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Introduction: The survival rates of patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer are low despite curative treatment. Accordingly, we investigated the disease prognosis by comparing the pre-treatment bone marrow mean standardised uptake values (SUVmean) / liver SUVmean ratio (BM/L) and primary tumour FDG uptake and brain FDG uptake to prognosis., Materials and Methods: This was an observational, retrospective, single-centre study of patients with limited-stage small-cell lung cancer. Maximum standardised uptake values before treatment SUVmax, mean SUV (SUVmean), metabolic tumor volume (MTV), total lesion glycolysis (TLG), liver (KC) SUVmean, bone marrow SUVmean, BM/L ratio (grouped as BM/L <1 and BM/L<1), FDG uptake level of the primary tumour are higher than brain FDG uptake. The association of low prevalence with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was evaluated., Discussion: A total of 125 patients were included in the study. The risk of death was found to be two times higher in patients with primary tumour FDG uptake higher than brain FDG uptake compared to those with less brain involvement. The risk of death in patients with BM/L>1 was found to be 1.6 times higher than in patients with BM/L<1., Conclusion: Comparison of BM/L, FDG uptake of the primary tumour and brain FDG uptake as new prognostic parameters can be guiding in the classification of patients with LD-SCLC with a higher risk of death or progression and in planning new treatment strategies., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of asbestos exposure on cancer-driver mutations., Methods: Between January 2014 and September 2018, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma receptor tyrosine kinase (ALK), and c-ros oncogene 1 receptor tyrosine kinase gene (ROS1) alterations, demographic characteristics, asbestos exposure, and asbestos-related radiological findings of 1904 patients with lung adenocarcinoma were recorded., Results: The frequencies of EGFR mutations, ALK, and ROS1 rearrangements were 14.5%, 3.7%, and 0.9%, respectively. The rates of EGFR mutations and ALK rearrangements were more frequent in asbestos exposed non-smokers (48.7% and 9%, respectively). EGFR mutation rate was correlated to female gender and not-smoking, ALK rearrangement rate was correlated to younger age, not-smoking, and a history of asbestos exposure., Conclusions: The higher rate of ALK rearrangements in asbestos-exposed lung adenocarcinoma cases shows that asbestos exposure may most likely cause genetic alterations that drive pulmonary adenocarcinogenesis., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: There are no conflicts of interest of the authors regarding this manuscript., (Copyright © 2020 American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.)

Objectives: It was aimed to demonstrate the applicability of the prone position with high-flow oxygen to COVID-19 patients with severe respiratory failure in the service in September when the number of cases and the need for intensive care were increased., Material and Methods: The prone position was applied for a minimum of 30-minute periods for at least four hours a day. The patients' oxygen saturation levels and respiration rates were monitored before and 30 minutes after prone positioning., Results: Ten patients, nine males (9/1, M/F), were included in the study. Mean oxygen saturation at baseline was 75.8±12.14 (min: 50 %; max: 90 %) and all patients had high oxygen demand. The oxygen saturation of the patients differed significantly before and after (83.4±6.38 %; 90±5.31 %, p <0.001) prone positioning. Similarly, respiration rates differed significantly before and after (23.9±6; 21.4±4.97, p <0.001) prone positioning. Two patients died during treatment., Conclusion: This study highlights the promise of prone positioning performed in ward conditions for improving oxygenation in COVID-19. While the study contains a small group, it may provide guidance for the clinical management of COVID-19 patients to prevent the need for intensive care in the challenging course of therapy (Tab. 2, Fig. 2, Ref. 15).

Background: Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects via the downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. We aimed to demonstrate the effect of vitamin D levels on survival in COVID-19 patients., Materials and Methods: 207 COVID-19 patients were included in the study. Serum vitamin D levels were measured, and patients with levels <20 ng/ml or 21 to 30 ng received a single 300.000 IU dose of vitamin D., Results: Of 207 patients, 37 received vitamin D, while 170 did not. Demographic, radiologic and mean laboratory values were similar between the groups. The mean plasma vitamin D level without vitamin D support (n=170) was 50.82±16.12 ng/ml (30.28-81.35) vs. 16.98±6.2 ng/ml (4.20-28.30) in vitamin D group. The most remarkable finding were the mortality rates; while only 1 patient (2.7 %) died in the vitamin D group, 24 patients (14.1 %) died in no vitamin D supplementation group (p=0.038)., Conclusion: Although a few retrospective studies put forth a relation between vitamin D deficiency and COVID-19 course severity there is still paucity of data about the efficacy of vitamin supplementations in COVID-19 patients. A single 300.000 IU dose of vitamin D seems to represent a useful, practical, and safe adjunctive approach for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 (Tab. 1, Fig. 1, Ref. 30).