Search

Objective: This study is aimed to determine factors that affect conditions of patients receiving chemotherapy in terms of experienced taste alteration. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 184 patients receiving chemotherapy were included in the sample. Data were collected during the period of December 2013 to May 2014 using "Patient Characteristics Identification Form" and "Chemotherapy-induced Taste Alteration Scale (CiTAS)." The data were analyzed using SPSS 20 (SPSS Inc., Chicago IL, USA) statistical software in terms of number, percentage, Mann-Whitney U test, and Kruskal-Wallis H test. Results: The mean age of the patients was 55.5±11.8 and 57.1% of them were female. The clinical diagnosis of the patients were most frequently breast cancer (n=46), colorectal cancer (n=45), and lung cancer (n=25). Furthermore, 37.5% of the patients were in clinical stage II; 15.8% of the patients received paclitaxel+herceptin and 14.1% received gemcitabine+cisplatin chemotherapy protocols. Data demonstrated significant differences in mean scores (p<0.05) taken from "Decline in Basic Taste" and "Phantogeusia and Parageusia" subscales with patients with or without xerostomia. There were significant differences in the average scores of the subscales between those with and without a sore mouth "Discomfort" and "General taste alterations" (p<0.05). Conclusion: It has been established that patients receiving chemotherapy experience substantial alteration in taste by exposure of different subscales of CiTAS. Analysis of scores collected from different subscales of CiTAS with respect to sociodemographic and pathological differences showed that patients with xerostomia and sore mouth experienced more severe taste alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apocrine carcinoma of the breast is a relatively rare subgroup of breast tumors and comprises 1-4% of all breast carcinomas. The case is a 49 year-old postmenopausal woman. Two different lumps located near to each other at the left upper quadrant were both reported as invasive ductal carcinoma after core needle biopsy. The patient had undergone breast conserving surgery and sentinel lymph node biopsy of axilla with blue dye after wire localization of the masses. Since the lymph node biopsy was found to be metastatic, level I-II axillary dissection was performed on the patient. Pathology revealed apocrine carcinoma with 1 of 16 dissected lymph nodes and was evaluated as metastasis and the oncology department planned chemotherapy with 4 cycles Epirubicin-Cyclophosphamide protocol followed by radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rate of locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is low in countries with organized population based mammographic screening (5-10%), but it is more than 50% in low-middle income countries. Aim of this study is to find factors affecting disease free and overall survival in patients with LABC after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy (NAC). Materials and methods: 322 patients who received NAC for LABC were enrolled in this study. Tru-cut biopsy (59%) and incisional biopsy (41%) were performed for histopathologic diagnosis, respectively. Most of the patients (97%) received NAC including antracycline. In 18% of patients, taxanes were added to the regime. Results: The complete (cPR) and partial pathologic response (pPR) rates were 6% and 84%, respectively. There were no response to NAC in 32 (10%) patients. NAC plus taxanes increased complete pathologic response rate to 15.5%. The 10-year rates of overall and disease free survival were 57% and 45%, respectively. The 10-overall survival rate was higher in patients with antracycline plus taxane group than other treatment group (64% vs 42%, p=0,009). Age (≤40), pPR, presence of lenfovascular invasion (LVI) and loco-regional and/or systemic recurrence, and negative hormonal receptors were significant factors affecting prognosis in uni- variate analysis. In multivariate analysis, young age(=40), tumor size before NAC, pathologic stage after NAC, LVI, estrogen receptor (ER) negativity, HER2 positivity, and distant metastasis were indepent prognostic factors. Conclusion: In addition to taxanes to NAC has increased cPR rate and overall survival in patients with LABC. Young age (≤40), presence of LVI, and systemic recurrence, and estrogen receptor (ER) negativity were significant factors af- fecting survival both in univariate and multivariate analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carcinoma of the male breast is responsible for less than 1% of all malignancies in men, but the prognosis is poor. Being diagnosed at an older age and advanced stage both affect the prognosis. Surgical treatment of elderly patients with co-morbid diseases is challenging. Unfortunately, these patients do not receive chemotherapy due to poor overall status. Mastectomy with local anesthesia may be an option for these patients. We aimed to present an elderly male patient who underwent successful mastectomy and axillary dissection under local anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]