Irfan Cicin

Extrapulmonary Small-Cell Carcinoma Compared With Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma A Retrospective Single-Center Study

The study was conducted with the aim of reviewing the clinical features, therapy, and natural course of patients with extrapulmonary small‐cell carcinoma (EPSCC) and small‐cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) to better define current concepts regarding EPSCCs.

Yolk sac tumours of the ovary: Evaluation of clinicopathological features and prognostic factors

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinicopathological prognostic features, factors and outcomes of chemotherapy in ovarian yolk sac tumours (YST). STUDY DESIGN We reviewed the medical records of 32 women with ovarian YST treated from 1990 to 2006 at two centres. RESULTS The median follow-up was 36 months. The median age was 22 (range, 9-68). Two patients were postmenopausal. The most common symptoms at diagnosis included abdominal swelling or mass (72%) and abdominopelvic pain (62%). The location of the tumour was bilateral in 2 cases. Eight patients were in stage I, 4 patients in stage II, 17 patients in stage III, and 3 patients in stage IV. Eighteen patients underwent unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, two bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and two cystectomy, while 10 patients had total abdominal hysterectomy and two bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Of 32 patients who received postoperative chemotherapy, 27 were treated with a bleomycin/etoposide/cisplatin (BEP) regimen. Seventy-two percent of patients were alive at the last follow-up visit. Ten (31%) patients suffered from a recurrence of the disease with a median time to recurrence of 8 months (range, 6-28 months). The most common site of recurrence was the intra-abdominal space, with 8 patients. Only one patient who had recurrence could be salvaged. Fertility-sparing surgery was found at least as effective as radical surgery. While age, histology (mixed vs. pure), stage, tumour size, ascites, and marker levels were not found as prognostic factors, the presence of residual tumour (P=0.014) and BEP chemotherapy (P=0.016) were significant prognostic factors in univariate analysis. CONCLUSIONS In patients with ovarian YST, fertility-sparing surgery is as effective as radical surgery. Optimal cytoreductive surgery and standard BEP regimen are the most decisive prognostic factors. In these tumours, adjunctive therapeutic modalities to eradicate intra-abdominal disease and effective salvage therapy strategies are needed.

Cabozantinib (C) versus placebo (P) in patients (pts) with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have received prior sorafenib: Results from the randomized phase III CELESTIAL trial.

207Background: C, an inhibitor of MET, VEGFR, and AXL, has previously shown clinical activity in pts with advanced HCC. This phase 3 trial (NCT01908426) evaluated C vs P in previously treated pts with advanced HCC. Methods: In this double-blind, global, phase 3 trial, pts were randomized 2:1 to receive C (60 mg qd) or matched P stratified by disease etiology (HBV, HCV, other), geographic region (Asia, other), and presence of extrahepatic spread and/or macrovascular invasion (EHS/MVI). Eligible pts had pathologic diagnosis of HCC, Child-Pugh score A, ECOG PS ≤1, and must have received prior sorafenib. Pts received up to two lines of prior systemic therapy for HCC and must have progressed following at least one. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate (ORR) per RECIST 1.1. The study was designed to detect a hazard ratio (HR) for OS of 0.76 (90% power, 2-sided α = 0.05) at the final analysis wit...

Colonic Metastasis from Carcinoma of the Breast that Mimicks a Primary Intestinal Cancer

Although the lung, liver, or bones are the most common location for distant metastases in breast cancer patients, metastases to the intestinal tract are very rarely recognized in the clinic. We will present an unusual case of colonic metastasis from a carcinoma of the breast that mimics a primary intestinal cancer, along with a through review of English language medical literature. Despite the fact that isolated gastrointestinal (GI) metastases are very rare and much less common than benign disease processes or second primaries of the intestinal tract in patients with a history of breast cancer, metastatic disease should be given consideration whenever a patient experiences GI symptoms.

Medical Treatment of Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis: From Bisphosphonates to Targeted Drugs

Breast cancer bone metastasis causing severe morbidity is commonly encountered in daily clinical practice. It causes pain, pathologic fractures, spinal cord and other nerve compression syndromes and life threatening hypercalcemia. Breast cancer metastasizes to bone through complicated steps in which numerous molecules play roles. Metastatic cells disrupt normal bone turnover and create a vicious cycle to which treatment efforts should be directed. Bisphosphonates have been used safely for more than two decades. As a group they delay time to first skeletal related event and reduce pain, but do not prevent development of bone metastasis in patients with no bone metastasis, and also do not prolong survival. The receptor activator for nuclear factor κB ligand inhibitor denosumab delays time to first skeletal related event and reduces the skeletal morbidity rate. Radionuclides are another treatment option for bone pain. New targeted therapies and radionuclides are still under investigation. In this review we will focus on mechanisms of bone metastasis and its medical treatment in breast cancer patients.

Massive Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding From Pure Metastatic Choriocarcinoma in Patient With Mixed Germ Cell Tumor With Subclinical Intestinal Metastasis

Although testicular germ cell tumors have become curable neoplasms, a better understanding of the clinicopathologic features is needed for the rare manifestations associated with treatment failure. We report a rare case of metastatic pure choriocarcinoma involving the small intestine arising from a testicular mixed germ cell tumor. In a patient who developed massive upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage during treatment, the intestinal metastases and focus of bleeding could only be determined by laparotomy. We propose an approach for the determination of subclinical intestinal metastases of testicular germ cell tumor; the case is discussed in light of similar reports in literature.

Malignant Ovarian Germ Cell Tumors A Single-Institution Experience

Objective:To evaluate the clinicopathologic prognostic factors in malignant ovarian germ cell tumors. Methods:We reviewed the medical records of 70 patients treated from 1990 to 2006 at our center. Clinical data including demographics, stage, surgery, chemotherapy, survival, menses status, and fertility were collected from patients’ charts. Results:Median age was 22 years (range, 9–68). The histologic subtypes included 36 dysgerminomas, 11 yolk sac tumors, 3 immature teratomas, 1 embryonal carcinomas, and 19 mixed types. The most striking clinicopathologic finding was a history of concomitant immunosuppressant therapy, which was observed in 2 patients. Two patients had contralateral sex-cord tumors at presentation and follow-up. During a median follow-up period of 4.6 years, 11 patients had recurrence. The median time to recurrence was 8 months (6–28 months). Recurrences appeared in the abdominopelvic cavity in 9 out of 11 patients. Only one could be salvaged with second-line chemotherapy. Cumulative survival rate was 97% and 60% in patients with dysgerminoma and nondysgerminoma, respectively. Nondysgerminoma histology and residual tumor after surgery were unfavorable prognostic factors (P < 0.001 and P = 0.015). Fertility-sparing surgery was as effective as radical surgery among all eligible patients. Of patients with known menstrual status, 96% had regular menses. Of the 8 patients who opted for conception among these patients, 7 delivered healthy infants. Conclusions:Nondysgerminomas have an aggressive clinical course. New treatment strategies are needed for eradication of abdominopelvic disease at initial diagnosis and recurrent setting. Occurrence of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors may be associated with immunosuppression in some patients. Sex-cord stromal tumors may present with bilateral involvement. It is possible to maintain fertility after fertility-sparing surgery followed by chemotherapy.

Isolated Bone Metastasis in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Background: In testicular germ cell tumors (GCT), bone metastases are usually seen late in the disease progress and are almost always associated with involvement of other sites. However, isolated bone metastasis is an extremely rare finding in these patients. Case Report: A 43- year-old man was admitted to the neurosurgery department of our hospital suffering from dysarthria, ataxia, headaches and a progressive swelling above the parietooccipital region of the skull. Radiological, biochemical and pathologic tests showed that the lesion of the skull was an isolated skull metastasis as an initial manifestation of nonseminomatous GCT of the testis. Discussion: When a young patient presents with bone pain or painless swelling, even if it is an unusual site and isolated, testicular GCT should be considered as a differential diagnosis, as these lesions could be the first evidence of metastatic GCT.

Factors affecting the prognosis of breast cancer patients with brain metastases

The aim of this retrospective analysis was to investigate the factors affecting the prognosis of brain metastases in breast cancer patients to identify subgroups which might benefit from prophylactic treatments in future. Seventy-three early and 13 advanced stage patients with known Erb-2 status were included. In 14% of the early stage patients, the first recurrence site was isolated brain metastasis. None of the anthracycline resistant patients had brain metastases as their first recurrence site. The median interval between diagnosis and brain metastasis was 41.5 months (95% CI, 35.79-47.20) in early stage patients. The median interval between the first extracerebral metastases to the brain metastases was 15.5 months (95% CI, 12.24-18.76) in all patients. High histologic and nuclear grade, large tumor, anthracycline resistance were the factors which significantly affected the early appearance of brain metastases but only advanced age (> or =55 years, P=.035) correlated with isolated brain metastasis. Progression with isolated brain metastases was significantly higher in responsive ErbB-2 positive population (P=.036) and none of other pathological factors was associated with isolated brain metastasis in advanced stage. The median survival after brain metastasis in patients with brain metastasis as first recurrence was longer than the patients with brain metastasis after other organ metastasis (13 months vs 2 months P=.003). The median survival following brain metastases in complete responsive patients was higher than the others (24 months vs 6 months, P=.002). Therefore, response to systemic treatment was more determinative in the development of isolated brain metastases than clinical and pathologic features. ErbB-2 should be emphasized in prophylactic treatment strategies. Prophylactic cranial radiotherapy may be an effective treatment option for metastatic patients with complete responsive disease and with controlled ErbB-2 positive disease.

Dural sinus vein thrombosis in a patient with colon cancer treated with FOLFIRI/bevacizumab

The adverse effects of regimes in cancer treatment have forced us to change to new targeted therapy options. Understanding these side effects, which can lead to discontinuation of the new therapy strategies, will allow the clinical management of these side effects and result in continuing therapies with effective medications. Bevacizumab, which is an IgG1 antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor, has side effects such as proteinuria, hypertension, venous and arterial thromboembolic events, and hemorrhage. This is the first reported case of dural sinus vein thrombosis, during the treatment with bevacizumab.