Prognostic Factors for Lymph Node Negative Stage I and IIA Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: Multicenter Experiences

Ustaalioglu, Bala Basak Oven,Unal, Olcun Umit,Turan, Nedim,Bilici, Ahmet,Kaya, Serap,Eren, Tulay,Ulas, Arife,Inal, Ali,Berk, Veli,Demirci, Umut,Alici, Suleyman,Bal, Oznur,Benekli, Mustafa,Gumus, Mahmu Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.11

Background: Surgery is the only curative treatment for operable non-small lung cancer (NSCLC) and the importance of adjuvant chemotherapy for stage IB patients is unclear. Herein, we evaluated prognostic factors for survival and factors related with adjuvant treatment decisions for stage I and IIA NSCLC patients without lymph node metastasis. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 302 patients who had undergone curative surgery for prognostic factors regarding survival and clinicopathological factors related to adjuvant chemotherapy. Results: Nearly 90% of the patients underwent lobectomy or pneumonectomy with mediastinal lymph node resection. For the others, wedge resection were performed. The patients were diagnosed as stage IA in 35%, IB in 49% and IIA in 17%. Histopathological type (p=0.02), tumor diameter (p=0.01) and stage (p<0.001) were found to be related to adjuvant chemotherapy decisions, while operation type, lypmhovascular invasion (LVI), grade and the presence of recurrence were important factors in predicting overall survival (OS), and operation type, tumor size greater than 4 cm, T stage, LVI, and visceral pleural invasion were related with disease free survival (DFS). Multivariate analysis showed operation type (p<0.001, hazard ratio (HR):1.91) and the presence of recurrence (p<0.001, HR:0.007) were independent prognostic factors for OS, as well visceral pleural invasion (p=0.01, HR:0.57) and LVI (p=0.004, HR:0.57) for DFS. Conclusions: Although adjuvant chemotherapy is standard for early stage lymph node positive NSCLC, it has less clear importance in stage I and IIA patients without lymph node metastasis.

Modified Docetaxel and Cisplatin in Combination with Capecitabine (DCX) as a First-Line Treatment in HER2-Negative Advanced Gastric Cancer

Bilici, Ahmet,Selcukbiricik, Fatih,Demir, Nazan,Ustaalioglu, Bala Basak Oven,Dikilitas, Mustafa,Yildiz, Ozcan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.20

Background: Docetaxel and cisplatin in combination with fluorouracil (DCF) regimen is accepted to be one of the standard regimens in the treatment of advanced gastric cancer. However, substantial toxicity has limited its use in daily clinical practice. Therefore, modification of DCF regimens, including introduction of capecitabine has been investigated to improve the safety profiles. In the present study, the efficacy and toxicity of a regimen with a modified dose of docetaxel and cisplatin in combination with oral capecitabine (DCX) was evaluated in untreated patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: Fifty-four patients with HER2-negative locally advanced or metastatic gastric cancer were included in this cohort. Patients received docetaxel $60mg/m^2$ plus cisplatin $60mg/m^2$ (day 1) combined with capecitabine $1650mg/m^2$ (days 1-14) every 3 weeks. Treatment response, survival, and toxicity were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The median age was 54 years (range: 24-76). The majority of patients (70%) had metastatic disease, while 11 patients (21%) had recurrent disease and underwent curative gastrectomy, and 5 patients (9%) had locally advanced disease (LAD). The median number of DCX cycles was 4. There were 28 partial responses and 11 complete responses, with an overall response rate of 72%. Curative surgery could be performed in four patients among five with LAD. At the median follow-up of 10 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of the entire cohort of patients were 7.4 and 12.1 months, respectively. Dose modification was done in 12 patients due to toxicity in 8 and noncompliance in 4 patients. The most common hematological toxicity was neutropenia, which occurred at grade 3-4 intensity in 10 of 54 patients (27.7%). Febrile neutropenia was diagnosed only in two cases. Conclusions: DCX regimen offers prominent anti-tumor activity and considered to be effective first-line treatment with manageable toxicity for patients with HER2-negative advanced gastric cancer.

Xeliri Plus Bevacizumab Compared with Folfiri Plus Bevacizumab as First-Line Setting in Patients with Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: Experiences at Two-Institutions

Uygun, Kazim,Bilici, Ahmet,Kaya, Serap,Ustaalioglu, Bala Basak Oven,Yildiz, Ramazan,Temiz, Suleyman,Seker, Mesut,Aksu, Gorkem,Cabuk, Devrim,Gumus, Mahmut Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.4

Background: Efficacy of chemotherapy plus bevacizumab has been shown in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) compared with chemotherapy alone. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of FOLFIRI or XELIRI regimens in combination with bevacizumab for mCRC patients in a first-line setting. Materials and Methods: A total of 132 patients with previously untreated and histologically confirmed mCRC were included. They were treated with either FOLFIRI-Bevacizumab (Bev) or XELIRI-Bev according to physician preference. The efficacy and safety of the two regimens were compared. Results: Between 2006 and 2010, 68 patients were treated with the XELIRI-Bev regimen, while the remaining 64 patients received the FOLFIRI-Bev regimen. The median age was 58.5 years (53.6 years in the FOLFIRI-Bev and 59.7 years in the XELIRI-Bev arm, p=0.01). Objective response rate was 51.6% for FOLFIRI-Bev versus 41.2% for XELIRI-Bev (p=0.38). At the median follow-up of 24.5 months, the median progression-free survival (PFS) was not different between two groups (14.2 months in FOLFIRI-Bev vs. not reached in the XELIRI-Bev, p=0.30). However, median overall survival time for the FOLFIRI-Bev arm was better than that for patients treated with XELIRIBev, but these differences was not statistically significant (37.8 months vs. 28.7 months, respectively, p=0.58). Most commonly reported grade 3-4 toxicities (FOLFIRI-Bev vs XELIRI-Bev) were nausea/vomiting (7.8% vs. 14.7%, p=0.27), diarrhea (10.9% vs 22.1%, p=0.10), hand-foot syndrome (0% vs 8.8%, p=0.02) and neutropenia (18.7% vs 27.9%, p=0.22). Conclusion: Our results showed that FOLFIRI-Bev and XELIRI-Bev regimens were similarly effective treatments in a first-line setting for patients with untreated mCRC, with manageable adverse event profiles.

Pulmonary BALT Lymphoma Successfully Treated with Eight Cycles Weekly Rituximab: Report of First Case and F-18 FDG PET/CT Images

Ahmet Bilici,Mesut Seker,Bala Basak Oven Ustaalioglu,Nesrin Canpolat,Taflan Salepci,Mahmut Gumus 대한의학회 2011 Journal of Korean medical science Vol.26 No.4

Extra marginal-zone lymphomas of the lung is a very rare tumor and it originates from bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue. A 68-yr-old woman presented with productive cough and dyspnea. A thorax computed tomography scan showed a 9 × 10 cm in size mass in the left lung and pleural effusion in the lower lobe of left lung. Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) revealed intense uptake foci at the upper and middle sites of left lung and slight uptake foci at the mediastinal lymph nodes which showed malignant involvement. After bronchoscopic biopsy, the diagnosis of pulmonary bronchial-associated lymphoid tissue (BALT) lymphoma was confirmed. At the end of the eight cycles weekly rituximab treatment, complete response was obtained by PET/CT findings. It is concluded that extended rituximab schedule is more effective and it would be beneficial to investigate the use of PET/CT in the diagnosis and evaluating of the treatment response of pulmonary BALT lymphoma.

Clinical and Pathologic Features of Patients with Rare Ovarian Tumors: Multi-Center Review of 167 Patients by the Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology

Bilici, Ahmet,Inanc, Mevlude,Ulas, Arife,Akman, Tulay,Seker, Mesut,Babacan, Nalan Akgul,Inal, Ali,Bal, Oznur,Koral, Lokman,Sevinc, Alper,Tufan, Gulnihal,Elkiran, Emin Tamer,Ustaalioglu, Bala Basak Ove Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.11

Background: Non-epithelial malignant ovarian tumors and clear cell carcinomas, Brenner tumors, transitional cell tumors, and carcinoid tumors of the ovary are rare ovarian tumors (ROTs). In this study, our aim was to determine the clinicopathological features of ROT patients and prognostic factors associated with survival. Materials and Methods: A total of 167 patients with ROT who underwent initial surgery were retrospectively analyzed. Prognostic factors that may influence the survival of patients were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Of 167 patients, 75 (44.9%) were diagnosed with germ-cell tumors (GCT) and 68 (40.7%) with sex cord-stromal tumors (SCST); the remaining 24 had other rare ovarian histologies. Significant differences were found between ROT groups with respect to age at diagnosis, tumor localization, initial surgery type, tumor size, tumor grade, and FIGO stage. Three-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates and median PFS intervals for patients with other ROT were worse than those of patients with GCT and SCST (41.8% vs 79.6% vs 77.1% and 30.2 vs 72 vs 150 months, respectively; p=0.01). Moreover, the 3-year overall survival (OS) rates and median OS times for patients with both GCT and SCST were better as compared to patients with other ROT, but these differences were not statistically significant (87.7% vs 88.8% vs 73.9% and 170 vs 122 vs 91 months, respectively; p=0.20). In the univariate analysis, tumor localization (p<0.001), FIGO stage (p<0.001), and tumor grade (p=0.04) were significant prognostic factors for PFS. For OS, the univariate analysis indicated that tumor localization (p=0.01), FIGO stage (p=0.001), and recurrence (p<0.001) were important prognostic indicators. Multivariate analysis showed that FIGO stage for PFS (p=0.001, HR: 0.11) and the presence of recurrence (p=0.02, HR: 0.54) for OS were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions: ROTs should be evaluated separately from epithelial ovarian cancers because of their different biological features and natural history. Due to the rarity of these tumors, determination of relevant prognostic factors as a group may help as a guide for more appropriate adjuvant or recurrent therapies for ROTs.

Clinicopathological Features in Bilateral Breast Cancer

Baykara, Meltem,Ozturk, Selcuk Cemil,Buyukberber, Suleyman,Helvaci, Kaan,Ozdemir, Nuriye,Alkis, Necati,Berk, Veli,Koca, Dogan,Coskun, Ugur,Oksuzoglu, Berna,Uncu, Dogan,Arpaci, Erkan,Ustaalioglu, Basak Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.9

Introduction and Purpose: The frequency of bilateral breast cancer is 1.4-11.0% among all breast cancers. It can present as synchronous (SC) or metachronous (MC). Data regarding clinical course of bilateral breast cancer are scarce. In this study, we therefore evaluated demographic, pathological and clinical characteristics, treatments and responses in bilateral breast cancer cases; making distinctions between metachronous-synchronous and comparing with historic one-sided data for the same parameters. Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty bilateral breast cancer cases from ten different centers between 2000 and 2011 were retrospectively scanned. Age of the cases, family history, menopausal status, pathological features, pathological stages, neoadjuvant, surgery, adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy/radiotherapy were examined in the context of the first and second occurrence and discussed with reference to the literature. Results: Metachronous and synchronous groups showed similar age, menopausal status, tumor type, HER2/neu expression; the family history tumor grade, tumor stage, ER-negativity rate, local and distant metastases rates, surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy application rates were identified as significantly different. Palliative chemotherapy response rate was greater in the metachronous group but median PFS rates did not differ between the groups. Conclusion: Although bilateral breast cancer is not frequent, MC breast cancer is different from SC breast cancer by having more advanced grade, stage, less ER expression, more frequent rates of local relapse and distant metastasis and better response to chemotherapy in case of relapse/metastasis.