Clinicopathologic Features and Molecular Subtypes of Breast Cancer in Young Women (Age ≤35)

Goksu, Sema Sezgin,Tastekin, Didem,Arslan, Deniz,Gunduz, Seyda,Tatli, Ali Murat,Unal, Dilek,Salim, Derya,Guler, Tunc,Coskun, Hasan Senol Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.16

Introduction: Breast cancer in young women is a relatively rare disease; however it tends to be more aggressive and is the leading cause of cancer death in this population. The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical and biological features of breast cancer arising in young Turkish breast cancer patients. Materials and Methods: Patients with breast cancer aged 35 or less (${\leq}35$ years) were selected for the study. In total 211 cases were included. Pathologic features; histologic subtypes, grade, lymphovascular invasion, axillary involvement, and stage were recorded for each. Results: The most common subtype was luminal B (36.5%), followed by luminal A (30.8%), triple negative (23.2%) and HER2+(9.5%) subtypes. Twelve percent of the patients had stage 4, 32.7% had stage 3, 46.4% had stage 2, and 6.2% had stage 1 disease at the time of diagnosis. Mean tumour diameter was 3.87 cm (range 0.3-13 cm). The axillary lymph nodes were positive in 74.4% of the patients, while lympho-vascular invasion was seen in 56.4%. Some 9.5% of patients had grade 1, 51.2% had grade 2, and 31.8% had grade 3 tumors. Conclusions: Young women with breast cancer in Turkey are more likely to present with luminal B subtype. Tumors in young women are more likely to present with advanced disease, to be high grade and and to have more lymphovascular invasion. Further research should focus on whether we need new treatment strategies for young patients with breast carcinoma.

Determinants of Opioid Efficiency in Cancer Pain: a Comprehensive Multivariate Analysis from a Tertiary Cancer Centre

Goksu, Sema Sezgin,Bozcuk, Hakan,Uysal, Mukremin,Ulukal, Ece,Ay, Seren,Karasu, Gaye,Soydas, Turker,Coskun, Hasan Senol,Ozdogan, Mustafa,Savas, Burhan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.21

Background: Pain is one of the most terrifying symptoms for cancer patients. Although most patients with cancer pain need opioids, complete relief of pain is hard to achieve. This study investigated the factors influencing persistent pain-free survival (PPFS) and opioid efficiency. Materials and Methods: A prospective study was conducted on 100 patients with cancer pain, hospitalized at the medical oncology clinic of Akdeniz University. Patient records were collected including patient demographics, the disease, treatment characteristics, and details of opioid usage. Pain intensity was measured using a patient self-reported visual analogue scale (VAS). The area under the curve (AUC) reflecting the pain load was calculated from daily VAS tables. PPFS, the primary measure of opioid efficacy, was described as the duration for which a patient reported a greater than or equal to two-point decline in their VAS for pain. Predictors of opioid efficacy were analysed using a multivariate analysis. Results: In the multivariate analysis, PPFS was associated with the AUC for pain (Exp (B)=0.39 (0.23-0.67), P=0.001), the cumulative opioid dosage used during hospitalisation (Exp (B)=1.00(0.99-1.00), P=0.003) and changes in the opioid dosage (Exp (B)=1.01 (1.00-1.01), P=0.016). The change in VAS score over the standard dosage of opioids was strongly associated with current cancer treatment (chemotherapy vs. others) (${\beta}=-0.31$, T=-2.81, P=0.007) and the VAS for pain at the time of hospitalisation (${\beta}=-0.34$, T=-3.07, P= 0.003). Conclusions: The pain load, opioid dosage, concurrent usage of chemotherapy and initial pain intensity correlate with the benefit received from opioids in cancer patients.

Use of Blood Transfusion at the End of Life: Does it Have Any Effects on Survival of Cancer Patients?

Goksu, Sema Sezgin,Gunduz, Seyda,Unal, Dilek,Uysal, Mukremin,Arslan, Deniz,Tatli, Ali Murat,Bozcuk, Hakan,Ozdogan, Mustafa,Coskun, Hasan Senol Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.10

Background: Treatment of anemia is an important issue in the palliative care setting. Blood transfusion is generally used for this purpose in supportive care. However the place of blood transfusion in terminally ill cancer cases is less far established. Objective: We aimed to outline the use of transfusions and to find the impact of blood transfusion on survival in patients with advanced cancer and very near to death. Design: Patients dying in 2010-2011 with advanced cancer were included in the study. We retrospectively collected the data including age, type of cancer, the duration of last hospitalisation, ECOG performance status, Hb levels, transfusion history of erythrocytes and platelets, cause and the amount of transfusion. The anaemic patients who had transfusion at admission were compared with the group who were not transfused. Survival was defined as the time between the admission of last hospitalisation period and death. Results: Three hundred and ninety eight people with solid tumours died in 2010-2011 in our clinic. Ninety percent of the patients had anemia at the time of last hospitalisation. One hundred fifty three patients had erythrocyte transfusion at admission during the last hospitalisation period (38.4%). In the anaemic population the duration of last hospitalisation was longer in patients who had erythrocyte transfusion (15 days vs 8 days, p<0.001). Conclusions: Patients who had blood transfusion at the end of life lived significantly longer than the anaemic patients who were not transfused. This study remarks that blood transfusions should not be withheld from terminal cancer patients in palliative care.

Oral Cyclophosphamide and Etoposide in Treatment of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma

Gunduz, Seyda,Mutlu, Hasan,Goksu, Sema Sezgin,Arslan, Deniz,Tatli, Ali Murat,Uysal, Mukremin,Coskun, Hasan Senol,Bozcuk, Hakan,Ozdogan, Mustafa,Savas, Burhan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.20

Background: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is almost always fatal and few treatment options are available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of oral cyclophosphamide and etoposide for patients who underwent standard treatment for advanced MM. Materials and Methods: This study included 22 malignant pleural mesothelioma patients who were treated with oral cyclophosphamide and etoposide (EE). Results: The average follow-up period of the patients was 39.1 months. Under the treatment of oral EE, median progression-free survival was 7.7 months [95%CI HR (4.3-11.1)] and median overall survival was 28.1 months [95%CI HR (5.8-50.3)]. The treatment response rates were as follows: 4 patients (27.3%) had a partial response (PR), 12 (54.5%) had stable disease (SD), and progressive disease (PD) was observed in 6 (35.9%). Conclusions: Oral EE can be administered effectively to patients with inoperable malignant mesothelioma who had previously received standard treatments.

Lack of any Association between Season of Diagnosis and Survival of Gastric Cancer Cases in Kayseri, Turkey

Unal, Dilek,Oguz, Arzu,Acmaz, Banu,Goksu, Sema Sezgin,Arslan, Alaettin,Eroglu, Celalettin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.4

Background: The influence of season of diagnosis on cancer survival has been an interesting issue for many years. Most studies have shown a possible association between seasonality and survival in some cancers. We aimed to investigate whether there is an association between season of diagnosis and survival in patients with gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the files of 279 histologically proven gastric cancer patients. According to diagnosis date, the patients were grouped into 4 seasons of diagnosis groups, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Results: There was no significant differences when the overall survival rates of the patients were compared according to the patients' season of diagnosis (p: 0.871). Median overall survival rates were 22.0 (14.5-29.5) months for the patients who were diagnosed in spring, 24.0 (12.4-35.6) for summer, 18.0 (9.96-26.0) for autumn and 21.0 (16.3-25.7) for winter. Median disease-free survival rates were 66.0 (44.1-68.1) months for the patients who were diagnosed in spring, 28.0 (17.0-39.0) for summer, 22.0 (0-46.4) for autumn and 23.0 (17.5-28.5) for winter. While the rate was best for the patients diagnosed in spring the differences were not statistically significant (p= 0.382). Conclusions: On the basis of the above results the season was not suggested as contributing to prognosis in gastric cancer cases in Kayseri, Turkey.

Survival Analysis of Biliary Tract Cancer Cases in Turkey

Akca, Zeki,Mutlu, Hasan,Erden, Abdulsamet,Buyukcelik, Abdullah,Cihan, Yasemin Benderli,Goksu, Sema Sezgin,Aslan, Tuncay,Sezer, Emel Yaman,Inal, Ali Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.15

Background: Because of the relative rarity of biliary tract cancers (BTCs), defining long term survival results is difficult. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the survival of a series of cases in Turkey. Materials and Methods: A totally of 47 patients with billiary tract cancer from Mersin Goverment Hospital, Acibadem Kayseri Hospital and Kayseri Training and Research Hospital were analyzed retrospectively using hospital records between 2006-2012. Results: The median overall survival was $19.3{\pm}3.9$ months for all patients. The median disease free and overall survivals were $24.3{\pm}5.3$ and $44.1{\pm}12.9$ months in patients in which radical surgery was performed, but in those with with inoperable disease they were only $5.3{\pm}1.5$ and $10.7{\pm}3.2$ months, respectively. Conclusions: BTCs have a poor prognosis. Surgery with a microscopic negative margin is still the only curative treatment.

Is Human Kallikrein 11 in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Treated Chemoradiotherapy Associated with Survival?

Dilek Unal,Celalettin Eroglu,Arzu Tasdemir,Hatice Karaman,Neslihan Kurtul,Arzu Oguz,Sema Sezgin Goksu,Bunyamin Kaplan 대한암학회 2016 Cancer Research and Treatment Vol.48 No.1

Purpose Involvement of human kallikreins (hKs) in human cancers has been reported and several hKs are promising biomarkers of various cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of hK11 expression in patients with non-metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Materials and Methods The study included 44 patients with NSCLC. hK11 expression was determined by immuno- histochemical staining. Results The estimation of disease-free and overall survival by Kaplan-Meier was 11 months and 17 months, respectively. The estimation of overall survival by Kaplan-Meier was significantly higher in patients with hK11 strongly positive (2+) than in those with hK11 weakly positive (1+) (20 months vs. 11 months, p=0.032). Although not statistically different, the estimation of disease-free survival by Kaplan-Meier was higher in patients with hK11 strongly positive (2+) than in those with hK11 weakly positive (1+) (12 months vs. 9 months, p=0.113). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the overall survival rates were significantly associated with response to chemoradiotherapy and the degree of staining with hK11. Conclusion The stronger hK11 expression in NSCLC appears to be associated with better survival rates. hK11 may be a prognostic biomarker of NSCLC.

Survival Results and Prognostic Factors in T4 N0-3 Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients According to the AJCC 7^th Edition Staging System

Arslan, Deniz,Bozcuk, Hakan,Gunduz, Seyda,Tural, Deniz,Tattli, Ali Murat,Uysal, Mukremin,Goksu, Sema Sezgin,Bassorgun, Cumhur Ibrahim,Koral, Lokman,Coskun, Hasan Senol,Ozdogan, Mustafa,Savas, Burhan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.6

Background: The American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) published a new staging system ($7^{th}$ edition) in 2009. In our study, we evaluated the survival results and prognostic factors among T4 local advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) patients in a large heterogeneous group, in accordance with this new system. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the files of 122 T4 N0-3 M0 LA-NSCLC patients, identified according to the new staging system, treated at two centers between November 2003 and June 2012. Variables correlating with univariate survival at p<0.20 were later included in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Here, selection of relevant predictors of survival was carried out in accordance with the likelihood ratio formula with p<0.05 regarded as significant. Results: The median age was 60 and the median follow-up period was 17.4 months. Median overall survival (OS) was 18.3 months, the 1 year overall survival (OS) rate was 72%, and the 5 year OS rate was 28%. Statistically significant predictors of survival were (p<0.20) ECOG-PS (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status), age, T4 factor subgroup, stage and primary treatment in OS univariate analysis. On multivariate analysis for OS ECOG-PS (p=0.001), diagnostic stage (p=0.021), and primary treatment (p=0.004) were significant. In the group receiving non-curative treatment, the median OS was 11.0 months, while it was 19.0 months in the definitive RT group and 26.6 months in the curative treatment group. There was a significant difference between the non-curative group and the groups which had definitive RT and curative operations (respectively p<0.001 and p=0.001) in terms of OS, but not between the groups which had definitive RT and curative operations. The median event free survival (EFS) rate was 9.9 months, with rates of 46% and 19% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. On univariate analysis of EFS rate with ECOG-PS, weight loss and staging, statistical significance was found only for thorax computerized tomography (CT)+18F-fluorodeoxy-glucose positron emission tomography-CT (PET-CT) use, stage and primary treatment (p<0.20). In multivariate analysis with EFS, only the primary treatment was statistically significant (p=0.001). In the group receiving non-curative treatment, the median EFS was 10.5 months while in the curative operation group it was 14.7 months. When all the primary treatment groups were taken into consideration, grade III/IV side effect swas observed in 57 patients (46.6%). Esophagitis was most prominent among those that received definitive radiotherapy. Conclusions: Independent prognostic factors among these 122 heterogeneous LA-NSCLC T4 N0-3 M0 patients were age at diagnosis, ECOG-PS, stage and primary treatment, the last also being a significant prognostic indicator of EFS. Our findings point to the importance of appropriate staging and a multidisciplinary approach with modern imaging methods in this patient group. In those with T4 lesions, treatment selection and the effective use of curative potential should be the most important goal of clinical care.