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Aims: In this multicenter study, the authors aimed to determine the real-life efficacy and safety of first-line alectinib. Materials & methods: This retrospective trial included advanced-stage, ALK-positive non-small-cell lung cancer patients who were treated with first-line alectinib in terms of ALK-tyrosine kinase inhibitors, regardless of previous chemotherapy. The co-primary end points were progression-free survival both for all patients and for the treatment-naive population. The secondary end points were overall response rate, overall survival, rate of CNS progression and safety. Results & conclusion: A total of 274 patients (n = 177 for treatment-naive patients) were enrolled in the study. The median progression-free survival was 26 and 28.8 months for all patients and the treatment-naive group, respectively. The overall response rate, CNS progression rate and 1-year overall survival ratio were 77.9, 12.4 and 77%. Alectinib is a highly effective therapy with a favorable safety profile. Plain language summary The advancements in cancer treatment, particularly in the last two decades, have been promising. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most important diseases experiencing these promising developments. ALK positivity, which is caused by the rearrangement of different gene fragments between two chromosomes, affects about 5% of NSCLC patients. This provides a target for next-generation therapies. One of these targeted therapy drugs is alectinib. The authors examined the outcomes of 271 patients with body-disseminated NSCLC who received alectinib as initial targeted therapy. These patients were not chosen to participate in a clinical phase study. They were treated with an approved drug; the study also included 97 patients who had previously received chemotherapy. The median duration of survival without disease worsening was 26 months for all patients receiving alectinib treatment. This value was 28.8 months in 177 patients who had not received any treatment before alectinib. Regardless of disease status, 77% of all patients were found to be alive at the end of the first year. Alectinib treatment resulted in a significant improvement of the disease in approximately four out of five patients. The treatment's side effects were generally tolerable or manageable. Only four patients were reported to have discontinued their medication due to treatment-related side effects. These real-world findings are compatible with previous clinical research. Alectinib is an important first-line treatment option for patients with advanced, ALK-positive NSCLC. 35734870

Aim: To evaluate the immunogenicity and safety of the CoronaVac vaccine in patients with cancer receiving active systemic therapy. Methods: This multicenter, prospective, observational study was conducted with 47 patients receiving active systemic therapy for cancer. CoronaVac was administered as two doses (3 μg/day) on days 0 and 28. Antibody level higher than 1 IU/ml was defined as ‘immunogenicity.’ Results: The immunogenicity rate was 63.8% (30/47) in the entire patient group, 59.5% (25/42) in those receiving at least one cytotoxic drug and 100% (five of five) in those receiving monoclonal antibody or immunotherapy alone. Age was an independent predictive factor for immunogenicity (odds ratio: 0.830; p = 0.043). Conclusion: More than half of cancer patients receiving active systemic therapy developed immunogenicity., Tweetable abstract Immunogenicity developed with CoronaVac in 25 (59.5%) of 42 patients who received at least one cytotoxic drug and in all patients (n = 5) who received monoclonal antibody or immunotherapy alone.

Purpose Plexin C1 is a transmembrane receptor and plexin C1 overexpression might have role in carcinogenesis. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has poor prognosis because of its aggressive behavior and limited treatment options, especially in advanced stage. We recently documented that Plexin C1 was overexpressed in HCC. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic signifcance of Plexin C1 overexpression in HCC in the present study. Methods Plexin C1 overexpression was evaluated immunohistochemically on parafn-embedded blocks of the HCC patients. Plexin C1 immunohistochemical staining was scored. Plexin C1 overexpression staining intensity and prevalence were used for plexin scale staining evaluation and plexin scores were estimated according this staining scale. Plexin C1 score and its association with survival and clinicopathological features was assessed. Results Sixty-seven HCC patients with adequate tissue for pathological evaluation were included. Median age was 63 years with male predominance (male to female ratio was 4.75 (n 57/12). Well-diferentiated HCC (53.7%) patients had higher plexin C1 overexpression (p

Objective: To evaluate the effects of trastuzumab on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer. Study design Descriptive study. Place and duration of study Department of Medical Oncology, Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, from January 2012 to December 2019. Methodology Medical records of 33 HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer patients who had received trastuzumab combined with chemotherapy at least 6 cycles and/or followed by maintenance as the first-line treatment were examined. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis. Log-Rank test was used to compare survival times. The prognostic factors were determined by Cox regression analysis. Results The median OS was 15.97 months, and the median PFS was 11.11 months. The median OS and PFS were significantly higher in those who demonstrated partial or complete response to trastuzumab combination treatment, and those who received more than 10 cycles of trastuzumab. A Cox regression analysis revealed that the risk of death was 3.18 times higher in patients with stable disease and 0.44 times lower in patients who received more than 10 cycles of trastuzumab as maintenance. Conclusion The OS time was prolonged when the partial and complete response was obtained with chemotherapy combined with trastuzumab, as well as OS and PFS times were improved with the increasing number of trastuzumab cycles. Thus, it is concluded that the response better than stable disease of trastuzumab treatment and an increased number of cycles predicts improved survival efficiently in patients with HER2-positive metastatic gastric cancer. Key Words: Metastatic gastric cancer, Trastuzumab, Prognosis, Response, Efficiency.

Aim: To investigate how COVID-19 fear and anxiety (COV-FA) affects chemotherapy adherence in patients with cancer. Materials & methods: The records of 3661 patients with chemotherapy (CT) appointments were retrospectively reviewed. Results: The CT postponement rates before and after COVID-19 were 11.6% and 14.2%, respectively (p = 0.017). The rate of COV-FA-related CT postponement after telemedicine was lower than that before (4.6% vs 17.4%; p = 0.012). The median time to come back to treatment of the COV-FA group was 47 days (range 19–72 days). Advanced age (≥60 years) was found to be the independent factor that was predictive of time to come back to treatment (p = 0.043). Conclusion: The CT postponement rate increased after COVID-19. COV-FA-related CT postponement decreased after telemedicine. Advanced age could be predictive of time to come back to treatment.

Background/Aims:To investigate the effectiveness and reliability of anti-TNF treatment in Ankylosing Spondylitis-Rheumatoid arthritis patients.Methods:180 patients (110 Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients diagnosed according to 1987 American Rheumatism Association criteria, 70 Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) patients diagnosed according to Modified NewYork Criteria) admitted to the hospital for arthritis and related compliants who were followed up and treated with anti-TNF treatment in the department of Rheumatology&Immunology from 2009 to 2011. We enrolled 100 patients with RA (76 women, 24 men) and 60 patients with AS (16 women, 44 men) to the study, excluded 20 patients according to the exclusion criterias. The response of the patients to the anti-TNF treatment was evaluated by comparing the clinical parameters BASDAI, DAS28 and VAS score; and laboratory measurements of erytrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein levels of rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis before and six months after the treatment.Results:After the six months of anti Tnf treatment, BASDAI score for AS, DAS28 score for RA, VAS, ESR and CRP levels for both diseases showed a statistically significant improvement, moreover it was determined that demographic variations did not affect these values.Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that anti-TNF treatment is safe and effective treatment modality in patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis and Rheumatoid arthritis. These findings are short-term results of a study, and therefore future studies with larger patient series and long term follow-up are needed to look at outcomes of long term therapies.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in docetaxel-naive and docetaxel-pretreated patients. STUDY DESIGN Observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY HSU Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Medical Oncology, Ankara, Turkey, from March 2017 to July 2019. METHODOLOGY A total of 67 patients with mCRPC were retrospectively evaluated. Castration-naive patients and non-metastatic patients were excluded from the study. Comorbid diseases, ECOG performance status, PSA response, and the radiological response of the patients were recorded. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and a Cox regression model was formed. RESULTS The overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in patients with eastern cooperative oncology group performance status (ECOG PS) 0 (26.0 vs. 14.0 months, p=0.031), PSA response (26.0 vs. 7.0 months, p=0.002), radiological response (26.0 vs. 10.0 months, p=0.006) and duration of enzalutamide ≥9 months (26.0 vs. 7.0 months, p

© 2021 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of everolimus (EVE) plus exemestane (EXE) in hormone-receptor positive (HR+), human epidermal growth factor receptor-2-negative (HER2−) metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients in real-life settings. Methods: Overall, 204 HR+, HER2− MBC patients treated with EVE + EXE after progressing following prior endocrine treatment were included. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) and safety data were analyzed. Results: The objective response rate, median PFS, and median OS were 33.4%, 8.9 months, and 23.4 months, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that negative progesterone receptor status was a significant determinant of poor treatment response (p = 0.035) and PFS (p = 0.024). The presence of bone-only metastasis was associated with better treatment response (p = 0.002), PFS (p < 0.001), and OS (p = 0.001). Conclusion: We confirmed the favorable efficacy and safety profile of EVE + EXE for HR+, HER − MBC patients.

Background: Atezolizumab (ATZ) has demonstrated antitumor activity and manageable safety in previous studies of patients with metastatic platinum-resistant urothelial carcinoma. However, the response rate of Atezolizumab was modest. In the current study, we evaluated the pretreatment prognostic factors for overall survival in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma who have progressed after first-line chemotherapy in the Expanded-Access Program of Atezolizumab. Patients and methods: In this study, we present a retrospective analysis of 113 patients with urothelial cancer treated with ATZ after progression on first-line chemotherapy. Data of the patients was obtained from patient files and hospital records. Eligible patients included metastatic urothelial carcinoma patients treated with at least one course of ATZ. Univariate analysis was used to identify clinical and laboratory factors that significantly impact OS. Variables were retained for multivariate analysis if they had a statistical relationship with OS (p < 0.1), and then included a final model of p < 0.05. Results: The median follow-up duration was 23.5 months. Of the patients, 98 (86.7%) were male and 13.3% were female. The median age was 65 years of age (37–86). In univariate analysis, primary tumor location in the upper tract, increasing absolute neutrophil count (ANC), increasing absolute lymphocyte count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) > 3, liver metastases, baseline creatinine clearance less (GFR) than 60 ml/min, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (1 ?), and hemoglobin levels below 10 mg/dl were all the significantly associated with OS. Three of the five adverse prognostic factors according to the Bellmunt criteria were independent of short survival: liver metastases HR 3.105; 95% CI 1.673–5.761; p < (0.001), ECOG PS (1 ?) HR 2.184; 95% CI 1.120–4.256; p = 0.022, and Hemoglobin level below 10 mg/dl HR 2.680; 95% CI 1.558–4.608; p < (0.001). In addition, NLR > 3 hazard ratio [HR] 2.092; 95% CI 1.031–4.243; p = 0.041 and GFR less than 60 ml/min HR 1.829; 95% CI 1.1–3.041; p = 0.02, maintained a significant association with OS in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: This model confirms the Bellmunt model with the addition of NLR > 3 and GFR less than 60 ml/min and can be associated with clinical trials that use immunotherapy in patients with bladder cancer. © 2021, Japan Society of Clinical Oncology.

To compare enzalutamide (E) and abiraterone acetate (AA) in terms of efficacy, survival and to characterize prognostic factors affecting survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. A total of 250 patients treated with E or AA in 5 centers were included. The number of patients with no prostate specific antigen (PSA) decline was higher in the AA group than that in the E group, and the proportion of patients with a PSA decline of ≥ 50% was higher in the E group (p = 0.020). Radiological progression free survival (rPFS) and overall survival (OS) were significantly longer in the E group when compared to that in the AA group (p

Although giant cell tumor of bone has been considered as a disease with benign course, it can lead to bone destruction and serious morbidity. A 19-year-old case was presented with hip pain. There was a recurrence after 9 months of curative surgical resection and zoledronic acid use, and as surgical morbidity would be high, antiosteoclastic receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand inhibitor denosumab treatment was administered. She had a complete remission after 18 months of denosumab treatment. The important point in the present case is that it has been followed up without recurrence after around 42 months of denosumab use and 11 months of follow-up after the cessation of drug. In recurrent cases in which nonmetastatic surgery is not suitable, the use of denosumab decreases tumor progression. The duration of use in unresectable and advanced cases still remains unclear.

Aim: In this retrospective study, the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy and its contribution to prognosis were investigated in patients diagnosed with different subgroups of ovarian carcinoma at stages 1–3. Material and Method: Epithelial ovarian carcinoma cases treated at Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital of Health Sciences University between January 2014 and May 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 145 patients were diagnosed and treated for EOC during the study period. According to histopathological subgroups, serous EOC was the most common (84.8%), followed by endometrioid (6.6%), mucinous (4.8%) and clear cell types (3.8%). Local recurrence and distant recurrences were observed in 39 (43.8%) and 7 (7.9%) cases in the serous EOC group, respectively. The median follow-up was 39 months (10–217 months). Median survival was 91.4 months (58.9–123.9 months) in the whole group and 100.9 months in serous EOC. Median survival in mucinous EOC was 26.2 months, whereas median survival in endometrioid EOC and clear cell EOC were not reached. A statistically significant difference of survival was found between serous and mucinous types of tumors (p: 0.04. Conclusions: According to the results of this study examining the survival outcomes of epithelial ovarian cancer subtypes after chemotherapy, there was a statistically significant difference between the prognosis of different epithelial ovarian cancer cases after taxane and platinum-containing adjuvant chemotherapy. Mucinous type of tumors exhibited less overall survival compared to endometrioid and clear cell types which needs to be confirmed with prospective clinical trials. Keywords: Epithelial ovarian carcinoma, Serous, Mucinous, Adjuvant treatment, FIGO stage

Amac : Visfatin, visseral adipoz doku tarafindan salgilanan, insulin-mimetik etkileri olan ve plazma glukoz seviyelerini dusuren hucre ici bir enzimdir. Yeni tani konulan glukoz metabolizma bozukluklarinda visfatinin rolu ile ilgili yapilan calismalar sinirlidir. Bu calismanin amaci bozulmus aclik glukozu ve bozulmus glukoz toleransi olan hastalarda visfatin serum konsantrasyonunu degerlendirmektir. Gerec ve yontem: Anormal glukoz metabolizmasi tanisi alan 57 hasta, oral glukoz tolerans testi (OGTT) sonuclarina gore bozulmus aclik glukozu (BAG) (n = 39) ve BAG+ bozulmus glukoz toleransi (BGT) (n = 18) olarak alt gruplara ayrildi. Kontrol grubu, normal glukoz toleransi olan ve herhangi bir metabolik bozuklugu olmayan 44 saglikli bireyden olusuyordu. Tum katilimcilarin serum lipidleri, yuksek duyarli CRP, urik asit, glikolize hemoglobin (HbA1c) ve serum visfatin duzeyleri olculdu . Bulgular: BAG grubunun visfatin duzeyi 93.92 ± 12.95, BAG + BGT grubunun 37.79 ± 29.36, kontrol grubunun 43.96 ± 38.57 idi. Gruplarin serum visfatin duzeyleri arasinda istatistiksel olarak anlamli fark vardi (p

Objective: In this study we aimed to investigate the relationship between insulin resistance and pre-diabetic patients' serum resistin levels, inflammatory and oxidative stress parameters that take part in the progress of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Resistin is a newly discovered adipokine which is secreted from adipose tissue that has important roles in the pathogenesis of obesity mediated-insulin resistance.

Objective Sunitinib is a novel oral multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor with antitumor and antiangiogenic activities. This study evaluates ezrin expression in sunitinib-treated metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients and elucidates its role as a possible marker for survival. Materials and methods The expression of ezrin was measured by immunohistochemistry in 80 patients with ccRCC treated by first-line sunitinib between January 2007 and June 2012. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used for analysis of progression-free survival and overall survival (OS), and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was employed to identify factors with an independent effect on the survival. Results In multivariate analysis, liver metastasis (P = 0.018; hazard ratio [HR]: 3.707 (1.257-10.931) and overexpression of ezrin (P = 0.006; HR: 2.993 (1.373-6.523 95% confidence interval) were remained significant factors influencing OS. Overexpression of ezrin in the patients who had progressed in the first 3 months was higher than in the patients who had progressed after 3 months (P = 0.003). The median OS was longer in patients with low levels of ezrin expression (27 months) compared to patients overexpressing ezrin (12 months) (P = 0.001). Conclusion This is the first study in the literature showing that ezrin status is related with prognosis in patients with metastatic ccRCC.

Background: To compare enzalutamide (E) and abiraterone acetate (AA) in terms of efficacy, survival and prognostic factors affecting survival in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Methods: A total of 250 patients treated with E or AA in 5 centers were included.Results: The number of patients with no prostate specific antigen (PSA) decline was higher in the AA group than that in the E group, and the proportion of patients with a PSA decline of ≥50% was higher in the E group (p = 0.020). The rate of progression in the AA group (82.2%) was significantly higher than that in the E group (p Conclusion: With longer OS and PFS, E seems to be more suitable for mCRPC patients in the post-docetaxel setting than AA.

Background: Immunotherapy improves overall survival (OS) in the second and later lines of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treatment. Recent studies have suggested that antibiotic (ATB) use either shortly before or after the start of immunotherapy could lead to decreased OS. Herein, we evaluate the impact of ATB use on OS in RCC patients treated with nivolumab in a multi-center cohort from Turkey. Methods: The data of 93 metastatic RCC patients treated with nivolumab in the second line or later were retrospectively collected from 6 oncology centers. Previous treatments, sites of metastases, International Metastatic RCC Database Consortium risk classification, and ATB use in the three months before (-3) or three months after (+3) the start of immunotherapy were recorded together with survival data. The association of clinical factors with OS and progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed with univariate and multivariable analyses. Results: The median age was 61 (interquartile range 54-67), and 76.3% of the patients were male. The median OS of the cohort was 23.75 ± 4.41, and the PFS was 8.44 ± 1.61 months. Thirty-one (33.3%) patients used ATBs in the 3 months before (-3) or 3 months after (+3) nivolumab initiation. In the multivariable analyses, ATB exposure (HR: 2.306, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.155-4.601, P = 0.018) and the presence of brain metastases at the baseline (HR: 2.608, 95% CI: 1.200-5.666, P = 0.015) had a statistically significant association with OS, while ATB exposure was the only statistically significant parameter associated with PFS (HR: 2.238, 95% CI: 1.284-3.900, P = 0.004). Conclusion: In our study, patients with ATB exposure in the 3 months before or 3 months after the start of immunotherapy had shorter OS. Our findings further support meticulous risk–benefit assessments of prescribing ATBs for patients who are either receiving or are expected to receive immunotherapy. WOS:000723830400020 34130864 Q3

Introduction To investigate the level of psychological resilience and the impact of attachment styles on the degree of resilience to distress in patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy. Methods Patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy were included in the study. Participants were requested to complete the Relationship Scales Questionnaire (RSQ), Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA), and a personal information form during the data collection phase. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare that parameter among the attachment styles. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify independent factors affecting resilience. Results A total of 384 individuals were included in this study (mean age 53.5 ± 12.1, 27.1 % male). The RSQ results showed that the attachment styles of 190 (49.5%) participants were secure, whereas 194 (50.5%) subjects had an insecure attachment. The median RSA score of participants with a secure attachment was significantly higher than that of patients with insecure attachment (133.15 ± 16.6 vs. 127.0 ± 20.0, p=0.001). Patients with the RSA score of >130 were more educated, were in better economic condition, had better perceived social support, and had a higher frequency of secure attachment than those defined as low resilient. Logistic regression analysis revealed that poor and medium perceived social support and insecure attachment style independently predicted low resilience (RSA≤130). Conclusion This study demonstrates that the secure attachment style in patients with cancer improves stress resilience as compared to the insecure attachment style. Our findings also show that insufficient perceived social support is likely a negative factor in resilience.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the prognostic role of systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients who received platin-pemetrexed combination therapy and/or maintenance pemetrexed therapy. STUDY DESIGN Observational study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Medical Oncology, HSU Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology, Training and Research Hospital, Turkey, between January 2010 and March 2020. METHODOLOGY Data of patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma of lung, who underwent platin-pemetrexed combination therapy and/or maintenance pemetrexed therapy retrospectively, were evaluated. Patient characteristics and disease parameters were recorded. Moreover, NLR, PLR, and SII were calculated. Survival analysis with the Kaplan-Meier and Log-rank test was performed. Cox regression analysis was used to determine independent prognostic factors of overall survivall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). RESULTS In the univariate analyses, NLR-low group and SII-low group had significantly longer PFS compared to NLR-high and SII-high groups (10 months vs. 8 months, p=0.018, and 13 months vs. 8 months, p

Introduction: The aim of the study was to evaluate impact of the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) on prognosis and survival within the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) score groups. Methods: The records of 187 patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) were reviewed retrospectively. The SII was calculated as follows: SII = Neutrophil × Platelet/Lymphocyte. The patients were categorized into 2 groups based on a median SII of 730 (×109 per 1 L) as SII low (Results: The median age was 61 years (range: 34–86 years). Kaplan-Meier tests revealed significant differences in survival between the SII-low and SII-high levels (27.0 vs. 12.0 months, respectively, p < 0.001). The Cox regression model revealed that SII was an independent prognostic factor. The implementation of the log-rank test in the IMDC groups according to the SII level provided the distinction of survival in the favorable group (SII low 49.0 months vs. SII high 11.0 months, p < 0.001), in the intermediate group (SII low 26.0 vs. SII high 15.0 months, p = 0.007), and in the poor group (SII low 19.0 vs. SII high 6.0 months, p = 0.019). Conclusion: The SII was an independent prognostic factor and provided significant differences in survival for the favorable, intermediate, and poor IMDC groups. Thus, the SII added to the IMDC score may be clinically beneficial in predicting survival.

Objective To determine the prognostic importance of the metastatic site in metastatic renal cell cancer (mRCC) patients in the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) intermediate-risk. Study design Observational study. Place and duration of study Department of Medical Oncology, Dr Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, from January 2010 to November 2018. Methodology Records of 113 mRCC patients, determined to be in the intermediate-risk group according to IMDC criteria, were reviewed retrospectively. All patients used a tyrosine kinase inhibitor - sunitinib or pazopanib - for metastatic disease. Patients' records included age, gender, metastatic site, number of metastases and treatment regimen. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and a Cox regression model was formed. Results The median age of the patients was 58 years (Q1 - Q3: 44 - 66 years) and 87.6% of the patients had ≥2 metastatic sites. The most common metastatic sites were the lung (51.3%), lymph nodes (26.5%), bone (26.5%) and brain (17.7%). Median overall survival (OS) was shorter in the patients with bone and brain metastasis than in those without (15.0 months vs. 21.0 months, p = .026 and 14.0 months vs. 21.0 months, p = .009, respectively). Multivariate analysis showed that brain and bone metastasis were independent prognostic risk factors (HR: 2.43, p = .017 and HR: 2.10, p = .042, respectively). Conclusion Bone and brain metastasis had a negative effect on OS in IMDC intermediate-risk group mRCC patients. Key Words: Metastatic site, Brain metastasis, Bone metastasis, Renal cell carcinoma, Prognosis.

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is an extremely rare and aggressive hematopoietic tumor. Although it can be seen at any anatomic location, the most common primary sites are skin as extranodal region, locations including the lymph nodes and gastrointestinal tract. To the best of our knowledge, in light of PubMed search, this is the first primary tonsillar HS case presented with disseminated metastases at the time of diagnosis. A 58-year-old male patient applied with swelling on the right side of the neck, difficulty in swallowing, and weight loss. Positron emission tomography computed tomography was performed and increased pathological 18F fluorodeoxy D glucose uptake was detected in the right palatine tonsil, bilateral cervical multiple lymph nodes, liver masses, intra abdominal lymph nodes, and nodular lesion in the left adrenal gland. Tonsillectomy was performed and the pathological result was reported as HS. The patient did not respond to any treatment and had died after 5 months from the date of diagnosis. In conclusion, HS is generally diagnosed at advanced stage, it has limited chemotherapy response and high mortality rates. To understand this rare disease's pathophysiological and clinical features, further investigations are needed.

[No abstract available], Amer Soc Clin Oncol

Aims: The addition of aflibercept to the fluorouracil and irinotecan (FOLFIRI) regimen significantly improved clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) previously treated with oxaliplatin. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of second-line FOLFIRI and aflibercept combination in patients with metastatic CRC in real-life experience. Materials and Methods: Four hundred and thirty-three patients who treated with FOLFIRI and aflibercept in the second-line were included in the study. The clinical and pathological features of the patients were recorded retrospectively. Survival (overall and progression-free survival [PFS]), response rates, and safety data were analyzed. Results: The median age was 61. Majority of patients (87.5%) received first-line bevacizumab and 10.1% of patients received anti-epidermal growth factor receptor agents. About 80% of patients had KRAS, 18.6% of patients had NRAS, and 6.4% of patients had BRAF mutations. The median OS was 11.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.6-12.6) and the median PFS was 6 months (95% CI, 5.5-6.5). About 4.6% of patients had complete response and 30.6% of patients had partial response as best tumor response. Grade 1-2 toxicities were seen in 33.4% of patients, while grade 3-4 toxicities were recorded in 27% of patients. Eight patients (2%) died due to treatment toxicity. Conclusions: Overall and PFS were similar in routine clinical practice compared to phase III pivotal VELOUR trial. However, response rates were found to be higher. It was observed that there were fewer adverse events compared to the VELOUR trial. © 2022 Authors. All rights reserved.

The identification of prognostic factors in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) represents an area of increasing interest. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA-IX), a hypoxia marker, correlates with tumor progression in a variety of human cancers. However, the role of CA-IX in GBM remains largely unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the prognostic role of CA-IX in GBM patients. In total, 66 consecutive patients with GBM who received concomitant chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy with temozolomide were retrospectively reviewed, and all patients received temozolomide chemotherapy for at least 3 months. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used for analysis of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was employed to identify factors with an independent effect on survival. The median OS was longer in patients with low levels of CA-IX expression (18 months) compared to patients overexpressing CA-IX (9 months) (P = 0.004). There was not a statistically significant difference in median PFS (3.5 vs. 8 months, P = 0.054) between patients with high or low levels of CA-IX expression. In multivariate analysis, the variables that were identified as significant prognostic factors for OS were preoperative Karnofsky performance scale score (KPS) (hazard ratio (HR), 3.703; P = 0.001), CA-IX overexpression (HR, 1.967; P = 0.019), and incomplete adjuvant temozolomide treatment (HR, 2.241; P = 0.003) and gross-total resection (HR, 1.956; P = 0.034). Our findings indicated that CA-IX may be a potential prognostic biomarker in the treatment of GBM.

The most common site of blood-borne metastases from colorectal cancers (CRC) is the liver. Resection of (liver) metastases is a part of standard treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. Hepatic resection is the first-line treatment of liver metastases, with 5-year survival rates between 25 and 58%. The enhanced efficacy of systemic chemotherapeutic regimens has increased tumor response rates and improved the progression-free and overall survival of patients with these malignancies. In approximately 20% of patients with initially unresectable liver metastases, the metastases may become resectable after administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Unresectable liver metastases can be managed with systemic therapy and/or a variety of liver-directed techniques such as radiofrequency ablation, hepatic artery infusion, or yttrium-90 radioembolization. Our examination of the literature led us to propose a new patient-oriented algorithm to guide clinicians' decisions on the best choice of upfront therapy for CRC and synchronous liver metastases. The need for multidisciplinary consensus has become especially important for metastatic CRC.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the growth of tumor cells, and in their invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Kinase inhibitors (which are taken orally, work intracellularly, and can inhibit one or more kinases) constitute a rapidly growing and important part of the oncology armamentarium. Although these treatments have dramatically changed the natural course of many cancers, they may result in hepatic complications, which can be manifested during the course of therapy. More effort must be devoted to manipulating the dose and schedule of kinase inhibitor therapy to maximize efficacy and minimize toxicity. When these agents are used, judicious management of adverse effects should be carried out in the early phases of treatment. This article focuses on the hepatocellular toxic effects that may be associated with these new targeted cancer therapies and provides a broad overview of this emerging field.

Ewing's family of tumors is aggressive tumors and frequently arises from bone and soft tissue. They might also arise from nonosseous structures such as gastrointestinal tract, adrenal glands, or kidney. Primary renal Ewing's sarcoma (ES)/primitive neuroectodermal tumor is an extremely rare entity which has aggressive clinical course. These high-grade malignant tumors predominantly affect adolescents and young adults. Patients mostly present with nonspecific symptoms such as pain, hematuria, mass, and sensitivity. It is confused with renal cell cancer in imaging techniques. The definitive diagnosis is based on the histopathological examination. Surgical or radiotherapy treatment is used for local control and multiagent chemotherapy used for systemic treatment. Despite all treatment options, prognosis is poor. We aimed to describe the diagnosis and follow-up and treatment of renal ES case that was considered as renal cell carcinoma in imaging but diagnosed as ES via histopathology.

Tamoxifen plays a critical role in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Despite these great benefits against breast cancer, tamoxifen increases the risk of endometrial pathologies such as endometrial hyperplasia, polyp, and neoplasms because of agonistic effect on endometrial tissues. Therefore, gynecologic follow-up should be carried out during tamoxifen treatment. Uterine tumors are frequently detected as the result of presentation with abnormal uterine bleeding. In addition, genital tract's metastases from distant primary tumors can present with abnormal uterine bleeding. Therefore, it is important to determine whether the uterine mass is metastatic or primary because different treatment modalities are used for them. In this context, breast carcinomas are the most frequent metastatic tumors, particularly invasive lobular carcinoma. Here, we report an invasive lobular carcinoma case that presented with abnormal uterine bleeding while receiving tamoxifen therapy and has metastasize in the uterus.

Glioblastoma is the most common malignant primary brain tumor in adults in the 5th and 6th decades. Most patients are treated with a combined approach, including adjuvant postoperative radiation therapy and adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery..

This prospective study has been designed with the hypothesis that low unit price does not necessarily mean cost-effectiveness. Low-cost, domestic short peripheral catheters (SPCs) and higher-priced, imported SPCs were compared in 2 different time periods. With the use of the higher-priced, imported SPCs, the rate of successful insertion on first attempt was increased (P < .001), and the development of complications was reduced (P < .001). The study revealed that $345 was saved per 1000 catheters when the catheter with the higher unit price was chosen. Although the domestic SPCs had a low unit price, their use resulted in greater health care expenses.

Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Treatment for lung cancer has become increasingly more complex over the last several years. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have dramatically changed the treatment landscape of advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). There are currently 3 approved checkpoint inhibitors for patients with NSCLC who progressed after platinum-doublet chemotherapy (Pembrolizumab and/or Nivolumab and/or Atezolizumab). Avelumab and durvalumab are currently under investigation in phase 3 trials. Pembrolizumab has now been approved for first-line use in NSCLC, after a trial showed improved survival compared with chemotherapy in patients who were positive for programmed cell death ligand 1. Giving our patients the best, personalized approach to their individual cancer can improve their quality of life and survival and help us use our limited resources most efficiently. In the present review, we provide a new patient-oriented algorithm to guide clinicians' decisions on the best choice of therapy for advanced NSCLC. (C) 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

409 Background: In the current study, we evaluated whether the response first-line chemotherapy could impact atezolizumab benefit in terms of response rate and overall survival in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma. Methods: In this study, we present the retrospective analysis of 105 patients with urothelial cancer treated with ATZ after progression on first-line chemotherapy. The association between response to first-line chemotherapy and ATZ was assessed using Fisher’s exact test. Overall survival (OS) was estimated by using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate analysis was used to identify clinical and laboratory factors that significantly impact OS. Variables were retained for multivariate analysis if they had a statistical relationship with OS (p˂0.1) and then included the final model if p˂0.05. Results: Best response to first-line chemotherapy was complete response (CR), partial response (PR), stable disease (SD) and progressive disease (PD) in 5(4.8%), 38(36.2%), 16(15.2%), 46(43.8%) patients, respectively. Best response to atezolizumab was CR, PR, SD, PD in 9(8.6%), 22(21%), 23(21,9%), 51(48,5%). Forty (74.1%) of patients who benefited from first-line chemotherapy also benefited from atezolizumab, while only 14 (25.9%) of patients with initial PD after first-line chemotherapy subsequently experienced clinical benefit with atezolizumab (Fisher’s exact test, p=0.001). Patients with clinical benefit from first-line chemotherapy had a higher OS. The median OS of atezolizumab were 14.8 and 3.4 months for patients with clinical benefit and progressive disease in response to first-line chemotherapy, respectively (log-rank p=0.001). In univariate analysis, Patients with clinical benefit from first-line chemotherapy, liver metastases, baseline creatinine clearance less (GFR)than 60 ml/min, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (1 ≥), and hemoglobin levels below 10 mg/dl were all significantly associated with OS. Three of the adverse prognostic factors according to the Bellmunt criteria were independent factor of short survival: liver metastases (Hazard Ratio [HR]= 0.6; 95% CI 0.174-0.60; p=0.04), ECOG PS≥1 (HR= 0.36; 95% CI 0.2-0.66; p=0.001), and Hemoglobin level below 10 mg/dl (HR= 0.36; 95% CI 0.2-0.66; p

e17091 Background: The majority of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) are in the intermediate-risk group, according to International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC). Some patients in the intermediate-risk group have similar overall survival (OS) with those in the good-risk group, while others with those in the poor-risk group. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic significance of the region of the metastasis and to classify the intermediate-risk group into two as favorable or unfavorable according to the metastasis region. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with mRCC those in the intermediate-risk group seen at our Oncology Training and Research Hospital from 2010 to 2018. Patients who received at least one line of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) were included in the study. Overall survival was calculated. The log-rank test was used to check the statistical significance for OS. Results: Of 113 patients, median age 58 (range 34-78) years, 99 (88%) had more than one site of metastasis: 61 (54%) lung, 41 (36%) bone, 21 (18%) lymph node, and 19 (17%) brain metastasis. Nine patients received one, 86 patients received two, and 18 patients received three lines of systemic therapy. Median follow up was 14 (range 4 – 54) months. Median OS for patients with bone and/or brain metastasis was 10 (95% CI = 6.1 – 13.9) months compared to 16 (95% CI = 10.1 – 22.2) months for patients with lung and/or lymph node metastasis (HR = 1.675, p-value = 0.012). Conclusions: Our data suggest that the bone and/or brain metastasis in the intermediate-risk group mRCC patients treated with TKI are unfavorable prognostic factors.

451 Background: Anti-tumor activity and manageable safety profile of atezolizumab (ATZ) has been demonstrated in the previous clinical trials in patients with locally advanced or metastatic platinum-resistant urothelial carcinoma. In this study, we reported the results of real-life data of urothelial carcinoma patients in Turkey who were treated with ATZ. Methods: Data of the patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma registered to ATZ Expanded-Access Program and treated with at least one course of ATZ from 36 oncology centers in Turkey were collected. The primary endpoint was the overall response rate (ORR); secondary endpoints were overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), duration of the ATZ treatment and safety. Results: Data of 115 eligible patients were analyzed. Of the patients, 100 (87%) were male and 13% were female. The median age was 65.3 years (37-86). Most of the patients (92.3%) had received only one chemotherapy regimen prior to ATZ. The median follow-up time was 23.5 months. The complete response rate to ATZ, partial response rate, and ORR were 8.7% (n=10), 20.0% (n=23), and 28.7% (n=33), respectively. The median duration of response was 20.4 months (95% CI 6.47–28.8). Of the thirty-three patients who responded to treatment, 20 (60%) had an ongoing response at the time of the analysis. PFS and OS with ATZ were 3.8 months (95% 2.25–5.49) and 9.8 months (95% 6.7–12.9), respectively. The 12-month PFS rate was 22.3% and the 24-month PFS rate was 16.9%. The 12-month OS rate was 42.2% and the 24-month OS rate was 23.5%, respectively. Sixty-four percent of patients experienced a treatment-related adverse event of any grade, and 24 (20%) of patients had a grade 3–4 treatment-related adverse event. Because of treatment-related side effects, dose reduction was performed in 9 (7.8%) patients and ATZ was discontinued in 8 patients (7.0%). Adverse event that required systemic steroid use was reported in only 7 (6.1%) patients. Four patients (3.5%) died due to treatment-related causes. Conclusions: ATZ is an effective and tolerable treatment for patients with metastatic platinum-resistant urothelial carcinoma.

Objective: The age-adjusted mortality rate due to gastric cancer was reported to increase with age. This study aims to investigate the results of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients aged 65 years or older comparing with younger patients and focusing on its impact on survival. Materials and Methods: A total of 406 patients with nonmetastatic gastric cancer that consisted of 283 patients younger than 65 years (range: 23-64 years) and 123 patients 65 years of age or older (range: 65-75 years) were retrospectively evaluated. Categorical and continuous variables were summarized using the descriptive statistics and compared with Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U-tests, respectively. Cancer-specific survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Median age at diagnosis was 58 years (range: 23-75 years). There was no significant difference in gender, tumor localization in the stomach (cardia/noncardia), tumor histology, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion, histopathological characteristics of the tumor, and tumor stage between groups. No significant difference was detected in survival between groups. The median survivals were 20.8 months (range: 17-24.6) in patients younger than 65 years and 19.5 months (range: 14.8-24.1) in patients 65 years of age or older (P = 0.9). Conclusions: We showed that adjuvant chemotherapy in elderly patients with gastric cancer has same effectiveness as nonelderly patients. However, further well-designated prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings., NA

Cardiac side effects of targeted chemotherapy agents are getting more and more important topic nowadays. However, the studies on this topic are limited. Because multiple agent chemotherapy is not a common treatment option, it is hard to establish controlled study groups ( as before chemotherapy and after chemotherapy); further, cancer, itself, may cause cardiac side effects and uncertainty of the symptoms may be associated with previous clinical situation before chemotherapy. For all that, we may get information to a certain degree about the side effects of these agents by analyzing case reports. These side effects have a broad spectrum from asymptomatic rhythm alterations to acute cardiac death. In this case report, we aim to discuss asymptomatic ventricular bigeminal rhythm, which is proved by electrocardiography, of our patient during treated by trastuzumab.

The identification of prognostic factors in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) represents an area of increasing interest. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA-IX), a hypoxia marker, correlates with tumor progression in a variety of human cancers. However, the role of CA-IX in GBM remains largely unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the prognostic role of CA-IX in GBM patients. In total, 66 consecutive patients with GBM who received concomitant chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy with temozolomide were retrospectively reviewed, and all patients received temozolomide chemotherapy for at least 3 months. Kaplan-Meier curves and log-rank tests were used for analysis of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model was employed to identify factors with an independent effect on survival. The median OS was longer in patients with low levels of CA-IX expression (18 months) compared to patients overexpressing CA-IX (9 months) (P = 0.004). There was not a statistically significant difference in median PFS (3.5 vs. 8 months, P = 0.054) between patients with high or low levels of CA-IX expression. In multivariate analysis, the variables that were identified as significant prognostic factors for OS were preoperative Karnofsky performance scale score (KPS) (hazard ratio (HR), 3.703; P = 0.001), CA-IX overexpression (HR, 1.967; P = 0.019), and incomplete adjuvant temozolomide treatment (HR, 2.241; P = 0.003) and gross-total resection (HR, 1.956; P = 0.034). Our findings indicated that CA-IX may be a potential prognostic biomarker in the treatment of GBM.

Pazopanib is an effective treatment for advanced renal cell carcinoma and soft tissue sarcoma. Besides classical adverse events of this drug class, hepatotoxicity has been described as a frequent side effect. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of pazopanib on the liver in an experimental rat model. Sixteen Wistar albino rats were divided into 3 groups: experimental toxicity was induced with pazopanib (10 mg/kg) administered for 28 days (group 2) or 56 days (group 3) orally by gavage. Group 1 (control group) received only distilled water. Rats in groups 2 and 3 were sacrificed after the collection of blood and tissue samples on the 28th and 56th days, respectively. We found significant differences in bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, glucose, triglyceride, very-low-density lipoprotein, and iron values (p < 0.050 for all) but none in any other parameter (p > 0.050). All rats in the control group had normal histological features; however, none of the rats in groups 2 and 3 showed normal histology. In group 2, we observed mild sinusoidal dilatation, congestion, enlarged Kupffer cells, accumulation of yellow-brown-black pigment in the Kupffer cells and the accumulation of hemosiderin with Prussian blue reaction in the hepatocytes. In group 3, the findings mentioned above were more prominent, and besides these findings focal acinar transformation and macrovesicular steatosis were also observed. In group 3, mild inflammation within the portal areas was observed consisting of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and eosinophils. This study is the first that reports the biochemical and histopathological evaluation of pazopanib-related hepatic toxicity.

Tumor angiogenesis appears to be an important process in epithelial ovarian cancer development. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody that can neutralize vascular endothelial growth factor, a promoter of the initiation phase of angiogenesis. First-line chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab followed by maintenance bevacizumab demonstrated efficacy over chemotherapy alone in two phase III trials (Gynecologic Oncology Group, GOG 218 and ICON7); however, absolute progression-free survival benefit remains modest, with no demonstrated impact on overall survival. The addition of molecularly targeted agents to the treatment of women with recurrent and platinum-sensitive disease has been recently reported in the OCEANS study, which evaluated the benefit of adding bevacizumab to carboplatin and gemcitabine in women with platinum-sensitive recurrent disease. Bevacizumab-based therapy also extended progressionfree survival from 8 to 12 months. However, overall survival was not different between the two arms. In the Gynecologic Oncology Group 213 (GOG 213) trial, women with platinum-sensitive recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer were randomly assigned to medical treatment (carboplatin plus paclitaxel with or without bevacizumab). A significant improvement in progression-free survival (14 versus 10 months, respectively) was observed. A trend towards a significant improvement in overall survival, which was not statistically significant, was reported. In November 14, 2014, based on AURELIA findings, the Food and Drug Administration approved bevacizumab in combination with paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, or topotecan, for the treatment of patients with platinum-resistant recurrent epithelial ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer is a primary cancer against which these new agents are being tested. This review will describe the role of angiogenesis inhibitors in epithelial ovarian cancer.

Membraneous nephropathy (MN) is the most commonly occurring nephrotic syndrome in adults as well as the most common paraneoplastic nephropathy associated with solid tumors, and it is mostly associated with gastrointestinal system and lung carcinomas. Accurate diagnosis is important as the treatment of paraneoplastic glomerulonephritis is very varied from that of idiopathic ones. In the current report, a case of a patient that was referred with proteinuria and edema and was diagnosed with lung cancer, and responded markedly to treatment of malignancy, with improvement of MN, is presented. Active cancer is present in all patients with paraneoplastic MN. In numerous patients, the paraneoplastic MN and cancer diagnoses are made within one year of each other. The treatment of paraneoplastic syndromes is usually associated with the treatment of primary malignancy. There are conflicting data on which treatment modality is more suitable. In conclusion, further studies are required in order to determine the actual incidence of cancer in patients with nephropathy, explain the physiopathological association between cancer and nephropathy and to determine the most suitable treatment approaches.