Colorful Screams of Silent Emotions: A Study with Oncological Patients

Rakici, Sema Yilmaz/0000-0002-5543-9761WOS: 000475767200002PubMed: 31413449Background: Art, as a product of human behavior, is the expression of emotions from inner states and may provide catharsis, purification, and release. Several branches of art, most notably music, dance, and painting, can be used for treatment purposes, especially in the case of psychological disorders. Cancer, which is defined as uncontrolled cell growth, has been an important health issue throughout history, but the recent increase in its frequency has made it one of the most significant public health problems. Both the physiological distress the disease subjects the body to and the accompanying emotional distress are important factors to be considered in cancer treatment. Aims: in this study, the role of art in expressing emotions of oncological patients was investigated. Materials and Methods: During the treatment period, patients were interviewed about their experiences, feelings, expectations and perceptions. the picture was used as an expression of emotions. Results: Communication between the patient and doctor is one of the most important elements in the treatment process, and it has come to the fore in branches of medicine, such as oncology, because of its positive contribution to treatment compliance. in general, the study showed a pronounced positivity and expectations on the part of patients from the hope-life-healing process rather than oncological treatment. Conclusion: in this study, we aim to demonstrate how the artistic expression of emotions, in particular, through painting, has a positive effect on healing, hope, and the interactions between cancer patients under oncological treatment and medical professionals.Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Coordination Unit for Projects of Scientific Research [THD-2018-894]This work was supported by the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Coordination Unit for Projects of Scientific Research, Grant number THD-2018-894

Do little things cast great shadows?

WOS: 000563568500024PubMed: 32788438[No abstract available

Total Scalp Irradiation: the Comparison of Five Different Plans Using Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy-Simultaneous Integrated Boost (VMAT-SIB) Technique

Rakici, Sema Yilmaz/0000-0002-5543-9761WOS: 000424786500004OBJECTIVE the aim of this study was to show that the optimum dosage can be delivered to the target organs at risk (OAR) by radiotherapy, which becomes more complicated because of technical difficulties arising from irregular, convex, and complex geometrical structure of the target, such as scalp irradiation, and because of situations resulting from the necessity of bolus of the lesion and immobilization as well as the proximity to neighboring critical organs using the VMAT-SIB technique. METHODS Five different VMAT-SIB schemes were designed using the Varian Trilogy IX linear accelerator (Varian Medical Systems) for total scalp irradiation and bilateral neck irradiation. These different VMAT scehemes were compared with respect to a dose volume histogram of obtained data, homogeneity, indices, conformity index, OAR, and doses of target volumes. RESULTS the patient-designed bolus plan 1 with two isocenters was chosen as the most appropriate plan. Plans 2, 3, 4, and 5 were inappropriate plans because the application of the virtual bolus in plan 2 was difficult, plan 3 with one isocenter was unacceptable with respect to the value of conformity index, plan 4 with three isocenters had a matching field, and plan 5 in which different priority values were used had an increase in OAR doses. CONCLUSION VMAT-SIB can be preferred as an appropriate radiotherapy technique as it can provide optimum and allowable OAR doses in tumors requiring an intensive treatment planning effort

Can you draw the picture of happiness- Treatment of a young woman with breast cancer during the COVID-19 pandemic

WOS: 000573651300023PubMed: 32464519[No abstract available

The effects of N-acetylcysteine on radiotherapy-induced small intestinal damage in rats

yilmaz, adnan/0000-0003-4842-1173; Rakici, Sema Yilmaz/0000-0002-5543-9761WOS: 000465937400005PubMed: 30786762Six million cancer patients worldwide receive radiotherapy, either alone or in combination with other cancer treatments annually. the purpose of this study was to investigate, at the structural and molecular levels, the protective effect of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), a powerful antioxidant, against radiotherapy-induced damage on the intestinal system. Three study groups were constituted: control (group 1: no radiotherapy), radiotherapy (RT; group 2), and RT + NAC (group 3). the NAC group received 300 mg/kg NAC orally for five days before irradiation. At the end of the 5th day, 6 Gy was irradiated once, and 300 mg/kg NAC was administered orally for two days following irradiation. NAC drug administration was maintained for a total of seven days. At the end of the study, the rats were euthanized by the administration of anesthetic agents and sacrificed. the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and caspase-3 expression increased and glutathione (GSH) levels decreased in RT rats compared to the control group (p < 0.05). NAC reduced MDA levels, and caspase-3 expression, and increased GSH levels in the small intestine caused by RT (p < 0.05). Therefore, NAC may be useful in the prevention of gastrointestinal syndrome in patients undergoing radiotherapy in the treatment of malignancy. Impact statement Some six million cancer patients currently receive radiotherapy. Radiotherapy eliminates cancer cells by accelerating their death. However, radiotherapy is not selective, and it therefore harms healthy tissues around cancerous tissue. the latest studies have shown that the irradiation of biological materials causes a rapid increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the tissue as a result of exposure of the target molecule to direct and indirect ionization. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is an antioxidant that permits the elimination of free oxygen radicals and that contributes to glutathione synthesis. Our study, therefore, examined the effects of radiation resulting from radiotherapy on the small intestine at the molecular level, and prospectively considered the potential protective characteristics of NAC against gastrointestinal syndrome resulting from radiotherapy

Interesting different survival status of musicians with malignant cerebral tumors

Kanat, Ayhan/0000-0002-8189-2877; Rakici, Sema Yilmaz/0000-0002-5543-9761WOS: 000503318300001PubMed: 31852258Introduction: the education of a musician may have an effect on the neuronal functions and organization of the brain, promote brain plasticity, resulting in functional and structural changes. A variety of malign cerebral tumors have affected the musician, instrumentalist or singer, at some time during their lives. No comprehensive investigation for musicians with malignant tumors has been performed yet. the aims of the study are to investigate if there is a relationship between the performed music style (classic or pop/rock) and the malignancy of the tumor. Patients and methods: the key words were 'neurosurgery and music' and the names of composers. We used digital catalogs like 'Pubmed' as well as the libraries of universities. We investigated a list of people with brain tumors from the English Wikipedia. ().We divided musicians into two groups according to their performing of classic or rock-pop music, and their gender. Results: We found 27 classic and rock/pop musicians who suffered from malign cerebral tumors. the median survival time estimations were 18 (mean 22.33, 95% CI ranged from 7.49 to 37.17) months for pop-rock musicians and 8 (mean 8.67, 95% CI ranged from 4.13 to 12.19) months for classical music performers. However, in Cox regression analysis, performed classical music type was associated with an increased risk of early death, lesser survival time age associated with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.06 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.020 to 1.111; p = .004), Conclusion: in musicians with malign cerebral tumors, music type performed by musician may affect the survival status, classical musicians have a worse outcome than rock-pop musicians

The radioprotective effect of N-acetylcysteine against x-radiation-induced renal injury in rats

Mercantepe, Tolga/0000-0002-8506-1755; Rakici, Sema Yilmaz/0000-0002-5543-9761WOS: 000500035700060PubMed: 31392607The purpose of this study was therefore to investigate the effects of radiotherapy on the kidney and the potential use of agents such as N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in developing a future therapeutic protocol for radiation-induced nephrotoxicity at the histopathological and biochemical levels. Our study consisted of three groups: control (oral saline solution only; group 1), irradiation (IR; group 2), and NAC + IR (group 3). the irradiation groups received a single dose of whole-body 6-Gy x-irradiation. the NAC group received 300 mg/kg by the oral route for 7 days, from 5 days before irradiation to 2 days after. All subjects were sacrificed under anesthesia 2 days after irradiation. IR increased tubular necrosis scores (TNS), MDA, and caspase-3 expression, while reducing renal tissue GSH levels. We also observed dilation in renal corpuscles and tubules. Capillary congestion was present in the intertubular spaces. NAC reduced the levels of TNS, MDA, and caspase-3 expression, but increased the levels of renal tissue GSH. ROS-scavenging antioxidants may represent a promising means of preventing renal injury in patients undergoing radiotherapy

Pelvic Radiation-Induced Testicular Damage: An Experimental Study at 1 Gray

GUZEL, Ali irfan/0000-0002-9720-5920; Mercantepe, Tolga/0000-0002-8506-1755; Rakici, Sema Yilmaz/0000-0002-5543-9761; TUMKAYA, Levent/0000-0002-2814-5194WOS: 000492629800001PubMed: 31657243Therapeutic radiation of the pelvic region has been shown to cause damage to testicular germ cells. in this study we aimed to evaluate the effects of a low therapeutic dose of 1 Gy on the induction of cellular and histological damage in early-stage testicular germ cells and the impact of this radiation on offspring sex ratio. Unirradiated and irradiated male rats were mated with unirradiated female rats. Female rats were followed and the sex of the offspring was determined. the male rats were sacrificed at the end of the second week, and the testicular germ cells were subjected to genetic analysis along with cytological and histopathological examination. Sperm DNA was amplified with primers specific to testis-specific Y-linked protein, rat actin beta and testis-specific X-linked genes. the resulting products were separated by capillary electrophoresis. Histopathological changes were investigated by light microscopy along with the TUNEL assay and immunohistochemical staining for caspase-3. There was no significant difference between the two groups for sex ratio and size of offspring. the number of sperm cells bearing X or Y chromosomes' did not differ significantly between these two groups. However, a 1 Gy dose of radiation caused significant cytopathological and histopathological changes in the testicular tissue. in the irradiated group, edematous regions were evident. the number of caspase-3 positive cells in the germinal epithelium of the seminiferous tubules was also significantly higher in the irradiated group. Our results showed that low-dose radiation induced apoptosis and caused significant cyto- and histopathological changes in the testicular tissue. Further research is required to fully elucidate their contribution to apoptosis and if low-dose radiation may potentially lead to long-term effects in the offspring. These results may also lead us to develop a new technique using the caspase-3 staining to monitor the susceptibility to low dose radiation.Recep Tayyip Erdogan University-Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit [2014/106.03.01]This study was supported by the Recep Tayyip Erdogan University-Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit [Project number: 2014/106.03.01]

An investigation of the effects of N-acetylcysteine on radiotherapy-induced testicular injury in rats

Mercantepe, Tolga/0000-0002-8506-1755; Rakici, Sema Yilmaz/0000-0002-5543-9761WOS: 000457408700003PubMed: 30426142According to data issued by the International Agency for Research on Cancer in 2012, the estimated number of new cases of all types of cancer worldwide was estimated to exceed 10 million, and 6 million of whom receive radiotherapy. Radiotherapy is the treatment of cancer using ionizing radiation. Our study investigated the effects of x-radiation resulting from radiotherapy (RT) on the testis at the molecular level, and prospectively considered the potential protective characteristics of antioxidants against testicular damage resulting from x-radiation. Forty male Sprague Dawley rats were allocated into five groups, control (group 1), abdominopelvic region 2-Gy-ionizing radiation (group 2), whole-body 6-Gy irradiation (group 3), 2Gy abdominopelvic region irradiation and 300mg/kg NAC treatment (group 4), and 6-Gy whole-body irradiation and 300mg/kg NAC treatment (group 5). Disorganization and vacuolization were observed in the epithelial layer in atrophic seminiferous tubules in the only ionizing radiation (IR) groups. in addition, Johnsen's score decreased in the only IR groups, while testis tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) tissue levels increased. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) treatment groups Johnsen's score and tissue GSH levels increased than only IR groups. on the other hand, tissue MDA levels decreased in the NAC treatment groups. the findings showed that ionizing radiation caused apoptosis in germinal epithelial cells led to the oxidative stress-mediated testicular injury. on the other hand, NAC may be useful in the prevention of testicular injury-suppressed ROS production