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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and fatal brain tumor in adults. Prognosis remains dismal and median overall survival rarely exceeds 12 months. In this study, we evaluated the demographic and clinical features of Turkish glioblastoma patients from single institute to identify the important prognostic factors which might be related with patient outcomes in this population, retrospectively. Demographic data, clinicopathological data and treatment parameters (i.e. extent of surgical resection, radiotherapy and use of chemotherapy) were obtained from medical records. SPSS version 22 was used for all statistical analyses. The median progression-free survival and overall survival was 9,9 and 13,7 months; respectively. The group of patients with the highest mean overall survival had a tumor at the fronto-temporal region, followed by frontal localization. In univariate analysis, age, concurrent chemoradiotherapy and adjuvant temozolomide use were all predictors for both PFS and OS. However, in multivariate analysis, age and concurrent radiotherapy were significant predictors of survival. Patients receiving cyberknife after recurrence had longer OS. We retrospectively evaluated glioblastoma patients from single institute, the results supported previously reported factors that influence survival time in glioblastoma.

Aims. Cardiovascular diseases are the primary cause of premature morbidity and mortality in early breast cancer patients after treatment with cardiotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. Arterial stiffness is an independent risk factor for future cardiovascular diseases and can be used as a predictive marker of subclinical cardiac damage. The aim of this study is to analyze the arterial stiffness in breast cancer patients who are in the follow-up period after receiving anthracycline-based chemotherapy regimens with trastuzumab. Methods and Material. We enrolled 45 HER2-positive breast cancer patients who are on follow-up at least for six months after completion of adjuvant chemotherapy with trastuzumab, and cardiovascular risk matched 30 control volunteers. The measurements were done with pulse wave analyzing machine. Results. Mean pulse wave velocity was higher in breast cancer patients compared to controls. The pulse wave velocity was significantly higher in patients receiving aromatase inhibitors compared to patients under tamoxifen. It was also significantly higher in postmenopausal breast cancer patients than postmenopausal controls. Conclusions. Arterial stiffness measurements may predict the breast cancer survivors with higher risk for cardiovascular events earlier in the follow-up period, and necessary preventive approaches and/or treatments can be applied.

Trastuzumab treatment does not prevent intracranial seeding and is largely ineffective for established central nervous system metastasis in HER2 overexpressing breast cancer patients. Combination therapy of lapatinib and capecitabine may be an effective treatment option for brain metastasis of HER2-positive breast cancer. We report a patient with breast cancer overexpressing HER-2 where brain metastases were successfully treated with radiation and a combination of lapatinib and capecitabine.

Breast cancer is a heterogeneous complex of diseases, a spectrum of many subtypes with distinct biological features that lead to differences in response patterns to various treatment modalities and clinical outcomes. Traditional classification systems regarding biological characteristics may have limitations for patient-tailored treatment strategies. Tumors with similar clinical and pathological presentations may have different behaviors. Analyses of breast cancer with new molecular techniques now hold promise for the development of more accurate tests for the prediction of recurrence. Gene signatures have been developed as predictors of response to therapy and protein gene products that have direct roles in driving the biology and clinical behavior of cancer cells are potential targets for the development of novel therapeutics. The present review summarizes current knowledge in breast cancer molecular biology, focusing on novel prognostic and predictive factors.