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Objectives: we endeavored to retrospectively assess the prognostic merit of pretreatment systemic immune response index (SIRI) in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients who underwent postoperative partial brain radiotherapy (RT) and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ), namely, the Stupp protocol. Methods: the records of 181 newly diagnosed GBM patients who received the postoperative Stupp protocol were retrospectively analyzed. The SIRI value for each eligible patient was calculated by utilizing the platelet, neutrophil, and lymphocyte measures obtained on the first day of treatment: SIRI=NeutrophilsxMonocytes/Lymphocytes. The ideal cutoff values for SIRI connected with the progression-free- (PFS) and overall survival (OS) results were methodically searched through using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Primary and secondary end-points constituted the potential OS and PFS distinctions among the SIRI groups, respectively. Results: the ROC curve analysis labeled the ideal SIRI cutoffs at 1.74 (Area under the curve (AUC): 74.9%; sensitivity: 74.2%; specificity: 71.4%) and 1.78 (AUC: 73.6%; sensitivity: 73.1%; specificity: 70.8%) for PFS and OS status, individually. The SIRI cutoff of 1.78 of the OS status was chosen as the common cutoff for the stratification of the study population (Group 1: SIRI 1.78 (N=85)) and further comparative PFS and OS analyses. Comparisons between the two SIRI cohorts manifested that the SIRI 1.78 counterparts. The results of multivariate Cox regression analyses ratified the independent and significant alliance between a low SIRI and longer PFS (P, NA

Objectives: to investigate the influence of pretreatment primary tumor or nodal photopenia (PP) on F-18-fluorodeoxyglu- case positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET-CT), an indicator of tumor ischemia, on survival results of nasopharyngeal cancers (NPCs) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT). Methods: the pre-C-CRT FDG PET-CT scans of 104 patients with NPC (cT1-4 N0-3 M0) were retrospectively examined to determine the presence of PP (PP+). Our primary endpoint was the influence of PP+ on overall survival (OS), while the progression-free survival (PFS) and locoregional PFS (LRPFS) constituted the secondary endpoints. Results: the PP+ was detected in 29 (27.9%): nine (8.7%), seven (6.7%), and 13 (12.5%) in the primary tumor alone, primary tumor plus neck nodes, and neck nodes alone, respectively. Because the PP+ cases were small by count per location, all comparative analyses were performed according to overall PP+/PP- status instead of per detected site. At a median follow-up of 67.8 months (range, 9 to 130 months), the median survival times were not reached (NR) for the entire population. while 5-year OS, LRPFS, and PFS rates were 73.3%, 68.2%, and 63.4%, respectively. Comparatively the PP patients exhibited significantly poorer median OS (49.8 months vs. NR, P, NA

To investigate the prognostic significance of pre-treatment Glasgow prognostic score (GPS) in stage IIIB non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) older patients treated with radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT).We included 83 stage IIIB NSCLC older patients (age 70 years) treated with C-CRT consisting of 60-66 Gy (2 Gy/fx) thoracic radiotherapy and at least 1 cycle of platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients were grouped into three: GPS-0: c-reactive protein (CRP) ≤ 10 mg/L and albumin35 g/L, GPS-1: CRP ≤ 10 mg/L and albumin ≤35 g/L or CRP 10 mg/L and albumin35 g/L, GPS-2: CRP 10 mg/L and albumin ≤35 g/L according to the definition. The relationship between GPS groups and overall survival (OS) was the primary objective, while locoregional- (LRPFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were secondary objectives.For the whole cohort, the median OS, LRPFS, and OS were 19.7 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16.8-22.6), 13.2 (95% CI: 8.7-17.7), and 8.3 months (95% CI: 6.6-10.0), respectively. Comparisons between the GPS-0, GPS-1, and GPS -2 groups revealed that the lower GPS was associated with significantly superior median OS (25.8 versus 16.3 versus 9.4 months; p .001) which retained its independent significance in multivariate analysis (p .001), as well. Similarly, the respective median LRPFS (20.0 versus 10.4 versus 6.3 months; p .001), and PFS (11.3 versus 7.3 versus 4.1 months; p .001) durations were also significantly longer in the earlier GPS groups.The present results suggested that the GPS was useful in three layered stratification of older stage IIIB NSCLC patients undergoing C-CRT in terms of OS, LRPS, and PFS times.

Background: to retrospectively assess the impact of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) on survival outcomes of patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Methods: this study incorporated 154 patients with LA-NPC who received exclusive cisplatinum-based CCRT. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized for accessibility of pretreatment PNI cutoffs influencing survival results. The primary end point was the interaction between the overall survival (OS) and PNI values, while cancer-specific survival (CSS) locoregional progression-free survival (LR-PFS), distant metastasis–free survival (DMFS), and PFS were the secondary end points. Results: a rounded PNI cutoff value of 51 was identified in ROC curve analyses to exhibit significant link with CSS, OS, DMFS, and PFS outcomes, but not LR-PFS. Patients grouping per PNI value (≥51 [N = 95] vs 5% over past 6 months (49.2% versus 11.6%; P =.002) compared to PNI < 51 group. Conclusion: low pre-CCRT PNI levels were independently associated with significantly reduced CSS, OS, DMFS, and PFS outcomes in patients with LA-NPC treated with definitive CCRT., NA

Amaç: Bu çalışmada vertebra metastazlarında stereotaktik radyocerrahi (SRC) sonrası yanıt değerlendirmesinde pozitron emisyon tomografisinin (PET-BT) rolü araştırılmıştır.Gereç ve Yöntem: Geriye dönük olarak 16 veya 18 Gy SRC uygulanmış hastalar incelenmiştir. Analizlere SRC öncesinde herhangi bir derecede vertebra kompresyon kırığı gelişmemiş, radyosensitif olarak bilinen küçük hücreli akciğer ve hematolojik kanserlerli olgular dışındaki tedavi öncesi ve sonrası PET-BT verileri olan hastalar dâhil edilmiştir. Tüm vertebra segmentleri stabilite açısından spinal instability neoplastic score ’e göre sınıflandırılmış ve yanıt değerlendirmesinde PET Response Criteria in Solid Tumors (PERCIST) kriterleri kullanılmıştır.Bulgular: Toplam 75 hasta 119 VS’e (101 tek, 9 çift) SRC uygulanmış olup büyük kısmını (%66,7) meme kanserli hastalar oluşturmaktadır. VS’lerin %70,6’sı SINS 0-6’ya uymaktadır. Lokal kontrol hastaların %87,4’nde sağlanmış olup 1 yıllık lokal nükssüz sağkalım oranı %92,5 olarak bulunmuştur. İlk yanıt değerlendirme PET-BT’si ortanca 3 ayda (aralık: 1-35 ay) çekilmiş olup sadece 4 (%3.3) VS’de progresyon raporlanırken diğer VS’lerde SRC’ye yanıt mevcuttur (%30.3 tam, %43.7 kısmi, %22.7 stabil). Son PET’de sadece 11 VS’de lokal nüks tespit edilirken ilk PET’de tam yanıt olan hiçbir VS’de nihai olarak lokal nüks gelişmemiştir. İlk PET’de tam yanıt olması son PET’de de yanıt olmasıyla ilişkili bulunmuştur.Sonuç: SRC sonrası yanıt değerlendirmesinde ilk PET-BT yanıtı gerek son kontrol durumunu göstermesi açısından gerekse alternatif tedavileri planlamak açısından değerli bulunmuştur.

Purpose: we explored the prognostic influence of the systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) on the survival outcomes of stage IIIB/C non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients who underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Methods: present propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis comprised 876 stage IIIB/C NSCLC patients who received 1-3 cycles of platinum-based doublets concurrent with thoracic radiotherapy from 2007 to 2017. The primary and secondary objectives were the relationships between the SIRI values and overall (OS) and progression-free survival, respectively. Propensity scores were calculated for SIRI groups to adjust for confounders and to facilitate well-balanced comparability between the SIRI groups by creating 1 : 1 matched study groups. Results: the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis identified an optimal SIRI cutoff at 1.9 for OS (AUC: 78.8%; sensitivity: 73.7%; specificity: 70.7%) and PFS (AUC: 80.5%; sensitivity: 75.8%; specificity: 72.9%) and we grouped the patients into two PSM cohorts: SIRI < 1.9 (N = 304) and SIRI >= 1.9 (N = 304), respectively. The SIRI >= 1.9 cohort had significantly worse median OS (P= 1.9) cohorts had the best and worst outcomes, respectively, with SIRI-2 cohort (IIIB and SIRI >= 1.9 or IIIC and SIRI < 1.9) being remained in between (P= 1.9 independently prognosticated significantly worse OS and PFS results and plated the stage IIIB/C patients into three fundamentally distinct prognostic groups., NA

Objectives. To evaluate the potential prognostic utility of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) in newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients who underwent postneurosurgical radiotherapy and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide. Methods. The retrospective data of GBM patients who underwent postneurosurgical radiotherapy and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide were analyzed. For each patient, SII was calculated using the platelet, neutrophil, and lymphocyte measures obtained on the first day of treatment: SII=platelets×neutrophils/lymphocytes. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized for the evaluation of optimal cut-off values for SII those linked with the outcomes. Primary and secondary endpoints constituted the overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) per conveyance SII group. Results. A total of 167 patients were included. The ROC curve analysis identified the optimum SII cut-off at a rounded 565 value that significantly interacted with the PFS and OS and stratified patients into two groups: low-SII (SII<565; n=71) and high-SII (SII≥565; n=96), respectively. Comparative survival analyses exhibited that the high-SII cohort had significantly shorter median PFS (6.0 versus 16.6 months; P<0.001) and OS (11.1 versus 22.9 months; P<0.001) than the low-SII cohort. The relationship between the high-SII and poorer PFS (P<0.001) and OS (P<0.001) further retained its independent significance in multivariate analysis, as well. Conclusions. The outcomes displayed here qualified the pretreatment SII as a novel independent prognostic index for predicting survival outcomes of newly diagnosed GBM patients undergoing postneurosurgical radiotherapy and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide.

Purpose: we aimed to retrospectively investigate the prognostic worth of pretreatment advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT). Patients and methods: A total of 164 LA-NPC patients treated with cisplatinum-based definitive C-CRT were included in this retrospective cohort analysis. The convenience of ideal pre-C-CRT ALI cut-offs affecting survival results was searched by employing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses. The primary endpoint was the link between the ALI groups and overall survival (OS), while cancer-specific survival (CSS), locoregional progression-free survival [LR(PFS)], distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and PFS comprised the secondary endpoints. Results: the ROC curve analyses distinguished a rounded ALI cut-off score of 24.2 that arranged the patients into two cohorts [ALI ≥ 24.2 (N = 94) versus, NA

Background: we retrospectively compared the incidence of isolated elective nodal failure (IENF) and toxicity rates and survival outcomes after elective nodal irradiation (ENI) versus involved-field RT (IFRT) by employing the propensity score matching (PSM) methodology in stage IIIB/C inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT). Methods: our PSM examination included 1048 stage IIIB/C NSCLC patients treated with C-CRT from January 2007 to December 2016: a total dose of 66 Gy (2 Gy/fraction) radiotherapy and 1-3 cycles of platinum-based doublet chemotherapy concurrently. The primary and secondary endpoints were the IENF and toxicity rates and survival outcomes after ENI versus IFRT, respectively. Propensity scores were calculated for each group to adjust for confounding variables and facilitate well-balanced comparability by creating 1: 1 matched study groups. Results: the median follow-up was 26.4 months for the whole study accomplice. The PSM analysis unveiled 1: 1 matched 646 patients for the ENI (N = 323) and IFRT (N = 323) cohorts. Intergroup comparisons discovered that the 5-year isolated ENF incidence rates (3.4% versus 4.3%; P=0.52) and median overall survival (25.2 versus 24.6 months; P=0.69), locoregional progression-free survival (15.3 versus 15.1 months; P=0.52), and progression-free survival (11.7 versus 11.2 months; P=0.57) durations were similar between the ENI and IFRT cohorts, separately. However, acute grade 3-4 leukopenia (P=0.0012), grade 3 nausea-vomiting (P=0.006), esophagitis (P=0.003), pneumonitis (P=0.002), late grade 3-4 esophageal toxicity (P=0.038), and the need for hospitalization (P, NA

We aimed to assess the efficacy of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in central airway obstruction (CAO) and associated factors for metastatic lung cancer (MLC) patients. Records of 72 MLC patients presenting with CAO were retrospectively analyzed. The serial chests X-rays prior and after the EBRT were compared for response assessment. The primary end-point was radiologic response, while overall-(OS) and CAO-free survival, and predictors of better outcomes constituted secondary endpoints. The EBRT doses ranged between 8 to 40 Gy (1-13 fractions). Median follow-up and OS were 5.6 (range: 1.3-17.8) and 7.6 months (95% CI: 6.5-8.7), respectively. Objective CAO resolution was achieved in 58 patients (80.6%) on serial chest X-rays with a median time to maximum CAO response of 23 days (range: 3-86). In responders the response was durable (8.1 months) almost nearly for all their remaining life spans (8.3 months) with only 19.0% CAO recurrences. Median OS was also significantly longer in responders (8.3 vs. 2.4 months; p= 39 Gy (p= 39 Gy (p=0.008) were the factors to relate with better OS on multivariate analyses. The EBRT proves effective and durable CAO palliation with only 19.0% re-CAO rate in MLC patients. Better CAO responses may be achieved in patients treated with smaller tumor size, small-cell histology, and higher BED10 values.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality and responsible for 1.6 million deaths per year through world-wide. Surgical resection with negative margin combined with the adjuvant therapy [except for stage IA and IB (

Purpose: To investigate the impact of different cylinder positions on dosimetry of critical structures in patients with endometrial carcinoma undergoing three-dimensional image-based vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VCB). Material and methods: We delivered VCB at a dose of 4 Gy to a depth of 5 mm in the vaginal cuff of 15 patients using three different cylinder positions (neutral [N], parallel [P], and angled [A]) according to the longitudinal axis of the patient. We analyzed the dose-volume distribution and volumetric variability of the rectum and bladder. We converted the total doses to equivalent doses in 2 Gy (EQD 2 ) using a linear-quadratic model (a/b = 3 Gy). Results : The mean rectum volume for the N, P, and A positions was 68.2 ± 22.7 cc, 79.3 ± 33.7 cc, and 74.2 ± 29.6 cc, respectively. The mean rectum volume for the P position was significantly larger than that for the N position (p = 0.03). Relative to the N position, the A position resulted in a lower total EQD 2 in the highest irradiated 2 cc (D 2cc ; p = 0.001), 1 cc (D 1cc ; p = 0.004), and 0.1 cc (D 0.1cc ; p = 0.047) of the rectum. Similarly, the P position resulted in a lower EQD 2 in the D 2cc (p = 0.018) and D 1cc (p = 0.024) of the rectum relative to the N position. In the bladder, the P position resulted in a higher EQD 2 in the D 2cc relative to the N position (p = 0.02). There was no dosimetric difference between the P and A positions in either the rectum or the bladder. Conclusions : Vaginal cuff brachytherapy in the P and A positions is significantly superior to that in the N position in terms of rectum dosimetry. The bladder dose in the N position is considerably lower than that in the other positions.

Background/Aims: previously advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) has been demonstrated to have prognostic utility in the stratification of patients into distinctive survival groups, but the prognostic value of ALI has never been explored in the setting of locally advanced pancreatic carcinomas (LAPC) treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT). Hence, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of pre-treatment ALI in LAPC patients who underwent radical CCRT. Methods: present retrospective cohort analysis incorporated 141 LAPC patients who received radical CCRT. Accessibility of baseline ALI cutoff(s) impacting survival outcomes was sought by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Interaction between the ALI and overall- (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) comprised our primary and secondary endpoints, respectively. Results: at a median follow-up of 14.4 months (range: 3.2-74.2), the median PFS and OS were 7.5 (%95 CI: 5.9-9.1) and 14.6 months (%95 CI: 11.6-17.6), respectively. ROC curve analyses set the ideal ALI cutoff value at 25.3 (AUC: 75.6%; sensitivity: 72.7%; specificity: 70.3%) that exhibited significant associations with both the OS and PFS results. Patient stratification into two groups per ALI [25.3 (N=66)] showed that the ALI>25.3 group had significantly superior median OS (25.8 versus 11.4 months; P90 U/mL; P, NA

Background: to investigate the detrimental effects of prolonged overall radiotherapy duration (ORTD) on survival outcomes of stage IIIB/C NSCLC patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT) Methods: the study cohort consisted of 956 patients who underwent C-CRT for stage IIIB/C NSCLC. Primary endpoint was the association between the ORTD and overall survival (OS) with locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS) and PFS comprising the secondary endpoints. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized for accessibility of the cut-off that interacts with survival outcomes. Multivariate Cox model was utilized to identify the independent associates of survival outcomes. Results: the ROC curve analysis exhibited significance at 49 days of ORTD cut-off that dichotomized patients into ORTD, NA

Background: to retrospectively investigate the influence of pretreatment anemia and hemoglobin levels on the survival of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT). Methods: a total of 149 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients who received C-CRT were included. All patients had received 70 Gy to the primary tumor plus the involved lymph nodes, and 59.4 Gy and 54 Gy to the intermediate- and low-risk neck regions concurrent with 1-3 cycles of cisplatin. Patients were dichotomized into non-anemic and anemic (hemoglobin, NA

Purpose To assess the survival outcomes and prognostic factors of young (≤45 years) Stage IIIB nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT). Materials and Methods Medical records of 145 Stage IIIB NSCLC patients (≤45 years) who received 60-66 Gy thoracic radiotherapy and concurrent 1-3 cycles of cisplatin-based doublet chemotherapy were retrospectively evaluated. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS), while locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and evaluation of potential prognostic factors constituted the secondary endpoints. Results At median 21.6 months (range: 7.3-62.5) of follow-up, the median and 4-year survival estimates were 24.8 months and 24.2% for OS, 15.7 months and 18.9%, for LRPFS and 12.0 months and 11.2% for PFS, respectively. On univariate analyses, among all factors, the smaller tumor size (≤7.0 cm; P = 0.03), lower T-stage (T1-T2; P = 0.02), lower N-stage (N2; P = 0.01), absence of anemia before C-CRT (hemoglobin [Hb] ≥12 g/dL; P < 0.001), and lower/no pretreatment weight loss (WL ≤5%; P < 0.001) were found to be associated significantly with longer median OS durations, which also retained their independent significance on multivariate analyses, except for tumor size category. Conclusions The encouraging median 24.8 months OS duration observed here in young NSCLC patients accords well with the results of recent landmark locally advanced NSCLC series without age stratification. Other than the well-established T and N stages, extra exhibit of superior OS in patients with initial Hb ≥12 g/dL and ≤5% WL levels suggests a noteworthy prognostic role for these two latter variables in the stratification of such patients.

To investigate the incidence and influence of tumor cavitation (TC) on survival outcomes of locally advanced squamous cell lung cancer (LA-SqCLC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy (C-CRT).Records of 789 stages IIIA/B squamous cell lung cancer (SqCLC) patients treated with C-CRT who received 1 to 3 cycles of platinum-based doublet chemotherapy during 60 to 66 Gy radiation therapy (RT) were analyzed retrospectively. Primary endpoint was the association between overall survival (OS) and pretreatment TC status. Secondary endpoints included locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and incidence of TC and correlated factors.Pretreatment TC occurred in 95 patients (12%), being significantly more common in those patients with ever-smoking history (12.6% vs 3.9%; P .001), weight loss5% (20.9% vs 7.1%; P .001), and hemoptysis (27.1% vs 6.4%; P .001). Rates of acute and late toxicities were similar in patients who presented with and without TC (P .05 for each). For the whole cohort, at a median follow-up of 22.9 months (range: 2.4-71.1), the respective median OS, LRPFS, and PFS estimates were 23.7, 14.7, and 10.7 months. In multivariate analysis, stage IIIB disease (P .001; hazard ratio [HR]: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.21-1.45), weight loss5% (P .001; HR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.85-2.35), anemia (P .001; HR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.67-1.97), and presence of TC (P .001; HR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.37-1.71) appeared to be independently associated with poorer OS durations, likewise the LRPFS (P .001 for each of these covariates), and PFS (P .001 for each of these covariates), respectively.Present results showed that the TC occurred in 12% of LA-SqCLC patients, which was strongly associated with poorer PFS, LRPFS, and OS outcomes after definitive C-CRT.

To evaluate the prognostic value of the Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), the combination of C-reactive protein (CRP) and albumin, in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) patients treated with radiotherapy (RT) and concurrent plus adjuvant temozolomide (GPS).Data of newly diagnosed GBM patients treated with partial brain RT and concurrent and adjuvant TMZ were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were grouped into three according to the GPS criteria: GPS-0: CRP 10 mg/L and albumin 35 g/L; GPS-1: CRP 10 mg/L and albumin 35 g/L or CRP 10 mg/L and albumin 35 g/L; and GPS-2: CRP 10 mg/L and albumin 35 g/L. Primary end-point was the association between the GPS groups and the overall survival (OS) outcomes.A total of 142 patients were analyzed (median age: 58 years, 66.2% male). There were 64 (45.1%), 40 (28.2%), and 38 (26.7%) patients in GPS-0, GPS-1, and GPS-2 groups, respectively. At median 15.7 months follow-up, the respective median and 5-year OS rates for the whole cohort were 16.2 months (95% CI 12.7-19.7) and 9.5%. In multivariate analyses GPS grouping emerged independently associated with the median OS (P 0.001) in addition to the extent of surgery (P = 0.032), Karnofsky performance status (P = 0.009), and the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group recursive partitioning analysis (RTOG RPA) classification (P 0.001). The GPS grouping and the RTOG RPA classification were found to be strongly correlated in prognostic stratification of GBM patients (correlation coefficient: 0.42; P 0.001).The GPS appeared to be useful in prognostic stratification of GBM patients into three groups with significantly different survival durations resembling the RTOG RPA classification.

We investigated the influence of change in hemoglobin (Hgb) levels during concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT) on outcomes of non-anemic patients with stage IIIA/B non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).We identified 722 patients with stage IIIA/B NSCLC without anemia at baseline [hemoglobin (Hgb) 12 g/dL for women or13 g/dL for men], either nonsmokers or ex-smokers, who received C-CRT between 2007 and 2012. All patients had received 1-3 cycles of platinum-based doublet chemotherapy during radiotherapy to 60-66 Gy and had documented Hgb measurements before treatment and at weekly intervals for 6 weeks during the C-CRT. Potential associations were assessed between baseline, nadir, extent of change in Hgb level, and anemia and overall survival (OS), locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS), and PFS.The median baseline Hgb level was 13.9 g/dL (range 12.0-16.8) and declined to a median 12.4 g/dL (range 7.9-16.1) during treatment. Anemia appeared in 237 patients (32.8%) and was more common among women (44.8% vs. 26.5%, P 0.001). Neither baseline Hgb level nor change during treatment nor anemia emergence influenced any survival endpoint. Receiver operating curve analysis revealed an Hgb nadir of 11.1 g/dL to be associated with outcomes, in that a nadir Hgb11.1 g/dL (in 156 patients) was linked with shorter median OS time (P 0.001), LRPFS time (P 0.001), and PFS time (P 0.001); retained significance for all three endpoints in multivariate analyses; and was more strongly associated with OS in squamous cell carcinoma (P 0.001) than in adenocarcinoma (P = 0.009).Nadir Hgb11.1 g/dL levels during C-CRT were associated with significantly poorer survival times in initially non-anemic patients presenting with locally advanced NSCLC.

We aimed to identify the fatal pulmonary hemorrhage- (FPH-) related risk factors in stage 3B/C squamous-cell lung carcinoma (SqCLC) patients treated with definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT). Medical records of 505 stage 3B/C SqCLC patients who underwent 66 Gy radiotherapy plus 1-3 cycles of concurrent chemotherapy with available pretreatment thoracic computerized tomography scans were retrospectively analyzed. Primary end-point was the identification of FPH-related risk factors. Examined factors included the basal patient and tumor characteristics with specific emphasis on the tumor cavitation (TC) status, tumor size (TS) and cavitation size (CS), tumor volume and cavitation volume (TV and CV), relative cavitation size (RCS = CS/Ts), and relative cavitation volume (RCV=CV/TV). FPH emerged in 13 (2.6%) patients, with 12 (92.3%) of them being diagnosed 0.14 (37.5% versus 11.1% for RCV 0.14. Diagnosis of >90% FPHs, NA

Purpose: The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to evaluate the prognostic effect extended temozolamide on survival outcomes of glioblastoma multiforme patients who were underwent surgery/biopsy followed treated with definitive chemo-radiotherapy.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the datas of 225 patients with gliablastoma multiforme whom admitted to our clinic All patients were completed concomitant chemoradiotherapy with temozolamide and adjuvant temozolamide therapy at least for six months or more. Patients were divided into two groups as standart and extended temozolamid therapy group as using temozolamide therapy for at least 6 months or more. Results: The median follow-up of the whole patients18 (range 2-125) months, 65 patients (56%) were alive. Extended temozolamide (>6) was associated with longer survival, but was not significantly with survival outcomes in the univariate analysis (49.0 vs 68.33 months;p=0.082). However, progression free survival analysis demonstrated that the patient in extended temozolamide group had paramount extended progression free survival (14 vs 9 months) than other group in standart cycle temozolamide. Conclusion: Our study show that extended temozolamide is well tolerated and leads to a significantly increase in progression free survival and overall survival in newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma multiforme., Amaç: Retrospektif bu çalışmanın amacı cerrahi/biyopsi ile glioblastoma multiforme tanısı almış, kemoradyoterapi uygulanmış hastalarda uzatılmış temozolamid kullanımının genel ve progresyonsuz sağkalım etkisini araştırmak olarak belirlendi.Gereç ve Yöntem: Kliniğimize başvuran cerrahi/biyopsi ile glioblastoma multiforme tanısı almış 225 hastadan, temozolamid ile birlikte radyoterapi tedavisi uygulandıktan sonra, ≤6 ay ve >6 ay süreyle adjuvan temozolamid kemoterapisi uygulanmış 116 hastatedavi toleransı, genel ve progresyonsuz sağkalımları arasındaki farklar retrospektif olarak incelendi.Bulgular: Hastaların ortalama takip süresi 18 ay (2-125 ay) olarak belirlenirken, 65(%56) hasta halen hayattadır. Uzatılmış temozolamid (>6 ay) olan grupta genel sağkalım daha uzun tespit edilirken istatistiksel bir fark tek değişkenli analizde tespit edilememiştir sırasıyla 49.0 (≤6)vs 68.33 ay(>6). Ancak progresyonsuz sağkalım süresi uzatılmış temozolamid grubunda standart temozolamid alan gruba göre istatistiksel olarak anlamlı oranda uzun saptanmıştır 14 (>6)vs 9 ay(≤6). Gruplar arasında anlamlı bir yan etki farklılığı görülmemiştir.Sonuç: Çalışmamızda glioblastoma multiforme tanısı almış hastalarda uzatılmış temozolamid kullanımı hastaların progresyonsuz sağkalım ve genel sağkalımlarının belirgin oranda artmasına neden olur.

Highlights • SBRT provides a satisfying local control rate of 88% in patients with spMets. • Post-SBRT vertebral compression rate of 4% corresponds to the current literature. • >6 months of bisphosphonates use is associated with lower fracture-free survival., Purpose We aimed to retrospectively assess the incidence of vertebral compression fractures (VCF), examine clinicopathologic factors potentially associated with VCF, and evaluate treatment response in patients who received stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for spine metastases (spMets). Methods and Materials We identified 78 patients with 125 spMets at baseline and subsequent assessments. Patients received SBRT doses of 16 or 18 Gy. Patients with pre-existing VCF and co-existing local progression were excluded. Spine instability neoplastic score (SINS) was used for spMets categorization. Response to SBRT and VCF were assessed according to the Positron Emission tomography Response Criteria In Solid Tumors (PERCIST) and Genant scores, respectively. Kaplan–Meier analyses were used to assess local control of disease and vertebral compression fracture-free survival (FFS). Results We treated 103 cases with single spMets and 11 cases involving double spMets with SBRT. Progressive disease was reported in 3.2% and 8.2% of the cases in the first and last PET/CT reports, respectively. The distribution of treatment response in the remaining patients was: complete response in 30.6% of patients, partial response in 47.1% of patients, and stable disease in 22.3% of patients in the first PET/CT; complete response in 62.3% of patients, partial response in 16.7% of patients, and stable disease in 21% of patients at the last monitoring. Local failures were observed in 15 (12%) of cases. Median SINS was 5 (range: 1−13); majority of patients in our cohort (70.4%) were categorized as stable according to SINS, five (4%) patients had Grade 3 VCF at a median time of 16 months after SBRT (range: 2−22 months), and 60% of VCF occurred after an interval of at least 12 months after SBRT. No bisphosphonate usage was significantly associated with VCF (r = −0.204; p = 0.022). Median FFS was 21 months. Univariate analyses indicated that female gender (p 6 months of bisphosphonates use (p = 0.002), and the lowest vertebral body collapse score (p = 0.023) were associated with higher FFS. Female gender (p = 0.007), >6 months of bisphosphonates usage (p = 0.018), and the lowest vertebral body collapse score (p = 0.044) retained independent significance. Conclusions This study demonstrated that spine SBRT with doses of 16–18 Gy promises good local control of disease with acceptable VCF rates. Lowest vertebral body collapse score, female gender, and >6 months of bisphosphonate use were significantly associated with longer FFS.

INTRODUCTION: Second primary malignancy (SPM) is associated with decreased overall survival (OS) in laryngeal carcinomas (LC). METHODS: One hundred eighty three LC patients were analyzed retrospectively. The primary and secondary endpoints were the incidence of SPM and the OS difference between patients with and without SPM. RESULTS: SPM developed in 22 (12.0%) patients at median 52 months (range, 4–131 months), with a yearly 2.8% incidence, of which 19 (10.4%) and 3 (1.6%) were metachronous and synchronous, respectively. Lung was the commonest SPM (72.7%). Of 47 deaths, 12 (25.5%) were SPM related. Comparatively SPM patients had significantly shorter median OS (68.0 months vs. median not reached; P = 0.005), with lower 5-year (67.0% vs. 78.9%) and 8-year (32.6 vs. 69.8%) survival rates. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggested the SPM as a competing risk factor for death in index LC patients with its annual incidence rate of 2.8% and for accounting one of every four deaths in this patients group. Emergence of lung carcinoma as the most frequent type of SPM and the ability to treat >50% of them with an estimated long-term outcomes emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and curative treatment of SPMs.

Background: Trichilemmal carcinoma (TLC) is a rare adnexal malignant tumor developing from the outer root sheath of hair follicles with no distinct clinical features which might clinically be misdiagnosed as actinic keratosis, nodular melanoma, basal or squamous cell carcinoma. Albeit no consensus exists on standard treatment of TLC, tumor excision with adequate clear margins is the current widely accepted treatment consideration with no previous literature on use of radiotherapy (RT) in definitive or postoperative settings. Case presentation: A 60-year-old woman who was repeatedly treated with cryotherapy located on her left nasal alae for an initial diagnosis of actinic keratosis and diagnosed as TLC at last surgery was referred for RT of microscopic surgical margins. The patient was treated with 6 MeV electron beam RT prescribed to surgical bed plus 1-cm margins at all directions, namely the planning target volume. The total and per fraction doses were 60 and 2 Gy, respectively, which is commonly practiced for any skin tumor with positive margins. The treatment was well tolerated with no acute or chronic complications. The patient was alive with no local, regional, or distant recurrences at the 49 months of her follow-up. Conclusions: Although the follow-up period is relatively short and further evidence is needed to confirm the exact role of RT in adjuvant treatment of TLC, the outcomes of present rare case of a nasal TLC suggests that adjuvant RT in patients with positive surgical margins may provide satisfactory local tumor control.

To determine whether setup errors during external beam radiation therapy (RT) for prostate cancer are influenced by the combination of androgen deprivation treatment (ADT) and RT. Data from 175 patients treated for prostate cancer were retrospectively analyzed. Treatment was as follows: concurrent ADT plus RT, 33 patients (19%); neoadjuvant and concurrent ADT plus RT, 91 patients (52%); RT only, 51 patients (29%). Required couch shifts without rotations were recorded for each megavoltage (MV) cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) scan, and corresponding alignment shifts were recorded as left–right (x), superior–inferior (y), and anterior–posterior (z). The nonparametric Mann–Whitney test was used to compare shifts by group. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to measure the correlation of couch shifts between groups. Mean prostate shifts and standard deviations (SD) were calculated and pooled to obtain mean or group systematic error (M), SD of systematic error (Σ), and SD of random error (σ). No significant differences were observed in prostate shifts in any direction between the groups. Shifts on CBCT were all less than setup margins. A significant positive correlation was observed between prostate volume and the z‑direction prostate shift (r = 0.19, p = 0.04), regardless of ADT group, but not between volume and x‑ or y‑direction shifts (r = 0.04, p = 0.7; r = 0.03, p = 0.7). Random and systematic errors for all patient cohorts and ADT groups were similar. Hormone therapy given concurrently with RT was not found to significantly impact setup errors. Prostate volume was significantly correlated with shifts in the anterior–posterior direction only.

Brain metastasis (BM) is either present at the initial presentation or emerges somewhere during the treatment course in up to 64 % patients. Therapeutic strategies of BM include chemotherapy, neurosurgery, whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), or different combinations of them. In general, the priority of the single- or combination-treatment modality is usually decided in view of the information about the patient’s performance status, extracranial disease status, number, size, total volume, and localization of the BM. Based on the comparative phase III trials, with its high-precision capability in delivery of large doses of RT in a single session, SRS appears to be a noninvasive alternative to neurosurgery for single BM. Similarly, available data suggests almost equal effectiveness of SRS in ≤3 versus >3 BM situations. Therefore, in lack of any documented evidence suggesting inefficacy of SRS in patients with >3 BM, it is reasonable to offer SRS for suitable patients with larger BM. Tumor bed SRS (TB-SRS) is a relatively new treatment approach with no randomized data published to date. Available literature on use of TB-SRS is encouraging, but much is still unknown about the required doses and optimal margins, which underlines the need for appropriately designed future studies on this highly specific issue. Clinically, SRS alone results in better neurocognitive functions compared to WBRT and is equivalent to neurosurgery with no overall survival differences compared to these treatment options. Therefore, SRS alone can be safely utilized in particular patients with close follow-ups for distant brain recurrences. Technically, SRS can be performed in various ways by using Gamma Knife or high-capacity novel linear accelerators. Absolutely some technical differences exist among diverse SRS hardware and related treatment planning systems with associated pros and cons, but available comparative outcomes do not suggest any differences in clinical outcomes including the tumor control and survival rates, as long as the fundamental tenets of SRS are pursued.

To assess the impact of the presence and degree of pretreatment weight loss (WL) on the survival of locally-advanced pancreas cancer (LAPC) patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (C-CRT).Seventy-three patients who received 50.4 Gy C-CRT were analyzed. All patients underwent laparoscopy (n = 18) or laparotomy (n = 55), and biopsies were obtained for histologic examination of the primary tumor and enlarged/metabolically active regional lymph nodes. Pretreatment WL and percentage WL (PWL) were calculated by utilizing data obtained 6 months prior to and during hospital admission. The primary objective was to assess the influence WL status on overall survival (OS), and the secondary objective was the identification of a PWL cut-off value, if available.Forty-five (61.6%) patients had WL. Median OS was 14.4 months for the entire study population which was significantly longer in the non-WL than the WL cohort (21.4 vs. 11.3 months; p 0.003). On further analysis a cut-off value of 3.1% was identified for WL. Accordingly, patients with WL 3.1% had significantly longer OS than those with WL ≥ 3.1% (25.8 vs. 10.1 months; p 0.001). In multivariate analysis, both the WL status (p 0.001) and PWL (p = 0.002) retained their independent significance.Both the presence and degree of WL prior to C-CRT had strong adverse effects on the survival of LAPC patients, even if they presented with a BMI 20 kg/m(2). Additionally, a WL of ≥3.1% in the last 6 months appeared to be a strong cut-off for the stratification of such patients into distinctive survival groups.

Nuray Türksoy,1 Rabia Bilici,2 Altan Yalçiner,3 Y Özay Özdemir,2 Ibrahim Örnek,4 Ali Evren Tufan,5 Ayşe Kara6 1Simurg Psychiatry and Psychotherapy Center, Istanbul, 2Erenköy State Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Istanbul, 3Düzen Laboratories, Istanbul, 4Florence Nightingale Hospital, Istanbul, 5Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, 6Bakırköy State Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, Istanbul, Turkey Abstract: It is known that elevated serum homocysteine, decreased folate, and low vitamin B12 serum levels are associated with poor cognitive function, cognitive decline, and dementia. Current literature shows that some psychiatric disorders, mainly affective and psychotic ones, can be related to the levels of vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine. These results can be explained by the importance of vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine in carbon transfer metabolism (methylation), which is required for the production of serotonin as well as for other monoamine neurotransmitters and catecholamines. Earlier studies focused on the relationship between folate deficiency, hyperhomocysteinemia, and depressive disorders. Although depressive and anxiety disorders show a common comorbidity pattern, there are few studies addressing the effect of impaired one-carbon metabolism in anxiety disorders – especially in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). This study aimed to measure the levels of vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine specifically in order to see if eventual alterations have an etiopathogenetic significance on patients with OCD. Serum vitamin B12, folate, and homocysteine concentrations were measured in 35 patients with OCD and 22 controls. In addition, the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision, Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety were conducted for each patient. It was found that vitamin B12 levels were decreased and homocysteine levels were increased in some OCD patients. Homocysteine levels were positively correlated with Yale–Brown compulsion and Yale–Brown total scores. In conclusion, findings of this study suggest that some OCD patients might have vitamin B12 deficiency and higher homocysteine levels. Keywords: obsessive–compulsive disorder, vitamin B12, folate, homocysteine, obsession, compulsion