Management of endocrine surgical disorders during COVID-19 pandemic: expert opinion for non-surgical options

Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented conditions for overall health care systems by restricting resources for non-COVID-19 patients. As the burden of the disease escalates, routine elective surgeries are being cancelled. The aim of this paper was to provide a guideline for management of endocrine surgical disorders during a pandemic. Methods We used Delphi method with a nine-scale Likert scale on two rounds of voting involving 64 experienced eminent surgeons and endocrinologists who had the necessary experience to provide insight on endocrine disorder management. All voting was done by email using a standard questionnaire. Results Overall, 37 recommendations were voted on. In two rounds, all recommendations reached an agreement and were either endorsed or rejected. Endorsed statements include dietary change in primary hyperparathyroidism, Cinacalcet treatment in secondary hyperparathyroidism, alpha-blocker administration for pheochromocytoma, methimazole +/- beta-blocker combination for Graves' disease, and follow-up for fine-needle aspiration results of thyroid nodules indicated as Bethesda 3-4 cytological results and papillary microcarcinoma. Conclusion This survey summarizes expert opinion for the management of endocrine surgical conditions during unprecedented times when access to surgical treatment is severely disrupted. The statements are not applicable in circumstances in which surgical treatment is possible

The Effects of Educational Level on Breast Cancer Awareness: A Cross-Sectional Study in Turkey

Breast self-examination (BSE) is important for early diagnosis of breast cancer (BC). However, the majority of Turkish women do not perform regular BSE. We aimed to evaluate the effects of education level on the attitudes and behaviors of women towards BSE. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 413 women (20-59 years), divided into university graduates (Group I, n = 224) and high school or lower graduates (Group II, n = 189). They completed a 22-item scale assessing the knowledge level, attitudes and behaviors regarding BSE, and the Turkish version of the Champion's Revised Health Belief Model. A significantly higher number of women in Group II did not believe in early diagnosis of BC. A significantly higher number of Group I had conducted BSE at least once, and their BSE frequency was also significantly high. Moreover, a significantly lower number of Group I women considered themselves to not be at risk for BC and the scores for perceived susceptibility and perceived barriers were significantly higher. Logistic regression analysis identified the university graduate group to have a higher likelihood of performing BSE, by 1.8 times. Higher educational levels were positively associated with BSE performance. Overall, the results suggest that Turkish women, regardless of their education level, need better education on BSE. Consideration of the education level in women will help clinicians develop more effective educational programs, resulting in more regular practice and better use of BSE

Poor Biological Factors and Prognosis of Interval Breast Cancers: Long-Term Results of Bahceehir (Istanbul) Breast Cancer Screening Project in Turkey

PURPOSE The Turkish Bahceehir Breast Cancer Screening Project was a 10-year, organized, population-based screening program carried out in Bahceehir county, Istanbul. Our aim was to examine the biologic features and outcome of screen-detected and interval breast cancers during the 10-year study period. METHODS Between 2009 and 2019, 2-view mammograms were obtained at 2-year intervals for women aged 40 to 69 years. Clinicopathological characteristics including ER, PR, HER2-neu, and Ki-67 status were analyzed for those diagnosed with breast cancer. RESULTS In 8,758 screened women, 131 breast cancers (1.5%) were detected. The majority of patients (82.3%) had prognostic stage 0-I disease. Contrarily, patients with interval cancers (n = 15; 11.4%) were more likely to have a worse prognostic stage (II-IV disease; odds ratio [OR], 3.59, 95% CI, 0.9 to 14.5) and high Ki-67 scores (OR, 3.14; 95% CI, 0.9 to 11.2). Interval cancers detected within 1 year were more likely to have a luminal B (57.1% v 31.9%) and triple-negative (14.3% v 1%) subtype and less likely to have a luminal A subtype (28.6% v 61.5%; P = .04). Patients with interval cancers had a poor outcome in 10-year disease-specific (DSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) compared with those with screen-detected cancers (DSS: 68.2% v 98.1%, P = .002; DFS: 78.6% v 96.5%, P = .011). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest the majority of screen-detected breast cancers exhibited a luminal A subtype profile with an excellent prognosis. However, interval cancers were more likely to have aggressive subtypes such as luminal B subtype or triple-negative cancers associated with a poor prognosis requiring other preventive strategies. (c) 2020 by American Society of Clinical OncologyRocheRoche Holding; Basaksehir (Basaksehir county in Istanbul) MunicipalitySupported by a grant from Roche (V.O.) and Basaksehir (Bahcesehir is a region in the Basaksehir county in Istanbul) Municipality

Long and Short Term Results of Karydakis Flap Technique for Surgical Treatment of Sacrococcygeal Pilonidal Sinus Disease

Amaç Bu çalışmanın amacı kliniğimizde Karydakis flep ile tedavi edilen sakrokoksigeal pilonidal sinüs hastalığının kısa ve uzun dönem sonuçlarını retrospektif olarak sunmaktır. Gereç ve Yöntem Kasım 2008 ile Aralık 2012 tarihleri arasında sakrokoksigeal pilonidal sinüs tanısıyla ameliyat edilen ve cerrahi yöntem olarak Karydakis flep prosedürü uygulanan 186 hasta incelendi. Hastalar yaş, cinsiyet, ameliyat süresi, postoperatif erken dönem komplikasyon ve nüksler açısından değerlendirildi. Bulgular Olguların 147’si (% 79) erkek, 39’u (% 21) kadındı. Hastaların yaş ortalaması 26±13 yıl idi. Ortalama ameliyat süresi 56 (38-76) dakika olarak bulundu. Hastaların takip süresi ortalama 24 (4-48) ay idi. Bu süre içerisinde 4 hastada (% 2,1) nüks saptandı. Ayrıca 6 hastada (% 3) seroma, 3 hastada (% 1,6) yara yeri enfeksiyonu ve 1 hastada (% 0,53) flep iskemisi gelişti. Sonuç Pilonidal sinüs hastalığı için ideal bir tedavi yöntemi henüz netlik kazanmamıştır. Bu konu güncel cerrahide hâla tartışmaya açıktır. Cerrahi ve cerrahi olmayan yöntemler mevcut olup bu çalışmaya göre Karydakis flep tekniği düşük nüks oranı ile sakrokoksigeal pilonidal sinüsün tedavisinde iyi bir cerrahi yöntemdir.Aim The aim of this study was to determine the long and short term results of Karydakis flap technique retrospectively. Material and Methods A retrospective analysis was done in patients who were treated with Karydakis flap techniques between November 2008 and December 2012. Patients are evaluated in terms of age, sex, time of surgery, postoperative early period complication and recurrences. Results One hundred and forty-seven cases (79%) were male and 39 (21%) were female. The mean age was 26 ± 13 years. Mean operation time was 56 (38-76) minutes. Mean followup time was 24 (4-48) months. Four patients (2.1%) had recurrence in this time. The rates of postoperative complications as seroma, wound infection and flap ischemia are respectively 3 % (n=6), 1.6 % (n=3) and 0.53 % (n=1). Conclusion There isn’t any ideal treatment for pilonidal disease yet. This subject has controversies in actual surgery. There are different procedures, surgical and nonsurgical, for this disease. According to this study Karydakis flap technique, with low recurrence rate, is a good surgical procedure for the treatment of sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease

Cost-Effectiveness of Breast Cancer Screening in Turkey, a Developing Country: Results from Bahçeşehir Mammography Screening Project

Objective: We used the results from the first three screening rounds of Bahcesehir Mammography Screening Project (BMSP), a 10-year (20092019) and the first organized population-based screening program implemented in a county of Istanbul, Turkey, to assess the potential cost-effectiveness of a population-based mammography screening program in Turkey. Materials and Methods: Two screening strategies were compared: BMSP (includes three biennial screens for women between 40-69) and Turkish National Breast Cancer Registry Program (TNBCRP) which includes no organized population-based screening. Costs were estimated using direct data from the BMSP project and the reimbursement rates of Turkish Social Security Administration. The life-years saved by BMSP were estimated using the stage distribution observed with BMSP and TNBCRP. Results: A total of 67 women (out of 7234 screened women) were diagnosed with breast cancer in BMSP. The stage distribution for AJCC stages O, I, II, III, IV was 19.4%, 50.8%, 20.9%, 7.5%, 1.5% and 4.9%, 26.6%, 44.9%, 20.8%, 2.8% with BMSP and TNBCRP, respectively. The BMSP program is expected to save 279.46 life years over TNBCRP with an additional cost of $677.171, which implies an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of$ 2.423 per saved life year. Since the ICER is smaller than the Gross Demostic Product (GDP) per capita in Turkey ($ 10.515 in 2014), BMSP program is highly cost-effective and remains cost-effective in the sensitivity analysis. Conclusion: Mammography screening may change the stage distribution of breast cancer in Turkey. Furthermore, an organized population-based screening program may be cost-effective in Turkey and in other developing countries. More research is needed to better estimate life-years saved with screening and further validate the findings of our study.Roche Turkey; Breast Health Society of Turkey (MEMEDER); Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)United States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) [UL1TR000427]; NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCING TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCESUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) [UL1TR000427] Funding Source: NIH RePORTERThe study was funded by Roche Turkey and in part by the Breast Health Society of Turkey (MEMEDER). Also, it was partially supported by the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) program, through the NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), grant UL1TR000427. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH

Impact of ligating gonadal or adrenal collateral veins with the left renal vein on renal function and histology in right-nephrectomized rats

Background: In cases of trauma to the left renal vein (LRV), its ligation near the inferior vena cava (IVC) is considered, but the consequences are not always good. We investigated the role of collateral venous drainage after ligation of the LRV by studying the renal function and histology after ligation of the LRV near the IVC alone or with ligation of the gonadal or adrenal collaterals, in right-nephrectomized (RN) rats. Material and methods: Ligation of the LRV near the IVC alone (group 1) or with ligation of the adrenal (group 2) or gonadal (group 3) collaterals was studied in RN Wistar rats (n = 18 per group). The renal histopathology (ischemic cortical necrosis) and functional status (urea, creatinine, sodium, and potassium) were compared. Results: In RN rats, the results were better when ligating the LRV near the IVC alone or with the adrenal collaterals [mortality 4/18 (22.2%) and 3/18 (16.7%), respectively] than when ligating the LRV near the IVC plus the gonadal collaterals [mortality 15/18 (83.3%)] (p < 0.0001). All early deaths occurred within three days and resulted from serious histopathological (ischemic cortical necrosis) and functional (increased urea, creatinine, and potassium; decreased sodium) renal damage. Conclusion: In right-nephrectomized rats, the LRV near the IVC and the adrenal collateral can be ligated, while the gonadal collateral should be preserved. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Surgical Associates Ltd

A logarithmic model for hormone receptor-positive and breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the predictive importance of the previously validated log(ER)*log(PgR)/Ki-67 predictive model in a larger patient population.METHODS: Patients with hormone receptor positive/HER-2 negative and clinical node positive before chemotherapy were included. Log(ER)*log(PgR)/ Ki-67 values of the patients were determined, and the ideal cutoff value was calculated using a receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. It was analyzed with a logistic regression model along with other clinical and pathological characteristics.RESULTS: A total of 181 patients were included in the study. The ideal cutoff value for pathological response was 0.12 (area under the curve=0.585, p=0.032). In the univariate analysis, no statistical correlation was observed between luminal subtype (p=0.294), histological type (p=0.238), clinical t-stage (p=0.927), progesterone receptor level (p=0.261), Ki-67 cutoff value (p=0.425), and pathological complete response. There was a positive relationship between numerical increase in age and residual disease. As the grade of the patients increased, the probability of residual disease decreased. Patients with log(ER)*log(PgR)/Ki-67 above 0.12 had an approximately threefold increased risk of residual disease when compared to patients with 0.12 and below (odds ratio: 3.17, 95% confidence interval: 1.48-6.75, p=0.003). When age, grade, and logarithmic formula were assessed together, the logarithmic formula maintained its statistical significance (odds ratio: 2.47, 95% confidence interval: 1.07-5.69, p=0.034).CONCLUSION: In hormone receptor-positive breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the logarithmic model has been shown in a larger patient population to be an inexpensive, easy, and rapidly applicable predictive marker that can be used to predict response

The efficacy of fibrin glue to control hemorrhage from the gallbladder bed during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Amaç: Laparoskopik kolesistektomi sırasında safra kesesi yatağından gelişen ve klasik yöntemlerle durdurulamayan kanamalarda fibrin yapıştırıcı uygulama deneyimimizi sunmak.Gereç ve Yöntemler: Laparoskopik kolesistektomi uygulanan 382 hastadan, safra kesesi yatağında kanama meydana gelen ve konservatif yöntemlerle durdurulamayan ve bu nedenle de fibrin glue kullanılan 14 hasta retrospektif olarak incelendi.Bulgular: Fibrin yapıştırıcı kullanılan hastaların 10'u (%71) kadın, 4'ü (%29) erkekti. Hastaların ortalama yaşı 55,7 idi. 14 hasta da semptomatik safra kesesi taşı nedeniyle ameliyat edildi. On üç hastada (%92) yandaş bir hastalık mevcuttu. Kanamanın kontrol altına alınarak hemostazın sağlanması için harcanan zaman ortalama olarak 23,9 dakika olarak saptandı. Hemoglobin değeri 8 mg/dL altına düşen 2 hastaya kan transfüzyonu yapıldı. Bir hastada fibrin yapıştırıcı kullanılmasına rağmen kanama kontrolü sağlanamadı ve açık cerrahiye geçildi.Sonuç: Laparoskopik kolesistektomi yapılan hastalarda, karaciğerde safra kesesi yatağından meydana gelen kanamalarda fibrin yapıştırıcı uygulanmasının açığa geçme oranlarını düşürdüğü saptanmış olup bu konu ile ilgili daha geniş çalışmalara da ihtiyaç duyulmaktadırObjective: The aim of the study is to report our experience with fibrin glue application in the management of bleeding from the gallbladder bed during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which could not be controlled by conventional methods.Material and Methods: Three hundred eighty-two patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Fourteen patients with bleeding from the gallbladder bed, which could not be controlled by conventional methods, were analyzed retrospectively.Results: Fibrin glue was used in 10 patients, 6 (71%) were female and 4 were (29%) male. The mean age was 55.7 years. Fourteen patients were operated for the presence of symptomatic gallstones. Thirteen patients (%92) had a concomitant pathology. The mean time spent to maintain hemostasis was 23.9 minutes . Blood products were used in two patients with hemoglobin under 8 mg/dL. Hemostasis could not be achieved in a patient despite fibrin glue application, and the operation was converted to open surgery. Conclusion: The application of fibrin glue for bleeding from the gallbladder bed during laparoscopic cholecystectomy can reduce conversion rates, further studies including more patients are require

Turkish national consensus on breast cancer management during temporary state of emergency due to COVID-19 outbreak

Objective: Cancer care is excessively influenced by the COVID-19 outbreak for various reasons. One of the major concerns is the tendency for delayed surgical treatment of breast cancer patients. The outbreak has urged clinicians to find alternative treatments until surgery is deemed to be feasible and safe. Here in this paper, we report the results of a consensus procedure which aimed to provide an expert opinion-led guideline for breast cancer management during the COVID-19 outbreak in Turkey. Material and Methods: We used the Delphi method with a 9-scale Likert scale on two rounds of voting from 51 experienced surgeons and medical oncologists who had the necessary skills and experience in breast cancer management. Voting was done electronically in which a questionnaire-formatted form was used. Results: Overall, 46 statements on 28 different case scenarios were voted. In the first round, 37 statements reached a consensus as either endorsement or rejection, nine were put into voting in the second round since they did not reach the necessary decision threshold. At the end of two rounds, for 14 cases scenarios, a statement was endorsed as a recommendation for each.Thirty-two statements for the remaining 14 were rejected. Conclusion:There was a general consensus for administering neoadjuvant systemic therapy in patients with node-negative, small-size triple negative, HER2-positive and luminal A-like tumors until conditions are improved for due surgical treatment. Panelists also reached a consensus to extend the systemic treatment for patients with HER2-positive and luminal B-like tumors who had clinical complete response after neoadjuvant systemic therapy

Soluble B7H3 level in breast cancer and its relationship with clinicopathological variables and T-cell infiltration

Aim of the study Although early diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) is often associated with a good prognosis, there is currently no biomarker with high sensitivity serving this purpose. B7H3, a recently identified member of the B7 family, appears to inhibit antitumor immunity. We investigated the soluble B7H3 (sB7H3) level in BC and its relationship with clinicopathological variables and stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs). Material and methods: The study which was designed as a cross-sectional trial between January 2020 and September 2021, included 93 BC patients, 20 patients with benign breast disease (BBD) and 14 healthy volunteers as the control group. Serum sB7H3 levels were measured using the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) method and sTlLs were measured by immunohistochemistry using Tru-cut biopsy materials. Results: sB7H3 levels in BC patients were significantly higher than those in patients with BBD and healthy volunteers. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis results showed that sB7H3 level may be a potential biomarker for distinguishing patients with BC from those with BBD (AUC: 0.807; sensitivity: 0.786; specificity: 0.706) and from healthy volunteers (AUC: 0.731; sensitivity: 0.700; spedicity: 0.692). Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to investigate the relationship between sB7H3 and disease parameters in BC. We found that sB7H3 may be a clinically practical and meaningful biomarker in differentiating BC from BBD. In order to evaluate the relationship of B7H3 with clinical variables in BC, and especially with sTILs, tissue-based studies with higher numbers of patients are needed