• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.14
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• pp.5933-5937
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• 2015

Background: We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of baseline neutrophil, lymphocyte, and platelet counts along with the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in local and advanced gastric cancer patients. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, a total of 103 patients with gastric cancer were included. For all, patient characteristics and overall survival (OS) times were evaluated. Data from a complete blood count test including neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte, white blood cell (WBC) and platelet (Plt) count, hemoglobin level (Hb) were recorded, and the NLR and PLR were obtained for every patient prior to pathological diagnosis before any treatment was applied. Results: Of the patients, 53 had local disease, underwent surgery and were administered adjuvant chemoradiotherapy where indicated. The remaining 50 had advanced disease and only received chemotherapy. OS time was $71.6{\pm}6$ months in local gastric cancer patients group and $15{\pm}2$ months in the advanced gastric cancer group. Univariate analysis demonstrated that only high platelet count (p=0.013) was associated with better OS in the local gastric cancer patients. In contrast, both low NLR (p=0.029) and low PLR (p=0.012) were associated with better OS in advanced gastric cancer patients. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that NLR and PLR had no effect on prognosis in patients with local gastric cancer who underwent surgery and received adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. In advanced gastric cancer patients, both NLR and PLR had significant effects on prognosis, so they may find application as easily measured prognostic factors for such patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.16
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• pp.6963-6966
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• 2015

Background: During the past few years, Hesa-A, a herbal-marine mixture, has been used to treat cancer as an alternative medicine in Iran. Based on a series of studies, it is speculated that Hesa-A possesses special cytotoxic effects on invasive tumors. To test this hypothesis, we investigated the selective anticancer effects of Hesa-A on several cancer cell lines with different metastatic potential. Materials and Methods: Hesa-A was prepared in normal saline as a stock solution of 10 mg/ml and further diluted to final concentrations of $100{\mu}/ml$, $200{\mu}g/ml$, $300{\mu}g/ml$ and $400{\mu}g/ml$. MTT-based cytotoxicity assays were performed with A549 (lung non small cancer), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), SKOV3 (ovarian cancer), and PC-3 (prostate adenocarcinoma) cells. Results: All treated cancer cells showed significant (P<0.01) or very significant (P<0.0001) differences in comparison to negative control at almost all of the tested doses ($100-400{\mu}g/ml$). At the lower dose ($100{\mu}g/ml$), Hesa-A reduced cell viability to 66%, 45.3%, 35.5%, 33.2% in SKOV3, A549, PC-3 and MCF-7 cells, respectively. Moreover, at the highest dose ($400{\mu}g/ml$), Hesa-A resulted in 88.5%, 86.6%, 84.9% and 79.3% growth inhibition in A549, MCF-7, PC-3 and SKOV3 cells, respectively. Conclusions: Hesa-A exert potent cytotoxic effects on different human cancer cells, especially those with a high metastatic potential.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.46-55
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• 2022

This study aimed to analyze the subjects, situations, and reflection levels related to role modeling experienced by medical students during their clinical clerkship and their own reflections. This study intends to suggest ways of improving how residents and clinical faculty should treat and teach medical students. Written interviews were conducted regarding senior medical students' role modeling experiences during their clinical clerkships in 2018 and 2019. Content analysis was conducted for a total of 224 cases from 196 students. Content analysis revealed three types of role modeling content: subjects (faculty, residents, nurses, peer students), situations (clinical competence, personal qualities, teaching skills), and the level of reflection (critical reflection, reflection, thoughtful action, and habitual action) in each case. As role model subjects, faculty were found to be the paramount role model (n=142, 62.83%). Role modeling was the most frequently performed for clinical competence (n=103, 45.98%). Clinical competence was frequently shown in communication and empathic listening during rounds and outpatient relationships between the patient and doctor. Regarding the level of reflection for role modeling, the number of critical reflections was 86 (38.39%) and that of reflections was 80 (35.71%). In particular, negative role modeling showed a high level of critical reflection in relation to faculty (64.44%) and nurses (8.89%). In conclusion, role modeling of medical students participating in clinical clerkships occurs in situations that the role models are not aware of, with positive or negative effects on the formation of professional identity among medical students.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.23
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• pp.10165-10169
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• 2015

Background: Megestrol acetate (MA) is a steroid origin medicine often used for control of cachexia in oncologic palliative care. Thrombosis is a common problem in oncology patients. One question is whether MA can cause thrombosis. This retrospective, registry-based analysis was therefore conducted to assess thrombotic processes in oncology patients using MA concurrent with chemotherapy. Materials and Methods: Data on oncology patients at the metastatic stage using MA were obtained from the archives of our center. Outcomes of patients were evaluated for thromboembolic events (VTEs) during treatment. Results: Ninety-seven oncology patients with a median age of 62 (33-84) years were included. During the median follow-up of 17 months, 58 (59.8%) died leaving 39 (31.2%) still alive. Median overall survival (OS) was 19 months (6-180). Mean time of MA use was 8.69 months(${\pm}3.53$), with a median dose of 160mg (range 160-480mg). Eleven VTEs were detected after MA use, 4 of these in pancreatic cancer cases. The patients with thrombosis non-significantly had worse OS, than those without thrombosis (p=0.106). Conclusions: This trial revealed that the 11.3% of all patients developed thrombosis,who had been treated with MA and chemotherapy concomittantly. There was no statistically significant difference regarding to occurrence of thrombotic process, among the patients receiving different chemotherapy regimens with MA concomittantly. Pancreatic cancer seemed to be related to thrombosis rather than MA use.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.55-60
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• 2014

Background: Whether sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) should be performed in patients with pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast has been a question of debate over the last decade. The aim of this study was to identify factors associated with microinvasive disease and determine the criteria for performing SLNB in patients with DCIS. Materials and Methods: 125 patients with DCIS who underwent surgery between January 2000 and December 2008 were reviewed to identify factors associated with DCIS and DCIS with microinvasion (DCISM). Results: 88 patients (70.4%) had pure DCIS and 37 (29.6%) had DCISM. Among 33 DCIS patients who underwent SLNB, one patient (3.3%) was found to have isolated tumor cells in her biopsy, whereas 1 of 14 (37.8%) patients with DCISM had micrometastasis (7.1%). Similarly, of 16 patients (18.2%) with pure DCIS and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) without SLNB, none had lymph node metastasis. Furthermore, of 20 patients with DCISM and ALND, only one (5%) had metastasis. In multivariate analysis, the presence of comedo necrosis [relative risk (RR)=4.1, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.6-10.6, P=0.004], and hormone receptor (ER or PR) negativity (RR=4.0, 95%CI=1.5-11, P=0.007), were found to be significantly associated with microinvasion. Conclusions: Our findings suggest patients presenting with a preoperative diagnosis of DCIS associated with comedo necrosis or hormone receptor negativity are more likely to have a microinvasive component in definitive pathology following surgery, and should be considered for SLNB procedure along with patients who will undergo mastectomy due to DCIS.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.15
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• pp.6669-6672
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• 2015

Background: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among females worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice about breast cancer and its related factors among women in Baghdad city, Iraq. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 508 women aged 18 to 55 years from four non-governmental organizations (NGO) in Baghdad city, Iraq. A self-administered questionnaire on breast cancer knowledge and practice was distributed to participants during weekly activity of the NGO. Results: A total of 61.2% of the respondents had poor knowledge, only 30.3% performed breast self-examination (BSE) and 41.8% said that they did not know the technique to perform BSE. Associations between knowledge and marital status and age were significant. For practice, working status, education, age and family income were significant. After controlling for cofounders, the most important contributing factors for poor knowledge among respondents were marital status and not performing BSE, with adjusted odds ratio of 1.6 and 1.8 respectively. Conclusions: Breast cancer knowledge and practice of BSE are poor among women in Baghdad city, Iraq. More promotion regarding breast cancer signs and symptoms and also how to perform BSE should be conducted using media such as television and internet as these constituted the main sources of information for most women in our study.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.145-156
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• 2016

Dendrimers are one of the most appropriate nanocaries for imaging moieties in imaging applications.The purpose of this study was the evalution of cytotoxicity and inducing apoptosis of dendrimers. This study was conducted in order to investigate the metastasis suppression effect of dendrimer in human breast MCF-7 cell line and finding the nanoparticle protein corona in biological enviromental. Dendrimer cytotoxicity effect was assessed by MTT assay. The mRNA experession level of KAI1 as a metastasis suppressor gene, Bax as Pro- apoptotic gene, Bcl-2 as an anti-apoptotic gene and GAPDH as a housekepping gene were determined by real-time PCR assays.concentration-dependent nanoparticle cytotoxicity effect was proofed at range of 1-2 mg/mL in 24 hours, significant upregulation of mRNA expression of Bax, was observed whereas expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 was down-regulated, also expression of metastasis suppressor gene KAI1 was up-regulated. So far a few studies confirmed apoptosis enhancement effect of dendrimers in MCF-7 cell line via bax/bcl-2 pathways. dendrimer nanoparticles was able to act as metastase inhibitor via upregulation of KAI1 gene.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.78-84
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• 2016

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether surgical resection of the primary tumor contributes to survival in patients with metastatic gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 288 patients with metastatic gastric cancer from the Akdeniz University, Antalya Training and Research Hospital, and the Meram University of Konya database were retrospectively analyzed. The effect of primary tumor resection on survival of patients with metastatic gastric cancer was investigated using the log-rank test. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were calculated. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression modeling. Results: The median overall survival was 12.0 months (95% confidence intewrval [CI], 10.4~13.6 months) and 7.8 months (95% CI, 5.5~10.0 months) for patients with and without primary tumor resection, respectively (P<0.001). The median progression-free survival was 8.3 months (95% CI, 7.1~9.5 months) and 6.2 months (95% CI, 5.8~6.7 months) for patients with and without primary tumor resection, respectively (P=0.002). Conclusions: Non-curative gastrectomy in patients with metastatic gastric cancer might increase their survival rate regardless of the occurrence of life-threatening tumor-related complications.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.189-193
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• 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel coronavirus found in China in 2019. The disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has been found to be closely related to the cells that secrete angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 is involved in the renin-angiotensin system and is widely secreted in several tissues, including the testis, which has raised concerns because organs with high expression of the ACE2 receptor are susceptible to infection. Analyses have shown that in testicular cells, such as spermatogonia, seminiferous duct cells, Sertoli cells, and Leydig cells, there is a high expression level of ACE2. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 may damage male reproductive tissues and cause infertility. Since male infertility is an important problem, scientists are evaluating whether COVID-19 may influence male infertility through the ACE2 receptor.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.9949-9953
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• 2014

Objective: To evaluate the long term results among patients with soft tissue sarcoma of the thoracic wall. Materials and Methods: Twenty-six patients who were treated with pre-or postoperative radiotherapy between December 1980-December 2007, with a diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma of the thoracic wall were retrospectively evaluated. Results: The median age was 44 years (14-85 years) and 15 of them were male. A total of 50% of patients were grade 3. The most common histologic type of tumor was undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (26.9%). Tumor size varied between 2-25 cm (median 6.5 cm). Seventeen of the cases had marginal and 9 had wide local resection. Four cases received preoperative radiotherapy and 22 postoperative radiotherapy. Six of the patients with large and high grade tumors received chemotherapy. Median follow-up time was 82 months (9-309 months). Local recurrence and metastasis was detected in 34.6% and 42.3% of patients, respectively. Five-year local control (LC), disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and disease-specific survival (DSS) were 62%, 38%, 69%, and 76% respectively. On univariate analysis, the patients with positive surgical margins had a markedly lower 5-year LC rate than patients with negative surgical margin, but the difference was not significant (43% vs 78%, p=0.1). Five-year DFS (66% vs 17%) and DSS (92% vs 60%) rates were significantly worse for the patients who had high grade tumors (p=0.01, p=0.008 respectively). Conclusions: Tumor grade and surgical margin are essential parameters for determining the prognosis of thoracic wall soft tissue sarcoma both in our series and the literature.