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Background: This study aims to identify factors predicting recurrence and unfavorable prognosis in cN+ patients who have undergone sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) following neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC)., Methods: The retrospective multi-centre "MF18-02" and the prospective multi-centre cohort registry trial "MF18-03" (NCT04250129) included patients with cT1-4N1-3M0 with SLNB+/- axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) post-NAC., Results: A total of 2407 cN+ patients, who later achieved cN0 status after NAC and subsequently underwent SLNB, were studied. The majority had cT1-2 (79.1%) and N1 (80.7%). After a median follow-up time of 41 months, the rates of locoregional recurrence and axillary recurrence (AR) were 1.83% and 0.37%, respectively. No significant difference in locoregional recurrence or AR rates was observed between the SLNB/targeted axillary dissection-only (n = 1470) and ALND (n = 937) groups. Factors significantly linked with AR included age younger than 45 years, nonpathological complete response (non-pCR) in the breast, and nonluminal pathology. Locoregional recurrences were associated with nonluminal or HER2(+) pathology, non-pCR in the breast, and ALND. Poor prognostic factors for disease-free survival (DFS) included having cT3-T4, no breast pCR (non-pCR), ypN(+), and nonluminal pathology. No significant difference was found in DFS or disease-specific survival (DSS) rates among ypN0, ypN-isolated tumour cells, ypNmic, and ypN1. However, significant decreases in DFS and DSS rates were observed when comparing ypN2 or ypN3 disease with ypN0., Conclusions: The present large registry data indicate that younger patients (<45), those with nonluminal pathology, and those who only partially respond in the breast are more susceptible to axillary and locoregional recurrences., Competing Interests: Disclosures: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (© 2024. Society of Surgical Oncology.)

Data comparing the efficacy of monthly and trimonthly formulations of LHRH agonists are lacking. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of monthly goserelin and trimonthly leuprolide on estradiol levels. A total of 79 early breast cancer patients receiving LHRH agonists for at least 6 months were enrolled in the study. Serum estradiol, FSH and LH levels were measured before drug injection and at the one-month follow-up visit. Thirty-eight patients were treated with goserelin, and 41 patients were treated with leuprolide. Patient characteristics and histopathological variables did not differ between the groups. A comparison of the mean hormone levels between the two groups revealed no significant differences in FSH or estradiol levels (p = 0.143 and p = 0.683, respectively), but the median LH level was higher in the leuprolide group (p = 0.025). Among the patients who did not receive chemotherapy, LH levels were higher in the leuprolide arm (p = 0.028). Additionally, FSH levels were significantly higher in the patients over 40 years old (p = 0.02) and in those with tumours harbouring cERB-B2 receptor (p = 0.05) in the leuprolide group. Three patients (7.9 %) in the goserelin and five patients (12.2 %) in the leuprolide group failed to achieve postmenopausal estradiol levels (p = 0.707). The effects of monthly goserelin and trimonthly leuprolide on estradiol levels did not differ significantly. Further research is required to interpret the variable effects on gonadotropins in each subgroup and the relationship between LHRH agonists and survival.

Our aim was to evaluate clinical and pathological features in prognosis of thymoma patients with particular emphasis on patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). From 1995 to 2010, 140 thymoma patients (women/men: 63/77) with a median age of 46 years (11-80 years) were admitted to our institution. According to World Health Organization (WHO), there were 23 (17%) type A, 12 (9%) type AB, 24 (17%) type B1, 42 (31%) type B2 and 36 (26%) type B3. The distribution of Masaoka stages I, II, III and IV was 24 (17%), 71 (51%), 18 (13%) and 27 (19%), respectively. MG coexisted in 61% of patients. After a mean follow-up of 34 months (1-158 months), 102 (73%) patients are alive and well while 14 (10%) are alive with disease. Twenty-three patients (16%) have died, only 9 died of thymoma. In univariate analyses, completeness of resection (P < .001), WHO histology (P = .008), Masaoka stage (P < .001) and MG (P = .002) were significant prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS). Young age (P = .008); Masaoka stages 1 and 2 (P = .039); WHO types A, AB and B1 (P = .031); complete resection (P = .024) and presence of MG (P = .05) significantly correlated with overall survival (OS). In multivariate analysis, Masaoka stages 1 and 2 (P = .038) and presence of MG (P = .01) were significantly correlated with a longer PFS; MG (P = .021) and WHO subtype (P = .022) were found to be significant prognostic factors for OS. Adjuvant radiotherapy improved neither OS nor PFS in completely resected stage 2 thymoma. Masaoka staging, WHO and MG are major determinants of prognosis in Turkish thymoma patients. Additionally, radiotherapy did not provide survival advantage to stage 2 patients with complete resection.

Gemcitabine and cisplatin are the active agents in metastatic breast cancer pretreated with anthracycline and/or taxane as a second line treatment. The present study was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of this regimen given biweekly schedule in these patients. Twenty-seven women, median age 57, with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracycline and taxane were eligible for enrollment. Gemcitabine was administered intravenously on days 1 and 15 at a dose of 2,000 mg/m(2) and Cisplatin was given intravenously on day 1 and 15 at a dose of 50 mg/m(2). Treatment cycles were repeated on an outpatient basis every 28 days. Of all 27 evaluable patients, the overall response rate was 26% (7 of 27; 95% CI: 11-46%) with seven all partial responses. The stable diseases were found in 9 (33%) patients. At the time of last follow-up, 11 (41%) of the patients died of their disease progression. The median overall survival duration was 7.4 +/- 2.8 months. The 1-year overall survival rate was 46.9% +/- 12.3. Hematological toxicity was not found as the principal dose-limiting toxicity. Severe (grade III/IV) neutropenia was observed only one (4%) patients. No patient was complicated by febrile neutropenia and G-CSF usage was not performed. Grade III and IV anemia were seen in only 4 (15%) and thrombocytopenia was noted only one (4%) patients. Severe hepatic (n = 2) and renal toxicity (n = 1) were observed and these all recovered completely without complication. Several other severe non-hematological side effects were managed easily. Permanent dose reductions were necessary in 9 (33%) patients and chemotherapy administration was also delayed in 7 (26%) patients because of delayed both hematological and non-hematological toxicity recovery. Treatment was discontinued in one (4%) patient due to severe fatigue and deteriorating performance status. In conclusion, gemcitabine and cisplatin combination therapy with this biweekly schedule and dosage is moderately active and extremely safe in patients with metastatic breast cancer previously treated with anthracycline and taxanes.

Background: Activity of tamoxifen as a salvage therapy in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer was evaluated by a number of studies. In this study, we evaluated efficacy of tamoxifen in our patients with platinum-resistant epithelial ovarian carcinoma., Patients and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of patients who received tamoxifen at a dose 20 mg twice daily for the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer., Results: Twenty-nine eligible patients were included to the study. There were 1 (3%) complete response, 2 (7%) partial response, 6 (21%) stable disease, and 20 (69%) progressive disease. All patients were progressed after initiation of tamoxifen. Median progression-free survival was 4 mo (95% CI: 2.98-5.02). Disease progression of 19 (65%) patients were shown within the first 6 mo after initiation of tamoxifen. Progression-free survival was between 6 and 12 mo for 7 (24%) patients and > or =12 mo for 3 (10%) patients. The median survival after initiation of tamoxifen was 15 mo (95% CI: 7.2-22.8). No toxicity attributable to tamoxifen was seen in any of the patients. The only independent prognostic factor that had a significant predictive value for progression- free survival was the response to tamoxifen treatment (p = 0.043, hazard ratio: 0.12, 95% CI: 0.01-0.94)., Conclusion: Considering minimal side effects and ability to cause objective responses, there is a place for tamoxifen in treatment of patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. A phase III trial is required to con- firm the value of the drug in patients presenting these clinical settings.

Background: Prognostic factors related to survival in patients with inoperable metastatic or recurrent endometrial carcinoma (MREC) have remained unclear due to lack of clinical trials. The management of these patients is also controversial. This study was performed to compare the efficacy and toxicity profiles of two different systemic therapies (chemotherapy vs hormonal therapy) given for the treatment of patients with MREC and to identify the impact of various prognostic factors on the survival., Methods: Between 1992 and 2004, 44 patients with MREC were admitted to our oncology department. Four cases were excluded from this retrospective study because of lack of data in their charts. Age, presence of other systemic diseases (such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension), histological type, tumor grade, stage, disease-free interval, site of recurrence or metastasis, systemic treatment modality, overall response to treatment, and duration of time to progression were evaluated as prognostic factors. Cox regression analysis was performed for identification of independent prognostic factors and differences between patients characteristics of two treatment groups were calculated by the chi-square or t test., Results: The median follow-up was 18 mo (range 3-113). The overall response rates for chemotherapy and hormonal therapy group were 42% and 41%, respectively (p > 0.05). The median time to progression was 4 mo for the chemotherapy group and 5 mo for the hormonal therapy group (p > 0.05). The median survival after metastasis or recurrence was 11 mo for the chemotherapy group and 16 mo for the hormonal therapy group (p > 0.05). In the group of chemotherapy, grade 3-4 hematologic and nonhematologic toxicities were seen in eight and two, patients, respectively. No grade 3-4 toxicities were noted in patients treated with hormonal therapy. In multivariate analysis, only time to progression (p=0.001) and grade (p=0.04) were the independent prognostic factors on survival after metastasis or recurrence., Conclusion: Histological differentiation and duration of time to progression are predictive factors for survival after metastasis or recurrence in the whole group. The efficacy of two different groups of treatment in these patients appears to be similar. But the chemotherapy may have some disadvantageous in terms of toxicity. This study supports a future randomized prospective trial of hormonal therapy vs chemotherapy in patients with MREC.

This study was designed to evaluate the tolerability and therapeutic activity of paclitaxel and carboplatin combination therapy followed by radical thoracic radiotherapy with a concomitant boost technique with concurrent weekly paclitaxel in good performance status of patients with stage IIIA and IIIB non-small cell lung cancer. Patients with newly diagnosed inoperable non-small cell lung cancer received paclitaxel (100 mg/m(2)) as a 1-h infusion on d 1,8,15,28,35, and 42. Carboplatin (area under the curve of 6) was given as a 30-min infusion on d 1 and 28. Radiotherapy commenced on d 49 and was delivered with accelerated fractionation with concomitant boost at 1.8 Gy/fraction/d, 5 d/week and 1.5 Gy/fraction/d to a boost field as a second daily treatment for the last 10 treatment days to 60 Gy/35 fractions/5 wk. During radiation treatment, paclitaxel (60 mg/m(2)) was given as a 1-h infusion once weekly for 5 wk. Twenty-four patients were enrolled in the study. Hematologic toxicities and alopecia were the major acute toxicities during induction chemotherapy; 8.7% of the patients experienced grade 3-4 neutropenia and alopecia. The main acute toxicity of concurrent chemoradiotherapy was esophagitis; grade 3 esophagitis was documented in 23.5% of the patients. No major late toxicity was seen. Overall response rate to the treatment was 65.2%. The median and 1-yr overall-survival rates were 24.9 mo and 63.8%, respectively. The median and 1-yr progression-free survival rates were 9.0 mo and 27.8%, respectively. The main acute toxicities were hematologic toxicity, esophagitis, and alopecia. The response rate and the survival rates achieved with this treatment regimen are particularly noteworthy, especially considering the advanced stage of the patients treated.