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Aim: The objective of the present research was to compare the nutritional status, weight gain, length of hospital stay, and the development of some complications in very low birth-weight (VLBW) infants who received and those who did not receive olive oil supplementation enterally. Materials and Methods: This study was a single-blind, randomized controlled trial with 96 VLBW infants (intervention: 48, control: 48) in a neonatal intensive care unit. In this study, those infants who met the inclusion criteria for the study were divided into two groups by using a random number table. The same feeding protocol (breast milk and/or formula milk) was applied to the infants in both groups. From the seventh day of life (after starting to take 25-30 mL/kg/day orally), 0.5 cc/30 mL of olive oil was added to the milk at each feeding of those infants in the intervention group. Results: In comparison with the control group, the infants in the intervention group had a higher daily weight gain rate in the first month and a higher weight on the tenth day, a shorter transition time to full enteral feeding, a higher amount of calories on the day of transition to full enteral feeding, and a shorter length of hospital stay (p

Background and Objectives: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Identifying reliable prognostic factors is crucial for risk stratification and optimizing treatment strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of clinicopathologic factors and systemic inflammatory markers on survival outcomes in patients with MPM. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, multicenter study included 217 patients diagnosed with MPM between January 2009 and March 2024. Data on age, gender, histology, disease stage, treatment modalities, and inflammatory markers such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) were collected. Survival outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier methods, and prognostic factors were evaluated using Cox regression analysis. Results: CAR was identified as an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Patients with CAR < 0.98 had significantly longer OS (87.0 months vs. 14.0 months, p < 0.001) and PFS (17.61 months vs. 8.96 months, p = 0.010). While NLR was significant in univariate analysis (OS: 25.0 months for NLR < 2.58 vs. 21.0 months for NLR ≥ 2.58, p = 0.040), it did not retain significance in the multivariate model (p = 0.180). Epithelioid histology and early-stage disease were strongly associated with improved survival outcomes (OS: 32.0 vs. 11.0 months for epithelioid vs. non-epithelioid histology, p < 0.001; 32.0 vs. 12.0 months for early-stage vs. metastatic disease, p < 0.001). Conclusions: CAR is a strong independent prognostic factor in MPM, reflecting systemic inflammation and nutritional status. Epithelioid histology and early-stage disease are associated with significantly longer survival, underscoring the critical role of early detection in improving patient outcomes.

Introduction: CDK 4/6 inhibitors are effectively utilized among patients with hormone-positive, HER-2-negative metastatic breast cancer. The dose reduction for these patients varies between 35% and 57% across multiple trials. We aim to clarify the characteristics of patients who had dosage reduction and the effect of this reduction on survival outcomes. Materials and Methods: The study was designed as a retrospective, multicenter study. Patients who received CDK 4/6 inhibitors in the first-line and subsequent treatment settings were grouped based on dose reductions. Progression-free survival was compared between these groups, and factors influencing dose reduction were analyzed. Results: Multivariate logistic regression study demonstrated that patients aged 65 and older, with a Charlson CI score of 2 or higher, having metastases in three or more sites, and classed as normal weight, had greater dosage reductions. Dose reduction had no impact on progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.114 for first-line treatment, p = 0.528 for second and subsequent-line treatment; p > 0.05). Conclusions: Regarding the absence of disparity in progression-free survival between patients with dose reduction and those without, dose reduction should not be avoided in certain patient groups to ensure therapy continuity and mitigate potential adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many developing countries lack access to recommended first-line treatments for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or ICI-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combinations. As a result, predictive markers are necessary to identify patients who may benefit from single-agent TKIs for long-term response. This study aims to identify such parameters. This was a multi-centre, retrospective study of patients with mRCC who were undergoing first-line treatment with sunitinib or pazopanib. Patients who had been diagnosed with mRCC and had not experienced disease progression for 36 months or more were deemed to have achieved a long-term response. Predictive clinical and pathological characteristics of patients who did not experience long-term disease progression were investigated. A total of 320 patients from four hospitals were included in the study. The median age of the patients was 60 years (range 20-89 years). According to the International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium (IMDC) risk classification, 109 patients were classified as having favourable risk and 211 were in the intermediate-poor risk group. The median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for all patients were 12.5 months and 76.4 months, respectively. In the long-term responder’s group, the median PFS was 78.4 months. Among all patients, prior nephrectomy, the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status (PS)

Background and Objectives: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare and aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. Identifying reliable prognostic factors is crucial for risk stratification and optimizing treatment strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of clinicopathologic factors and systemic inflammatory markers on survival outcomes in patients with MPM. Materials and Methods: This retrospective, multicenter study included 217 patients diagnosed with MPM between January 2009 and March 2024. Data on age, gender, histology, disease stage, treatment modalities, and inflammatory markers such as the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) were collected. Survival outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier methods, and prognostic factors were evaluated using Cox regression analysis. Results: CAR was identified as an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Patients with CAR < 0.98 had significantly longer OS (87.0 months vs. 14.0 months, p < 0.001) and PFS (17.61 months vs. 8.96 months, p = 0.010). While NLR was significant in univariate analysis (OS: 25.0 months for NLR < 2.58 vs. 21.0 months for NLR ≥ 2.58, p = 0.040), it did not retain significance in the multivariate model (p = 0.180). Epithelioid histology and early-stage disease were strongly associated with improved survival outcomes (OS: 32.0 vs. 11.0 months for epithelioid vs. non-epithelioid histology, p < 0.001; 32.0 vs. 12.0 months for early-stage vs. metastatic disease, p < 0.001). Conclusions: CAR is a strong independent prognostic factor in MPM, reflecting systemic inflammation and nutritional status. Epithelioid histology and early-stage disease are associated with significantly longer survival, underscoring the critical role of early detection in improving patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Osteosarcoma has worse prognosis in adult patients but cure is possible even in the metastatic stage. Survival rates have been significantly improved with systemic chemotherapy. We aimed to investigate the effects of clinicopathological factors on overall-survival (OS) and disease-free-survival (DFS) in 77osteosarcoma who received neoadjuvant treatment and were treated in our center. Methods: The patients were 18 years of age and over, applied to the Marmara University of Medical Oncology outpatient clinic between 2001-2022. Results: The overall 5-year DFS rate is 35.5%. Patients with primary tumor location in the pelvis had 5-year DFS rate of 20.0%, whereas patients with a primary location outside the pelvis had a DFS rate of 36.6%. After neoadjuvant therapy, patients with a necrosis rate of 90% or more had a 5-year DFS rate of 54.0%, while patients with a necrosis rate of less than 90% had rate of 31.6%. Conclusion: Significant prognostic indicators for DFS were found to be female gender, primary pelvic location, and completion of adjuvant therapy in patients who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant therapy. The completion of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients who underwent surgery after neoadjuvant therapy and a necrosis rate of 90% or more in the pathology report were discovered to be significant prognostic markers for OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We investigated the effects of demographic characteristics and clinicopathologic factors on survival in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (mNSCLC). Methods: We enrolled 320 patients treated for mNSCLC between January 2012 and December 2023. Progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed for all parameters for prognostic evaluation. Results: Among 320 patients; median age was 63 years. Either presence of bone metastasis (p=0.005), brain metastasis (p=0.024), liver metastasis (p=0.08) and the number of metastasis is 3 or more (p=0.02) were associated with better PFS in univariate analysis. ECOG performance status 0-1 (p=0.001), de novo metastatic disease (p=0.05), bone metastasis (p=0.001), brain metastasis (p=0.016), liver metastasis (p=0.00), also the number of metastasis 3 or more (p=0.001) and use of immunotherapy (p=0.00) were related with longer OS. In multivariate analysis, either presence of brain metastasis (HR:1.50, 95% CI:1.13-1.99, p=0.004), liver metastasis (HR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.06-2.21, p=0.02), number of metastatic site (HR:0.72, 95% CI: 0.54-0.97, p=0.03) and use of immunotherapy (HR:0.37, 95 % CI: 0.26-0.52, p=0.00) remained significant predictors of OS. Conclusion: Our results showed that liver and brain metastasis, number of metastatic site and use of immunotherapy were assosiated with survival and these can be used as stratification factors when designing randomized clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION[|]Rhinitis medicamentosa (RM) is a nonallergic form of rhinitis, mostly associated with prolonged, excessive, and improper use of topical decongestants. The only effective treatment for this is nasal steroids. This study aimed to reverse the mucosal changes in RM by the use of surfactant. Different molecules were applied to each group to compare surfactant's effectiveness.[¤]METHODS[|]Thirty rats were divided into five groups. All groups were treated with topical oxymetazoline 0.05% for 30 days. Loss of cilia, congestion, edema, goblet cell growth, and increase in mucous glands, squamous metaplasia, and chronic inflammatory cell infiltration were set as the main parameters. Rats in group 5 were sacrificed; all proved the presence of mucosal changes in compliance with RM. All groups were continued to be treated with oxymetazoline even during the histopathological examination period of 15 days. Treatment modalities of each group for 15 days were as follows: saline wash (0.09% NaCl) in group 1, mometasone furoate monohydrate 50 μg 0.05% in group 2, surfactant wash solution 1 drop/100 cc in group 3, and intranasal surfactant solution with mometasone furoate monohydrate 0.05% in group 4. All rats were decapitated and sent for histopathological evaluation at the end of day 60.[¤]RESULTS[|]A significant regression in the nasal mucosal congestion was found in groups treated with saline and mometasone furoate (p=0.005). No significant difference was found between groups when evaluating for regression of loss of cilia but unpredictably was seen in saline group by 83%. Surfactant/mometasone furoate combination therapy was found to be significantly ineffective for treatment of edema (p=0.013). No statistical difference was found between the groups in terms of chronic inflammatory cell infiltration (p=0.115). Squamous metaplasia was observed in all treatment groups, and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups (p=0.076).[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]Surfactant or its combination with nasal steroid is not significantly effective in the treatment of RM.[¤]

Aim: The objective of the present research was to compare the nutritional status, weight gain, length of hospital stay, and the development of some complications in very low birth-weight (VLBW) infants who received and those who did not receive olive oil supplementation enterally. Materials and Methods: This study was a single-blind, randomized controlled trial with 96 VLBW infants (intervention: 48, control: 48) in a neonatal intensive care unit. In this study, those infants who met the inclusion criteria for the study were divided into two groups by using a random number table. The same feeding protocol (breast milk and/or formula milk) was applied to the infants in both groups. From the seventh day of life (after starting to take 25-30 mL/kg/day orally), 0.5 cc/30 mL of olive oil was added to the milk at each feeding of those infants in the intervention group. Results: In comparison with the control group, the infants in the intervention group had a higher daily weight gain rate in the first month and a higher weight on the tenth day, a shorter transition time to full enteral feeding, a higher amount of calories on the day of transition to full enteral feeding, and a shorter length of hospital stay (p<0.05). Furthermore, the need for rectal enema and the prevalence of sepsis, gastrointestinal system intolerance, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia were significantly lower in the intervention group in comparison with the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that olive oil supplementation administered enterally to preterm infants can be recommended since it positively affects the development of infants. Trial registration: This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov with the following ID: NCT05815849. This study was retrospectively registered on the 14th of April, 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The synthesis of CDK4/6 inhibitors with endocrine treatment in two series of treatment has been widely accepted as the standard for patients with estrogen receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. In spite of this, the activity of CDK4/6 inhibitors in patients with metastatic breast cancer who have progressed despite receiving multiple lines of treatment is not well understood.Aims:To report the activity and safety of a CDK4/6 inhibitor (palbociclib) in patients in whom at least three lines of treatment for ER+ metastatic breast cancer had failed.Study Design:Multicenter retrospective observational cohort study.Methods:In this retrospective observational cohort study, we included 43 patients who received palbociclib after at least three lines of systemic treatment for ER+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer.Results:The median progression-free survival in our population was 7 months (25th-75th percentile, 4-10), and the median overall survival was 11 months (25th-75th percentile, 6-19). Although there were some adverse events, palbociclib was generally well tolerated, so dose reduction was needed for only six patients (14%).Conclusion:The efficacy of palbociclib among heavily treated hormone receptor-positive/HER2− patients with advanced breast cancer was acceptable in terms of clinical benefit, and it was generally well tolerated among this population.

After the discovery of the effectiveness of the stochastic methods for solving real life problems, these methods have been applied to a wide range of problems in two types; deterministic problems and stochastic problems. The general opinion takes part in applying these methods to stochastic problems since it is preferable for realistic results. Moreover, those methods can also be used in dealing with deterministic models. This study aims to show how stochastic approaches can be applied to deterministic models. Thus, an algorithm based on the Monte Carlo simulation has been presented for solving some systems of nonlinear differential equations. To discuss the behavior of such models, the population equations have been taken into consideration. The considered approach has been seen to produce more accurate results than numerical techniques. A detailed discussion about the results has also been given in this work.

Introduction: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) accounts for 0.01% of all carcinomas, and 70% of patients have locally advanced disease with a poor prognosis. The mainstay therapy is chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and concurrent administration of platinum-based agents and irradiation provides high local control rates. However, induction (neoadjuvant) chemotherapy (ICT) prior to CRT is recommended for large tumors with a high tumor burden at the category 1 level. For ICT, platinum-based doublet or triplet combination regimens are recommended. Selected patients with a high tumor burden at the time of diagnosis who did not receive ICT before CRT were given adjuvant (consolidation) therapy after CRT. This multicenter study aimed to share our experience in treatment of NPC and evaluate the factors associated with survival. Methods: The study included patients diagnosed with NPC who were followed and treated between 2008 and 2022. Hundred and forty-two patients from 6 centers were evaluated. The factors associated with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Results: The median age of our patients was 51 years (IQR: 16–81 years), and the male:female ratio was 2.5:1. A majority of patients (71%) had stage 3–4 disease. They had locally advanced disease, and 48 patients (34%) received ICT. Twenty patients (14%) received adjuvant therapy. The median follow-up was 41 months (range, 2.7–175.1 months). The median DFS in NPC was 92.6 months (range, 71.9–113.3 months), with a 40th month DFS of 70.9%. The median OS was 113 months (range, 91–135 months), with a 40th month OS of 84.7%. Median DFS was 95.3 months (range, 64.2–126.4 months) in patients who received ICT before CRT, which was longer than in the CRT-only group (p = 0.6). DFS at the 40th month was 75.1% in patients treated with ICT compared to 65.1% in the CRT-only group. Median OS was 117 months (range, 92–142 months) in patients receiving ICT, which was longer than in the CRT-only group (p = 0.4). OS at the 40th month was 86.7% in patients receiving ICT but 83.6% in the CRT-only group. Conclusions: Both the objective response rate and survival were longer in patients who radiologically responded to CRT following ICT. Nonresponse to ICT is a negative predictive indicator. The role of ICT in locally advanced NPC is increasing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The majority of multiple myeloma (MM) patients have high levels of monoclonal immunoglobulin in the serum and/or urine and suppressed levels of the uninvolved immunoglobulins. The prognostic significance of this phenomenon has not been assessed sufficiently. In this study, our aim is to evaluate the prognostic significance of uninvolved immunoglobulin suppression measured by nephelometry in patients with new symptomatic MM and the association with other features of the disease. Materials and Methods: Between August 2003 and February 2015, 137 patients who were referred for the treatment of newly diagnosed symptomatic myeloma to the Hematology Department polyclinics of the İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine were prospectively included and had available pretreatment immunoglobulin levels measured by nephelometry. Results: Suppression of at least one uninvolved immunoglobulin was observed in 87% of patients and this situation was slightly more common in patients with immunoglobulin A myeloma but had no statistical significance (p>0.05). Uninvolved immunoglobulin suppression was also more common among patients who had bone marrow plasma cell infiltration of ≥40% and presented with anemia and hypercalcemia (p65 years, lactate dehydrogenase of >300 IU/L, bone marrow plasma cells of ≥40%, and β2-microglobulin of >3.5 mg/dL (p

Objective Feeding intolerance (FI) is a common condition in preterm infants because they have an immature gastrointestinal tract. There are studies on the effects of the position on gastric residual volume (GRV) in preterm infants. Kangaroo mother care (KMC) may be an instrument for reducing FI by providing an upright position to infants. Moreover, numerous studies conducted with this therapeutic position applied by putting an infant on the mother's chest have indicated its positive effects on the infant's weight gain, growth and development, and vital signs. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the impact of KMC on FI in preterm infants. Methods The population of the study, designed as a randomized trial, consisted of 168 preterm infants [KMC: 84, Standart Care (SC): 84] hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit of a university hospital between June and November 2020. Infants were randomly selected and divided into two groups. After the vital signs of the infants in both groups became stable, the infants were fed in the same position. KMC was applied to the infants in the intervention group for 1 h by preparing a suitable environment after feeding. Infants in the SC group were placed in the prone position after feeding. The GRVs of the infants in both groups were recorded on the Infant Follow-up Form before the next feeding. Results No statistically significant difference was detected between the groups upon comparing them in terms of demographic and clinical characteristics. The body temperatures and O2 saturations of the participants in the KMC group were statistically significantly higher, and their respiratory and heart rates were lower than the SC group. The transition time to full enteral feeding was statistically significantly shorter, and FI was experienced significantly less in the KMC group infants than in the SC group (p  < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in terms of the infants' weight gain and length of hospital stay (p  > 0.05). Conclusion The present study demonstrated that KMC had a positive impact on FI in preterm infants. KMC is not only a safe care model providing the earliest contact between parents and infants but also a practice whose positive effect on the functioning of the digestive system in preterm infants we can use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we compared the levels of C-C chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5), C-C motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), and EphrinA7 (EphA7) in patients with colorectal carcinoma and healthy controls in order to investigate the significance and usability of these potential biomarkers in early diagnosis of colorectal cancer. The study included 70 colorectal carcinoma patients and 40 healthy individuals. The CCR5, CCL5, PDGF, and EphA7 levels were measured using ELISA in blood samples. PDGF-BB, EphA7, CCR5, and CCL5 levels of the patients with colorectal carcinoma were significantly higher compared to the control group (p < 0.001 for each comparison). Our logistic regression analysis (the area under the curve was 0.958) supports the notion that PDGF-BB, EphA7, and CCL5 are potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of colon cancer. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were found to be 87.9%, 87.5%, 92.1%, and 81.4%, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study that investigates the relationship between colorectal carcinoma and the four biomarkers CCL5, CCR5, PDGF, and EphA7. The significantly elevated levels of all these parameters in the patient group compared to the healthy controls indicate that they can be used for the early diagnosis of colorectal carcinoma.