Search

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected breast cancer patients by causing delays in diagnosis and treatment processes. This study aims to investigate the effects of the pandemic on the treatment process and short-term outcomes of breast cancer patients. Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional, single-center study included 414 patients who underwent surgery for breast cancer at the Inonu University General Surgery Clinic between March 2018 and June 2021. The patients were divided into two groups: pre-pandemic (Pre-COVID-19; n = 240) and pandemic (COVID-19 Era; n = 174) periods. The groups were compared in terms of demographic, clinical, and histopathological variables. Results: During the pandemic period, the use of neoadjuvant therapy (from 21.3% to 34.5%) and preoperative PET-CT imaging (from 80.4% to 90.8%) rates increased, while breast-conserving surgery (from 27.9% to 19.0%) and the presence of comorbid diseases (from 45.0% to 29.9%) decreased significantly. While there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of the time from diagnosis to surgery (25 vs. 28.5 days, p = 0.121), the time to report the pathology result after surgery decreased during the pandemic period (28 vs. 23 days, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of immunohistochemical (ER, PR, Ki-67, E-cadherin, and c-erbB2), histopathological (lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, comedo necrosis, modified Bloom–Richardson grade, and TNM classification), and clinical (recurrence, metastasis, and axillary lymph node metastasis) features of the tumor. The mortality rate in the Pre-COVID-19 group (7.1%) was significantly higher than in the COVID-19 Era group (2.3%) (p = 0.049). Finally, in terms of the survival analysis, a statistically significant difference was found between the Pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 Era groups in terms of the mean follow-up duration of the patients (p = 0.044). Conclusions: The study results show that the use of neoadjuvant therapy and radical surgery preference increased in breast cancer treatment during the pandemic period, but there was no significant change in tumor biology and histopathological features. Breast-conserving surgery rates, comorbidity rates, and pathology reporting times were significantly shortened. Long-term follow-up periods of 3 and 5 years are needed to see the impact of the pandemic on breast cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the ovarian serous surface epithelial tumors in terms of FGFR1 expression and to evaluate the differences in expression of serous cystadenomas, borderline serous tumor/atypical proliferative serous tumors, low-grade and high-grade serous carcinomas. Materials and Methods: A hundred patients diagnosed with serous cystadenomas, borderline serous tumor/atypical proliferative serous tumors (BST), low-grade (LGSOC) and high-grade serous ovarian carcinomas (HGSOC) between 2010-2020 in our pathology laboratory were included in the study. In these cases, real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed on sections from paraffin blocks. Results: In our study, it was determined that FGFR1 gene expression was statistically significantly increased in HGSOC cases compared to the BST/LGSOC group and the SC group. Although there was a difference between the BST/LGSOC group and the SC group, no statistical significance was found. Conclusion: FGFR1 expression was significantly increased in HGSOC cases. This finding has led to the conclusion that angiogenesis inhibition by FGFR inhibition may be a treatment option in HGSOC cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichofolliculoma is a rare hair follicle hamartoma, which is often regarded as a hair follicle tumor. Mostly, it presents as a papule or nodule, involving the skin of the face and scalp area. A central, dilated keratin plugged ostium with vellus hair(s) is often present. We report a 19-year-old woman with typical clinical and histopathological findings of trichofolliculoma.

Objectives: Annexin A1 (ANXA1) which plays a role in tumor development and metastasis has been reported to be an effective regulator for tumor stroma and interacts with different components in the tumor microenvironment. The role of ANXA1 in tumorigenesis has not been fully understood. One of the main reasons for this is the great variability of ANXA1 expression in malignant tumors across different tumor types. Materials and Methods: Archived hematoxylin-eosin stained preparations of lung adenocarcinoma, breast invasive ductal carcinoma, colonic adenocarcinoma, and prostatic acinar carcinoma were re-evaluated and tumor regions to be analyzed with the tissue microarray method were determined. The ANXA1 expressions between the tumors and tumor microenvironment were evaluated immunohistochemically. Results: ANXA1 expression was decreased in the lung, breast, colon, and prostate adenocarcinomas. The most prominent staining was seen in lung adenocarcinoma cases. There was no statistically significant difference between the tumors in terms of ANXA1 staining (P > 0.05). ANXA1 was shown to be a more stained tumor microenvironment than in the tumor. Statistically significant staining with ANXA1 between within tumor and tumor microenvironment was observed in breast adenocarcinomas (P < 0.05). Our study showed differences between ANXA1 expression in different cancers, in tumor cells, and tumor microenvironment. Conclusion: Considering the effects of ANXA1 on tumor development and metastasis, a potential use as a biomarker may be suggested. Particularly, in breast adenocarcinomas, the high expression of ANXA1 in the tumor microenvironment supports the notion that it could induce the tumor stroma response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Platelet derived growth factors (PDGF)‐D and the expression of its receptor increase in neoplastic progression of cancer. Co‐silencing of growth factor and receptor can be suggested as an important strategy for effective cancer therapy. In the present study, we hypothesized that suppression of PDGF‐D signaling pathway with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting both PDGF‐D and PDGF receptor (PDGFR)‐β is a promising strategy for anticancer therapy. Methods: Chitosan nanoplexes containing dual and single siRNA were prepared at different weight ratios and controlled by gel retardation assay. Characterization, cellular uptake, gene silencing and invasion studies were performed. The effect of nanoplexes on breast tumor growth, PDGF expression and apoptosis was investigated. Results: We have shown that downregulation of PDGF‐D and PDGFR‐β with chitosan/siRNA nanoplex formulations reduced proliferation and invasion in breast cancer cells. In the in vivo breast tumor model, it was determined that the intratumoral administration of chitosan/siPDGF‐D/siPDGFR‐β nanoplexes markedly decreased the tumor volume and PDGF‐D and PDGFR‐β mRNA and protein expression levels and increased apoptosis. Conclusions: According to the results obtained, we evaluated the effect of PDGF‐D and PDGFR‐β on breast tumor development and showed that RNAi‐mediated inhibition of this pathway formulated with chitosan nanoplexes can be considered as a new breast cancer therapy strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myositis ossificans is an extraosseous, benign tumor-like condition characterized by prominent heterotopic ossification. Cystic degeneration in myositis ossificans is an uncommon entity. Case report: A 13-year-old girl presented with a large and painful breast lump. Physical examination revealed a mobile, hard mass, clinically resembling a fibroadenoma. The mass was excised and diagnosed as myositis ossificans with central bone cyst like changes. Conclusion: Our case represents the first myositis ossificans case with central bone cyst like changes in a child. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Peripheral nerve blockade is a common regional anesthetic technique in surgical procedures in daily clinical practice. The aim of this experimental study was to compare perineural dexmedetomidine alone with perineural sodium bicarbonate added to dexmedetomidine for measurement of analgesia, sensorial and motor blockade and histopathologic evaluation. Material and Methods: Twenty-four rabbits were randomly allocated to 3 groups; Group S: sham, Group D: perineural dexmedetomidine (20 mcg/kg) and Group D+SB: perineural dexmedetomidine (20 mcg/kg) plus sodium bicarbonate. (8.4%, 0.125 mL). Analgesia measurement was evaluated by hotplate test, the paw withdrawal response was performed for sensorial and motor blockades, also were recorded at baseline, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after drug administration. Dissected nerve tissue was also examined for histopathologic evaluation. Results: Latency times of Group D or Group D+SB were significantly longer when compared with Group S at 30, 60, 90 and 120 min. There was no significant difference between Group D and Group D+SB for the all scheduled times. Sensorial and motor blockade scores were similar in all groups. Group D or Group D+SB caused edema, inflammation with neutrophil leukocytes, and degeneration of myelin fibers, increased in vacuolization, granulation tissue and fibrosis. Conclusion: Perineural dexmedetomidine alone or in combination with sodium bicarbonate prolonged the duration of analgesia, but did not enhance the sensorial and motor blockade, when compared with placebo. Perineural dexmedetomidine combined with sodium bicarbonate didn't enhance the blockage. Dexmedetomidine caused edema, inflammation and degeneration of myelin fibers, increased in granulation tissue and fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]