Search

Copyright of Journal of Health Academics / Sağlık Akademisyenleri Dergisi is the property of Journal of Health Academics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We investigated expressions of PD-L1, LAG-3, TIM-3, and OX40L as immune checkpoint proteins, and MSI (repetitive short-DNA-sequences due to defective DNA-repair system) status were analyzed with immunohistochemistry from tissue blocks. Of 83 patients, PD-L1 expression was observed in 18.1% (n = 15) of the patients. None of the patients exhibited LAG-3 expression. TIM-3 expression was 4.9% (n = 4), OX40L was 22.9% (n = 19), and 8.4% (n = 7) of the patients had MSI tumor. A low-to-intermediate positive correlation was observed between PD-L1 and TIM-3 expressions (rho: 0.333, p < 0.01). Although PD-L1 expression was higher in grade 3 NET/NEC, MSI status was prominent in grade 1/2 NET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Small bowel adenocarcinomas (SBAs) are rare tumors of the gastrointestinal system. Lymph node metastasis in patients with curatively resected SBAs is associated with poor prognosis. In this study, we determined the prognostic utility of the number of removed lymph nodes and the metastatic lymph node ratio (the N ratio). Materials and Methods: The data of 97 patients who underwent curative SBA resection in nine hospitals of Turkey were retrospectively evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses of potentially prognostic factors including the N ratio and the numbers of regional lymph nodes removed were evaluated. Results: Univariate analysis showed that perineural and vascular invasion, metastatic lymph nodes, advanced TNM stage, and a high N ratio were significant predictors of poor survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that the N ratio was a significant independent predictor of disease-specific survival (DSS). The group with the lowest N ratio exhibited the longest disease-free survival (DFS) and DSS; these decreased significantly as the N ratio increased (both, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in either DFS or DSS between groups with low and high numbers of dissected lymph nodes (i.e., <13 and ≥13) (both, p = 0.075). Conclusions: We found that the N ratio was independently prognostic of DSS in patients with radically resected SBAs. The N ratio is a convenient and accurate measure of the severity of lymph node metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Nursology is the property of Ataturk University Coordinatorship of Scientific Journals and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: This study aims to explore the relevance and utilization of the CA 72.4 tumor marker in cancer diagnosis, with a particular focus on gastrointestinal tumors and ovarian cancer, based on data from the Ministry of Health. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of health records from the Ministry of Health spanning over five years. The data, consisting of various demographics, including gender, age, and clinical service requests, was statistically analyzed. The rates of reference range exceedance for the CA 72.4 tumor marker, diagnosis times, the ratio of cancer diagnosis, and the cost distribution were among the key aspects evaluated. Results: The analysis revealed a significant increase in the request for CA 72.4 tests over the years. It was also observed that cancer detection rates slightly increased over time, with a higher percentage in patients testing positive for CA 72.4, primarily requested before diagnosis. The highest requests for the test were made by the Medical Oncology clinic. Furthermore, it was observed that gender and age groups played significant roles in the prevalence of cancer diagnoses. Conclusions: Our study indicates that the use of CA 72.4 as a tumor marker could be valuable, especially in the detection of certain types of cancer. However, the correlation between a positive CA 72.4 test and a definitive cancer diagnosis requires further investigation, as the sensitivity and specificity of this marker are still subjects of debate. Despite certain limitations, this study offers substantial insights into the utility of CA 72.4 in the current healthcare setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer patients often face malnutrition, which negatively affects their response to cancer treatment. This study aims to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nutritional status and anxiety in cancer patients with different types and stages of cancer. This is a cross-sectional cohort study that includes 1,252 patients with varying cancer types from 17 radiation oncology centers. The nutritional risk scores (NRS-2002) and coronavirus anxiety scale (CAS) scores of all patients were measured. NRS-2002 ≥ 3 and CAS ≥ 5 were accepted as values at risk. Of all patients, 15.3% had NRS-2002 ≥ 3. Breast cancer was the most prevalent cancer type (24.5%) with the lowest risk of nutrition (4.9%, p < 0.001). Nutritional risk was significantly higher in patients with gastrointestinal cancer, head and neck cancer, and lung cancer (p < 0.005) and in patients with stage IV disease (p < 0.001). High anxiety levels (CAS ≥ 5) were significantly related to voluntary avoidance and clinical postponement of hospital visits due to the pandemic (p < 0.001), while clinical postponement was particularly frequent among patients with NRS-2002 < 3 (p = 0.0021). Fear and anxiety in cancer patients with COVID-19 cause hesitations in visiting hospitals, leading to disrupted primary and nutritional treatments. Thus, nutritional monitoring and treatment monitoring of cancer patients are crucial during and after radiotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to assess nutritional status among radiation oncology outpatients. METHODS: A total of 394 consecutive oncology outpatients who were screened for nutritional status through nutritional risk screening (NRS) 2002 during their admission to 12 radiation oncology centers across Turkey in October 2018 were included in this cross-sectional screening study. Data on cancer type, time of diagnosis (former and newly diagnosed), and NRS 2002 scores were recorded. Patients with NRS 2002 scores =3 were considered to be at risk of malnutrition necessitating the provision of nutritional intervention. NRS 2002 scores were evaluated in the overall study population as well as according to cancer types and time of diagnosis. RESULTS: NRS 2002 assessment (scores ≤3) revealed 133 (33.8%) patients to be at risk for malnutrition. The highest rates for malnutrition risk were noted for patients with lung cancer (43.8%), head-and-neck cancer (43.5%), and gastrointestinal tumors (42.7%). Poor nutritional status was evident in 36.0% and 25.3% of newly diagnosed and former cancer patients, respectively (p=0.067). CONCLUSION: This screening study revealed malnutrition risk and need for nutritional intervention in 33.8% of cancer patients, including 36.0% of newly diagnosed patients. A need for nutritional intervention was evident in two out of every five patients with newly diagnosed cancer, emphasizing the importance of screening for nutritional risk in every cancer patient at the time of initial diagnosis given the role of appropriate multimodal nutritional intervention before anti-cancer therapy in the long-term success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric and esophageal cancers are 2 of the most prevalent cancer types worldwide. Polymorphisms in the genes that code the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) enzyme increase the formation of both cancer types. In this study, it was aimed to research the relationship between the existence of MTHFRC677T and A1298C polymorphisms in patients with gastric and esophageal cancer and the lifespans of patients. This prospective study was performed at Van Yuzuncu Yil University. Included in the study were 30 patients with esophageal tumors, 70 patients with gastric tumors, and 61 healthy volunteers. From each of the patients, 5 mL of blood was drawn. DNA was isolated via kits with spin-column technology. It was concluded that the risk of developing gastric cancer was 4.13 times higher in individuals who had the AC genotype of the A1298C polymorphism when compared to those who had the AA genotype, while the risk was 2.91 times higher in individuals who had the CC genotype when compared to those who had the AA genotype (P = 0.001, P = 0.027). Carriers of the AC genotype of the A1298C polymorphism had 2.89 times higher risk of developing esophageal cancer when compared to those who had the AA genotype (P = 0.033). It was determined that individuals who had the 1298 CC genotype were not at higher risk of developing esophageal cancer when compared to those with the AA genotype (P = 0.863). It was concluded that individuals who had the TT genotype of the C677T polymorphism were not at higher risk of developing gastric and esophageal cancers when compared to those who had the 677CC genotype (P > 0.05). There was no difference in terms of the life spans of the patients with regards to the genotypes (P > 0.05). The results showed that the A1298C polymorphism on the MTHFR gene can be a risk factor for gastric and esophageal cancer in eastern Turkey. These polymorphisms may have no effect on the life spans of the patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the localization and histopathological diagnosis, and clinicopathologic characteristics of primary extranodal lymphomas. Methods: The pathology reports between 2001 and 2015 in the archives of Uludag University Faculty of Medicine Pathology Department were reviewed and all cases with an extranodal lymphoma diagnosis were analyzed. The information about the diagnosis, tumor localization, symptoms at presentation, presence of B symptoms, lymphocytosis and anemia, chronic infection and chronic disease and concomitant secondary malignancy, tumor diameter, the involvement of another extranodal organ, lymph node, bone marrow, spleen, liver, stage of the disease, serum B2 microglobulin, LDH, albumin levels, sedimentation rate were documented. The localization, histopathological types, age groups, male/female ratios in cases of primary extranodal lymphoma were evaluated. Results: Total sum of 1743 patients were diagnosed with lymphoma. 480 (%27,53) of these cases were extranodal lymphomas. The most commonly encountered locations of extranodal lymphomas were the skin and the gastrointestinal system. There were 226 primary extranodal skin, 90 gastrointestinal system, 44 central nervous system, 8 genitourinary system, 50 head and neck, 18 musculoskeletal system and soft tissue, 9 mediastinum, 3 bronchus, 10 orbital, 2 liver, 6 pancreas, 4 omentum, 8 endocrine system, and 2 breast located cases. 237 of the primary extranodal lymphomas from our work were mature T/NK celled neoplasias. There were 250 patients with mature B cell lymphoma, 5 cases of Hodgkin lymphoma, and 5 cases of precursor lymphoid neoplasia. Conclusions: The data from our series were coherent with the literature. Due to the small number of cases with some localization and some histopathological diagnosis, no significant results could be reached about these entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of malnutrition on mortality in immigrants and Turkish patients hospitalized in our ICU with the indication of gastrointestinal cancer. Method: This study was performed as a prospective observational study. One-hundred and three (41.3%) patients were Turkish and 146 (58.7%) were immigrants (all Syrian). Age, body mass index (BMI), duration of hospitalization, albumin value, and 30-day and 6-month mortality rates were evaluated. Also, the following assessment tools were calculated: Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), Nutrition risk screening-2002 (NRS), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II and III. Results: In total, 150 (60.2%) patients had moderate (SGA B), while 71 (28.5%) patients had severe malnutrition (SGA C). The frequency of SGA C in the immigrants was significantly higher than Turkish citizens (p=0.004). The overall mortality rate in our study was 36.9%. No significant difference was found between Turkish citizens and immigrants in terms of overall mortality (p=0.592). Albumin value, APACHE II, APACHE III, CCI and NRS scores were significantly higher in those that died within 30 days. The APACHE 3 score was the most successful tool in predicting 30-day mortality according to ROC analyses. Conclusion: This study revealed that malnutrition is a significant problem for both immigrants and Turkish citizens hospitalized in the ICU. Although there are tools specific for malnutrition assessment, APACHE III score was found to have the highest likelihood to predict mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of epidemiological and molecular evidence proposes that inflammation is a significant factor in the etiology of cancers. Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor (MIF) encodes a lymphokine involved in cell-mediated immunity, immunoregulation, and inflammation. It has been reported that MIF is linked with a higher risk of several cancer types. In the present study, we investigated the association of MIF rs755622 variant with the risk of breast cancer (BC) and gastrointestinal cancer in a Turkish cohort. METHODS The present study included a total of 153 subjects, which consisted of 33 BC patients, 53 gastrointestinal cancer patients and 67 healthy controls. Genomic DNA extracted from peripheral venous blood. The rs755622 variant of the MIF gene was genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. The results were statistically analyzed by calculating the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using the χ2 test. RESULTS There was a statistical difference between the BC patients and controls for the MIF rs755622 variant. MIF rs755622 GG genotype and G allele were increased in BC patients compared to controls (p=0.016, p=0.017, respectively). No significant difference was observed between gastrointestinal cancer patients and controls for the MIF rs755622 variant (p>0.05). CONCLUSION Our results showed that the MIF rs755622 variant might play a potential role in BC physiopathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was conducted to determine the levels of usage of complementary and integrative health (CIH) approaches and the symptoms experienced by Turkish patients with gastrointestinal cancer. A descriptive study was conducted on 81 patients with gastrointestinal cancer attending the medical oncology department of an oncology hospital. In the data collection stage, the patient description form that prepared by the researchers and the “Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale” were used. Data were evaluated via Chi-square and student t test. It was determined that 55.6% of the patients with gastrointestinal cancer applied at least one CIH approaches, and these CIH approaches were praying (80.0%), herbal medicine (57.7%), a special diet (40.0%), therapeutic touch (15.6%), exercise (13.3%) and psychotherapy (4.4%). 68.8% of patients who used the CIH approach stated that they applied the CIH approaches in order to supplement the medical treatment, and 91.1% stated that they did not inform health employees about that they using the CIH approach. It was also found that the use of CIH approaches was not related to socio-demographic characteristics, disease characteristics and experienced symptoms. It is very important that patients with gastrointestinal cancer be questioned in terms of CIH approaches used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastrointestinal cancers constitute 35% of all cancer-related deaths and chemotherapy resistance is a major challenge for the treatment of these cancers. The SLC gene family encodes various group of membrane transmitters that play critical roles in establishing cellular homeostasis by transporting ions and different molecular groups. To date, studies have revealed the active roles of some of SLC members in chemotherapy resistance in various malignancies. However, there is no study to investigate the roles of SLC-16 gene in tumor biology. Therefore, we aimed to consider the effects of downregulation of SLC-16 in cell lines related to gastrointestinal cancers. Methods: SCL-16 expression was downregulated in SW-480, KATO-3and PANC-1 cell lines using sh-RNA transfection. RT-PCR and western blot were performed to prove downregulation of SCL-16 knockdown levels in these cell lines. Then, Oxaliplatin was treated to all cells and the effects of this drug were evaluated by cell cycle, apoptosis, and cell migration assays in downregulated SRC cells. Results: SLC-16 was found to be down-regulated after sh-RNA transfection at the mRNA and protein levels. In the downregulated group of SCL-16, it was detected that Oxaliplatin increased apoptosis and cell numbers in the G-1 of the cell cycle but had no effect on the cells’ ability to metastasize. Conclusion: SLC-16, one of the SLC families, plays critical roles in the stabilization of cancer cells, and targeting applications of this gene may be a potential way to enhance the effects of chemotherapy in gastrointestinal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]