• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.17
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• pp.7113-7118
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• 2014

Background: HSP90 may be overexpressed in cancer cells which are greatly dependent on Hsp90 function. Geldanamycin derivative 17 allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG) inhibits the function and expression of HSP90. 17-AAG has poor water-solubility which is a potential problem for clinical practice. In this study for improving the stability and solubility of molecules in drug delivery systems we used a ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin-17AAG complex. Materials and Methods: To assess cytotoxic effects of ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin-17AAG complexes and free 17AAG, colorimetric cell viability (MTT) assays were performed. Cells were treated with equal concentrations of ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin- 17AAG complex and free 17AAG and Hsp90 gene expression levels in the two groups was compared by real-time PCR. Results: MTT assay confirmed that ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin- 17AAG complex enhanced 17AAG cytotoxicity and drug delivery in T47D breast cancer cells. The level of Hsp90 gene expression in cells treated with ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin- 17AAG complex was lower than that of cells treated with free 17AAG (P=0.001). Conclusions: The results demonstrated that ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin- 17AAG complexes are more effective than free 17AAG in down-regulating HSP90 expression due to enhanced ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin-17AAG uptake by cells. Therefore, ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin could be superior carrier for this kind of hydrophobic agent.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.4777-4780
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• 2015

Objective: To analyze clinicopathological characteristics, prognostic factors and survival rates of the patients with urological soft tissue sarcomas treated and followed up in Turkey. Materials and Methods: For overall survival analyses the Kaplan-Meier method was used. From medical records, nine prognostic factors on overall survival were analysed. Results: For the 53 patients (34 males, 19 females) whose charts were reviewed, the median age was 53 (range 22 to 83) years. Most frequently renal location (n=30; 56.6%) was evident and leiomyosarcoma (n=20, 37.7%) was the most frequently encountered histological type. Median survival time of all patients was 40.3 (95% CI, 14.2-66.3) months. In univariate analysis, male gender, advanced age (${\geq}50years$), metastatic stage, unresectability, grade 3, renal location were determined as worse prognostic factors. In multivariate analysis, metastatic stage, unresectability and grade 3 were determined as indicators of worse prognosis. Conclusions: Urological soft tissue sarcomas are rarely seen tumours in adults. The most important factors in survival are surgical resection, stage of the tumour at onset, grade and location of the tumour, gender and age of the patients.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6925-6928
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• 2013

Background: Despite numerous useful anticancer properties of curcumin, its utility is limited due to its hydrophobic structure. In this study, we investigated the comparative antiproliferative effect of PAMAM encapsulating curcumin with naked curcumin on the T47D breast cancer cell line. Materials and Methods: Cytotoxic effects of PAMAM dendrimers encapsulating curcumin and curcumin alone were investigated by MTT assay. After treating cells with different concentrations of both curcumin alone and curcumin encapsulated for 24h, telomerase activity was determined by TRAP assay. Results: While PAMAM dendrimers encapsulating curcumin had no cytotoxicity on cancer cells, they decreased the $IC_{50}$ for proliferation and also increased the inhibitory effect on telomerase activity. Conclusions: Considering the non-toxicity in addition to effectiveness for enhancing curcumin anticancer properties, dendrimers could be considered good therapeutic vehicles for this hydrophobic agent.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.21
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• pp.9277-9281
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• 2014

Purpose: To investigate clinicopathological features in patients with recurrent colorectal cancer within 1 year and more than 1 year after curative resection. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 103 patients with disease recurrence before versus after 1 year of resection. Thirty-two patients (31%) were diagnosed with recurrence less than 1 year after curative resection for colorectal cancer (early recurrence) and 71 (69%) after more than 1 year (non-early recurrence). Results: The early recurrence group displayed a significantly lower overall survival rate for both colon cancer (p=0, 01) and rectal cancer (p<0.001). Inadequate lymph node dissection was a significant predictor for early relapse. There were no statistically significant differences in clinicopathological variables such as age, sex, primary tumor localization, stage, depth of invasion, lymphovascular invasion and perineural invasion between the early and non-early recurrence groups. However, a K-ras mutation subgroup was significantly associated with early recurrence (p<0.001). Conclusions: Poor survival is associated with early recurrence for patients undergoing resection for non-metastatic colorectal cancer, as well as K-ras mutation.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7599-7602
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• 2015

Background: In this study, we aimed to determine platelet indices such as platelet count (PLT), mean platelet volume (MPV), platelet distribution width (PDW), Plateletcrit (PCT) platelet count (PLT) in lung cancer cases, and evaluate any relationships between these parameters and stage or histologic types. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study covered 44 lung cancer patients and 47 healthy subjects. Platelet indices including PLT, PCT, MPV, PDW were estimated and compared with normal subjects. The results were evaluated statistically. Results: The PDW value was significantly higher in the cancer group compared to the control group; however, the values for PCT and MPV were lower. Conclusions: We suggest potential use of platelet indices in diagnosis of lung cancer.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.210-216
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• 2020

Background: Among the different aims of medical education, the provision of society with skilled, professional, and knowledgeable healthcare workers who maintain and develop their expertise over a lifetime career is important. The achievement of this goal is linked with the professional development of both faculty members and healthcare workers. This study aims to measure the perception of faculty members regarding their views about the goals of faculty development programs, practices and activities, and factors that determine their achievement. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in multiple universities in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. The participants were given a pre-designed self-administered questionnaire generated from literature. The survey questionnaire consisted of three sections that were designed to assess the faculty members' perception on the faculty development program. Results: A total of 210 faculty members participated in the study. The most important perceived goal was to motivate teachers to become better teachers. The most important perceived practice was establishing a positive climate for teaching and learning. The most important perceived factor was skilled and dedicated staff support. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that faculty members have positive perceptions regarding all aspects of faculty development programs. This study will raise awareness regarding the importance of faculty development programs in sustaining educational vitality. We recommend the implementation and maintenance of comprehensive faculty development programs in Saudi universities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.6949-6953
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• 2013

Background: Nowadays, the encapsulation of cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents is attracting interest as a method for drug delivery. We hypothesized that the efficiency of helenalin might be maximized by encapsulation in ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin nanoparticles. Helenalin, with a hydrophobic structure obtained from flowers of Arnica chamissonis and Arnica Montana, has anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity but low water solubility and bioavailability. ${\beta}$-Cyclodextrin (${\beta}$-CD) is a cyclic oligosaccharide comprising seven D-glucopyranoside units, linked through 1,4-glycosidic bonds. Materials and Methods: To test our hypothesis, we prepared ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin-helenalin complexes to determine their inhibitory effects on telomerase gene expression by real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) and cytotoxic effects by colorimetric cell viability (MTT) assay. Results: MTT assay showed that not only ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin has no cytotoxic effect on its own but also it demonstrated that ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin-helenalin complexes inhibited the growth of the T47D breast cancer cell line in a time and dose-dependent manner. Our q-PCR results showed that the expression of telomerase gene was effectively reduced as the concentration of ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin-helenalin complexes increased. Conclusions: ${\beta}$-Cyclodextrin-helenalin complexes exerted cytotoxic effects on T47D cells through down-regulation of telomerase expression and by enhancing Helenalin uptake by cells. Therefore, ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin could be superior carrier for this kind of hydrophobic agent.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.553-556
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• 2013

Background: This study was designed to examine changing trends in localization of gastric cancer in Turkey in recent years. Materials and Methods: A total of 796 adult patients with newly diagnosed, histologically proven adenocarcinomas, treated and followed up at our oncology center between 2000-2011, were examined retrospectively. In all cases tumor localization were identified and recorded with clinicopathological features. Results: The median age was 58 with a range between 22-90 for the 552 men and 244 women. Median follow up was 12 months (1-276) and median overall survival was also 12 months (11.5-12.4). There was a trend for a change in tumor localization from distal to proximal. Survival of patients was low with advanced T and N stage tumours. Positive surgical margins, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, cardioesophageal localization were predisposition factors for metastatic disease in gastric cancer. There was no relation between age or sex and histopathological type of gastric cancer. Conclusions: There is a trend in our country for a change in gastric tumour localization from distal to proximal, with clear significance for treatment choices.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.65-66
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• 2002

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.6065-6068
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• 2013

Background: Primary aim of this study is to assess whether or not there is an increase at rate of HPV positive oropharyngeal cancers during 1996-2011 in Turkey, for comparison with prior reports from Western countries. Materials and Methods: A total of 138 newly diagnosed patients with oropharyngeal cancer were identified, 39 of which had no primary tumor specimen available and 18 patients with invalid HPV status, therefore HPV status for remaining 81 patients was evaluated. The presence and type of HPV DNA were determined with formalin-fixed paraffin embedded specimens, using an HPV DNA-based multiplex PCR assay. Associations between HPV status and clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated using a two-sample t-test for the continuous variables and the categorical variables were compared by chi-square test. Overall survival (OS) periods were calculated with Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The proportion of HPV-positive cancer has continued to increase during 2004-2011 as compared with 1996-2003. Notably, 33% (6/18) of the cases were HPV-positive in 1996-1999, 43% (9/21) in 2000-2003, 55% (11/20) in 2004-2007 and 70% (16/23) in 2008-2011. Thus, when we compared the results obtained during the 2004-2011with results of 1996-2003 period, we found that increase at HPV-positivity ratio was statistically significant (38% vs 64% p=0.012). Conclusions: This study demonstrated that HPV positive oropharyngeal cancers are increasing in Turkish patients as in the Western world.