 82.2% ORR. Estimated median OS was 32.1 months. Grade 3-4 adverse events were seen in 11.7% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Osimertinib is a highly effective option in second- or third-line treatment of NSCLC patients with T790M mutation, with a favorable safety profile.

Effectiveness of bendamustine in relapsed or refractory lymphoma cases: a Turkish Oncology Group study.

INTRODUCTION: We aimed to investigate the efficacy and side effects of bendamustine in relapsed/refractory lymphoma patients in Turkey. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, we included relapsed/refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients who underwent multiple lines of chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was to determine the objective response and toxicity. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients with a median age of 59.8 years were included in the study. Eighty-one patients had NHL (follicular lymphoma: 10, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: 27, mantle-cell lymphoma: 18, marginal zone lymphoma: 9, small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia: 17) and 18 patients had HL. The patients had previously received a median of three lines of chemotherapy (range: 2-8) except autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT); 19 patients (HL: 11, NHL: 8) had undergone ASCT. The objective response rate (ORR) was 74.3%, the complete response rate was 57% (= 53), and the partial response rate was 16.6% ( = 19). The overall survival (OS) rate at 1 year was 74.6%. The progression-free survival (PFS) rate at 1 year was 62.5%. The most common side effects were lymphopenia, anemia and neutropenia. Side effects which were observed as grade 3 and higher levels were lymphopenia (14.1%), neutropenia (10.1%) and fatigue (7.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Objective response rate of bendamustine was found to be 74.3% in relapsed/refractory HL and NHL patients. It appears to be an effective option as a salvage treatment for patients who have previously received multiple lines of therapy.

Prognostic value of the 2017 World Health Organization Classification System for gastric neuroendocrine tumors: A single-center experience.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastric neuroendocrine tumors (G-NETs) are rare tumors, but their incidence is gradually increasing. Despite the existence of many classification systems, determining prognosis and planning treatment in patients with G-NETs remains a clinical challenge. In this study, the prognostic value of the World Health Organization (WHO) 2017 grading system and the effect of surgery on survival in low grade neuroendocrine tumors were investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: G-NETs who were diagnosed between January 2000 and May 2017 were included in the study. Patients' demographic characteristics, treatment details, and survival data were obtained from medical charts. Pathological samples were re-classified according to the WHO 2017 grading system. RESULTS: Of the total 94 evaluated patients, 50 (53.2%) were classified with G1 NETs, 37(39.4%) with G2 NETs, 4(4.2%) with well-differentiated G3 NETs, and the remaining 3 patients with poorly differentiated G3 neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC). The median follow-up time was 83.2 months. There was a statistically significant difference in 5-year progression free survival (PFS) between G1 tumors (100%) and G2 tumors (76%) (p<0.001). However, there was no statistically significant deference in 5-year overall survival rate (OS) for G1 (97%) and G2 (82%) tumors (p=0.141). When G2 and G1 NETs were compared according to their surgical approach, radical surgery was more frequently performed in patients with G2 tumors (p<0.001). However, radical surgery did not improve PFS in G1 and G2 NETs. CONCLUSION: The WHO 2017 NET classification system may have low prognostic value for determining the prognosis of patients with G1 and G2 tumors. Radical surgery for G1 and G2 NETs did not improve PFS in our study.

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.

Prognostic Significance of Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 in Hepatocellular Cancer Patients: A Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: The Child-Turcotte-Pugh score (CTP) is the most commonly used tool to assess hepatic reserve and predict survival in hepatocellular cancer (HCC). The CTP stratification accuracy has been questioned and attempts have been made to improve the objectivity of the system. Serum insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1)-CTP has been proposed to improve CTP prognostic accuracy. We aimed to validate the IGF-CTP score in our patient population. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 84 diagnosed HCC patients were enrolled prospectively. IGF-CTP scores in addition to CTP scores were calculated. C-index was used to compare the prognostic significance of the two scoring systems and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Cirrhosis was present in 48 (57.1%) patients, 35 (41.7%) patients were non-cirrhotic, 36 (42.8%) patients were hepatitis B (HBV) positive, and 8 (9.5%) patients were hepatitis C (HCV) positive. Serum IGF-1 levels were significantly lower in cirrhotic compared with non-cirrhotic patients (p=0.04). There was a significant difference in OS rates of patients with serum IGF-1 level <50 ng/mL and patients with serum IGF-1 levels ≥50 ng/mL (p=0.02); the OS rates were 6.5 and 14.8 months, respectively (p=0.02). The median OS of all patients was 7.38 months (95% CI: 5.89-13.79). The estimated C-index for CTP and IGF-CTP scores was 0.605 (95% CI: 0.538, 0.672) and 0.599 (95% CI: 0.543, 0.655), respectively. The U statistics indicated that the C-indices between two scoring systems are not statistically different (P= 0.91). CONCLUSION: This study evaluated IGF-1 levels and the IGF-CTP classification in a predominantly HBV (+) cohort of HCC patients with 41.7% non-cirrhotic. Although the prognostic value was similar, among patients with CTP-A, class those reclassified as IGF-CTP B had shorter OS than those with IGF-CTP score A. Thus, further validations of IGF-CTP score in similar populations may add additional value as a stratification tool to predict HCC outcome.

The Prevalence of Systemic Rheumatic Diseases Among Breast Cancer Patients and Its Relationship With Survival.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the prevalence of systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) among patients with breast cancer (BC) and to identify the clinicopathological characteristics of these patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 3,744 female patients with BC (mean age 49±11.7 years; range, 18 to 92 years) followed in Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Medical Oncology Department between January 2006 and December 2015 were retrospectively assessed. Patients with or without SRD were compared in terms of clinicopathological features including age, menopausal state, smoking status, Body Mass Index (BMI), age of menarche, age at first labor, and number of children. The groups were also evaluated regarding tumor grade, stage, estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor expression, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 overexpression, and survival. RESULTS: Of the patients analyzed, 68 (1.81%) had concomitant SRD. Among these patients, 33 (48.6%) had rheumatoid arthritis, eight (11.8%) had familial Mediterranean fever, eight (11.8%) had Behçet's disease, four (5.8%) had Sjögren's syndrome, four (5.8%) had systemic lupus erythematosus, six (8.8%) had ankylosing spondylitis, three (4.4%) had systemic sclerosis, one (1.4%) had polymyositis, and one (1.4%) had temporal arteritis. The groups with or without SRDs were similar in terms of age, smoking status, BMI, menopausal state, breast feeding duration, age at menarche and first birth. Stage 1 and 2 BC was more prevalent in SRD patients (74.6% vs. 64.5%, p=0.018). The rate to receive chemotherapy was significantly lower in patients with SRD. However, there was no significant difference in five-year overall survival rates between patients with or without SRD. CONCLUSION: Among patients with BC, 1.81% had concomitant SRD. These patients were diagnosed at early stages and given chemotherapy less frequently. However, they had similar survival rates compared to those without SRDs.