Hodgkin's disease in an elderly patient with B-Cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of leukemia worldwide. It is an indolent disease, almost exclusively of B-cell origin. Some CLLs evolve into a more aggressive lymphoid malignancy. The most common of these is Richter′s syndrome. Transformation to acute lymphoblastic leukemia, plasma cell leukemia, multiple myeloma, or Hodgkin′s disease (HD) may also occur. CLL patients are also at a significantly increased risk of developing a second malignant neoplasm later in life. One of the most common of these is HD. Herein, we report a case of HD in an elderly man with a history of B-cell CLL

Case Report - Hodgkin's disease in an elderly patient with B-Cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common type of leukemia worldwide. It is an indolent disease, almost exclusively of B-cell origin. Some CLLs evolve into a more aggressive lymphoid malignancy. The most common of these is Richter\u2032s syndrome. Transformation to acute lymphoblastic leukemia, plasma cell leukemia, multiple myeloma, or Hodgkin\u2032s disease (HD) may also occur. CLL patients are also at a significantly increased risk of developing a second malignant neoplasm later in life. One of the most common of these is HD. Herein, we report a case of HD in an elderly man with a history of B-cell CLL

Morphine: Patient Knowledge and Attitudes in the Central Anatolia Part of Turkey

Background: In Muslim majority countries (MMC) opioid use for pain management is extremely low. The underlying factors contributing to this are not well defined. Aim: The aim of this study was to survey the attitudes of cancer patients towards morphine use for pain management in a MMC and identify the factors that influence patient decisions to accept or refuse morphine as treatment for cancer pain. Settings/participants: Patients were questioned whether they had pain or not, the severity and the medications for pain management. Questions included what type of medication they thought morphine was, whether or not they would be willing to take morphine if recommended for pain management and the basis for their decision if they were against morphine use. Results: Four hundred and eighty-eight patients participated in the study. Some 50% of the patients who refused morphine use and 36.8% of the patients who would prefer another drug, if possible, identified fear of addiction as the basis for their decision. Reservation of morphine for later in their disease was the case for 22.4% of the patients who refused morphine use. Only 13.7 % of the patients refusing morphine and 9.7% of the patients who preferred another drug, if possible, cited religious reasons as the basis for this decision. Conclusions: Identifying the underlying factors contributing to low opioid use for pain management in MMC is important. Once the underlying factors were identified, all efforts should be taken to overcome them as they are barriers to improving patient pain management

The Effect of Haematological Parameters on Overall Survival in Advanced Stage Non Small Cell Lung Cancer

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of pretreatment blood count values, particularly WBC counts, in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The records of 186 patients with advanced stage (stage IIIB and IV) NSCLC were assessed retrospectively. Patients were divided into 3 subgroups according to WBC levels; 10000 and 15000/mm(3) as Group 3. Patient and tumor characteristics as well as outcomes in terms of overall survival (OS) were evaluated. Median OS was 13.3 months in the whole population, 25.7 months in stage IIIB and 8.9 months in stage IV patients. According to the pretreatment leukocyte values, median OS was 17.9 months in Group 1, 11.2 months in Group 2 and 8.4 months in Group 3 (p= 0.003). Median OS values in WBC groups according to stages IIIB and IV were significantly different (p< 0.001). In multivariate analyses, ECOG-PS 2 or 3, stage IV disease, anemia and high WBC levels were associated with poorer OS. In this study, higher pretreatment WBC levels were associated with poorer OS in patients with advanced stage NSCLC. Pretreatment WBC counts may represent a simple prognostic factor and may aid in tailoring treatment in patients with advanced NSCLC

Combined versus sequential antracycline and taxane adjuvant regimens in triple negative breast cancer patients.

Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Clinical-Oncology (ASCO) -- JUN 03-07, 2016 -- Chicago, ILWOS: 000404665402047…Amer Soc Clin Onco

Prognostic factors for gemcitabine-refractory patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: a retrospective analysis of a multicentre study (Anatolian Society of Medical Oncology)

AIM OF THE STUDY: Systemic chemotherapy for patients with pancreatic cancer has limited impact on overall survival (OS). Patients eligible for chemotherapy should be selected carefully. The aim of the study was to search for prognostic factors for survival in patients with gemcitabine (Gem)-refractory or with gemcitabine and cisplatin (GemCis)-refractory advanced pancreatic cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated patients with Gem- or GemCis-refractory advanced pancreatic cancer. Sixteen potential prognostic variables were chosen for analysis in this study. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify prognostic factors associated with survival. Univariate and multivariate statistical methods were used to determine prognostic factors. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis included the four prognostic significance factors in univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that liver metastasis and second-line chemotherapy were considered independent prognostic factors for survival. CONCLUSIONS: Liver metastasis and second-line chemotherapy were identified as important prognostic factors in advanced pancreatic cancer patients refractory to treatment with Gem or GemCis. This prognostic factors may also facilitate pretreatment prediction of survival and can be used for selecting patients for treatment

XELOX vs. FOLFOX4 as Second Line Chemotherapy in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

Background/Aims: The efficacy and tolerability of oxaliplatin in combination with either folinic acid, fluorouracil (5-FU) (FOLFOX4 regimen) or capecitabine (XELOX regimen) was evaluated in advanced pancreatic cancer. Methodology: In this study, eighty-five patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were enrolled after failing to gemcitabine-based chemotherapy between November 2005 and August 2011. FOLFOX4 was repeated every two weeks and XELOX regimen was repeated every three weeks until either disease progression or unacceptable toxicity occurred. Results: Eighty-five patients were evaluated for tumor response. Seven patients (18%) achieved a partial response with XELOX and stable disease was observed in 16 patients (41%). Eight patients (17%) achieved a partial response with FOLFOX4 and stable disease was observed in 12 patients (26%). Disease control rates were 59% in the XELOX arm and 43% in the FOLFOX4 arm. The median time to progression was 16 weeks in both arms. The median overall survival was 21 weeks with XELOX and 25 weeks with FOLFOX4. Conclusions: Oxaliplatin-based combination therapy showed moderate clinical activity with acceptable toxicity in patients who had progressive disease after receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy for advanced and/or metastatic pancreatic cancer. We conclude that XELOX is similar in terms of efficacy and toxicity profile to FOLFOX4 in the second-line treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer