Lokman Koral

Topical effects of nebivolol on wounds in diabetic rats

OBJECTIVEnRecently, it has reported that nebivolol might be useful in the treatment of diabetes mellitus foot ulcers. The aim of this study was to examine treatment of the wounds in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats with topical nebivolol.nnnMETHODSnTwo 15 × 15 mm-sized wounds were created in 56 streptozotocin-induced rats. A total of 56 diabetic wounds were studied in eight groups (n=7). No treatment was administered to the first and second groups. The third and fourth groups consisted of diabetic rats that were administered 1:1 mixture of lanolin and vaseline for 7 and 14 days, respectively. Five percent nebivolol plus 1:1 mixture of lanolin and vaseline was administered to rats in the fifth and sixth groups for 7 and 14 days, respectively, and 10% nebivolol plus 1:1 mixture of lanolin and vaseline was administered to rats in the seventh and eighth groups for 7 and 14 days, respectively. On days 7 and 14, wound healing was observed, and the percent of wound healing was determined by measuring its size and histopathologic examination. The ratio was calculated by the formula, healing ratio (%)=100 ×(1-wound area/initial wound area). Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA with Tukeys HSD test and Mann-Whitney U test, using SPSS 15.0 software.nnnRESULTSnOn days 7 and 14, rates of wound healing in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth groups were 57.42%, 89.16%, 60.80%, and 91.80%, respectively. Multiple comparison showed that rates of wound healing were significantly higher in rats administered 5% and 10% nebivolol than those in rats administered a mixture of lanolin and vaseline and in the untreated group (P<0.05).nnnCONCLUSIONnTopical nebivolol therapy may be useful for wound healing in diabetic rats. Further studies are needed to support these data.

Prognostic value of ERCC1, ERCC2, XRCC1, and TP53 single nucleotide polymorphisms in patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer

Identification of biomarkers used for the prognostic evaluation of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients is important. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential prognostic value of XRCC1, ERCC1, ERCC2, and TP53 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in completely resected NSCLC patients. In total, 130 patients, surgically treated for NSCLC between 2000 and 2012, were included. An analysis of SNPs from peripheral blood cells was performed by polymerase chain reaction. XRCC1 Arg399Gln, ERCC1 Asn118Asn, ERCC2 Lys751Gln, and TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphisms were evaluated in conjunction with clinical and pathological parameters and survival. Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis were used. Median age rate was 59.3, ranging between 36 and 78xa0years. Median relapse-free survival duration (RFS) was found as 46.2xa0months. In those with ERCC2 CC allele, median RFS was detected as 28.3xa0months (95xa0% confidence interval (CI), 20.8−35.8), 46.9xa0months in those with CT heterozygous (95xa0% CI, 18.6−75.2), and 80.1xa0months for those with TT mutant allel (95xa0% CI, 33.0−127.2). Median RFS was seen to be longer in mutant group and also statistically significant (Pu2009=u20090.018). Additionally, upon evaluating CC normal group with CTu2009+u2009TT alleles including mutant alleles, median RFS was found as 56.5xa0months (95xa0% CI, 24.6−88.4) in CTu2009+u2009TT group, and this was statistically significant (Pu2009=u20090.005) Also, median RFS was 15.1xa0months in those including ERCC2 CC allele and 56.5xa0months in CTu2009+u2009TT allele in the group with no adjuvant treatment (Pu2009=u20090.001). In conclusion, our study showed that ERCC2/XPD polymorphism is an independent prognostic factor in operated NSCLC patients, and these findings should be supported with prospective studies.

Complete response and long-term remission to anti-HER2 combined therapy in a patient with breast cancer presented with bone marrow metastases

Presentation with bone marrow metastasis at diagnosis is a rare event in breast carcinoma. Here, we report a rare presentation of metastatic breast cancer patient with bone marrow metastases, who was successfully treated with trastuzumab combined chemotherapy. The regimens initially applied for bone marrow metastasis were docetaxel/adriamycin, gemcitabine/vinorelbine, epirubicin/cyclophosphamide, capecitabine, docetaxel, gemcitabine, and paclitaxel. But, the best response to these regimens was not satisfactory. Our patient was completely treated with etoposide–cisplatin and trastuzumab combination. She is still on remission after five years of metastatic breast cancer diagnosis using letrozole and trastuzumab without complication. Physicians should be careful in treating bone marrow metastases in breast cancer, since patients can show improved marrow function after chemotherapy and long-lasting survival is possible.

Intraabdominal follicular dendritic cell sarcoma: a report of three cases and review of the literature.

Follicular dendritic cell sarcoma (FDCS) is a rare neoplasm that originates from follicular dendritic cells in lymphoid follicles. FDCS has been increasingly reported in recent years. However, data on FDCS are mostly based on single case reports or case series and its natural history and standard treatment are not clear. To increase the understanding of this rare disease, we report our experience of three cases of FDCS with an analysis of the morphological and immunophenotypic characteristics, clinical course, treatment options and response to treatment. In addition, we reviewed the literature on FDCS.

Biatrial Cardiac Metastases in a Patient with Uterine Cervix Malignant Melanoma

Primary malignant melanomas of uterine cervix are quite rarely seen neoplasms, and long-life prognosis of patients with this disease is poor. Immunohistochemical methods and exclusion of other primary melanoma sites are used to confirm the diagnosis. As with other melanomas, cervix malignant melanomas may also cause cardiac metastases. Cardiac metastases are among rarely seen but more commonly encountered cases, compared to primary cardiac tumors. Here, we present a case of biatrial cardiac metastases in a 73-year-old patient with uterine cervix malignant melanomas. The patient underwent echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography. Our report shows the importance of advanced diagnostic techniques, such as cardiac magnetic resonance, not only for the detection of cardiac masses, but for a better anatomic definition and tissue characterization. Although the cases of malignant melanomas leading to multiple cardiac metastasis were reported in literature, the metastatic concurrence of malignant melanomas in both right and left atriums is quite rarely encountered as metastatic malignant melanomas. Also, another intriguing point in our case is that the primary lesion of our case was stemmed from uterine cervix, but not skin.