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

Pediatric Liver Transplant: A Single-center Study of 100 Consecutive Patients

Objectives: Here, we present the outcomes of 100 consecutive pediatric liver transplant patients in our center

Is tumor volume measurement more beneficial than tumor diameter in breast cancer staging?

Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı tümör hacminin, meme kanserinin evrelemesin- de tümör çapı yerine kullanılıp kullanılamayacağının ve sağkalımla olan iliş- kisinin tespitidir. Yöntem ve gereçler: T1-3,N0-3,M0 meme kanseri tanısıyla ameliyat edilen ve çalışma kriterlerini sağlayabilen 194 olgunun preoperatif tümör boyutla- rı ve postoperatif patolojik evreleme sonuçları retrospektif olarak incelendi. Tümör çap ve genişlikleri için mamografik/ultrasonografik ölçümlerdeki en büyük değerler, derinlikleri için ise ultrasonografik değer esas alınarak hacim hesaplamaları yapıldı. Tümör hacimleri, ?4 cm3, 4.1-14 cm3, 14.1-32 cm3 ve ?32.1cm3 (?23, >23 - ?33, >33 - ?43 ve >43) şeklinde gruplandırıldı. Bulgular: Tümör hacminin, tümörün lenf nodu kategorisi (R=0.45; p<0.0001 vs R=0.23; p=0.001), patolojik evresi (R=0.52; p<0.0001 vs R=0.43; p<0.0001) ve hasta sağkalımı (R= -0.33; p<0.0001 ve R= -0.18; p<0.012) ile tümör çapına kıyasla daha iyi korelasyon gösterdiği ve univariate analiz ve regresyon testlerinde de üstünlük sağladığı belirlendi. Sonuç: Sınırlı sayıda hastada gerçekleştirdiğimiz çalışmamıza göre, patolo- jik evre, lenf nodu evresi ve sağkalım ile daha iyi korelasyonlar gösteren tü- mör hacminin, standart klinik evreleme parametresi olan tümör çapının ye- rine kullanılabileceği düşünülmüş, konunun netlik kazanabilmesi için geniş hasta serili çalışmalara ihtiyaç olduğu kanısına varılmıştır.Purpose: The aim of the present study is to determine whether or not tumor volume can be used instead of tumor diameter in breast cancer staging and the relation between tumor volume and survival. Patients and method: The preoperative tumor sizes and the results of post- operative pathological staging of 194 patients who underwent surgery with the diagnosis of T1-3,N0-3,M0 breast cancer and also fulfilled the study cri- teria were retrospectively evaluated. The tumor volume was estimated by using the tumor diameter and the width which were specified according to the highest value at the mammographic and ultrasonographic examinations and using the tumor depth which was designated according to the ultrasono- graphic measurement. The tumor volumes were categorized as, &amp;#8804;4cm3, 4.1- 14 cm3, 14.1-32 cm3 ve &amp;#8805;32.1 cm3 . (&amp;#8804;23, &gt;23 - &amp;#8804;33, &gt;33 - &amp;#8804;43 ve &gt;43). Results: The tumor volume had better correlation than the tumor diam- eter with the classification of lymph node, (R=0.45; p&lt;0.0001 vs R=0.23; p=0.001) pathological stage of the tumor (R=0.52; p&lt;0.0001 vs R=0.43; p&lt;0.0001)and patient survival (R= -0.33; p&lt;0.0001 vs R= -0.18; p&lt;0.012). Moreover, it was detected that the tumor volume had superiority in the uni- variant analysis and regression tests. Conclusion: According to the results of our study including limited number of patients, it has been thought that the tumor volume which was of better cor- relation with the lymph node status, pathological stages of the tumor and survival of the patients can be used instead of the tumor diameter which is a standart clinical staging parameter and that trials of broad patient series are required in order to obtain more conclusive outcomes

Is Tumor Volume Measurement More Beneficial Than Tumor Diameter in Breast Cancer Staging?

ÖZET Amaç: Bu çalışmanın amacı tümör hacminin, meme kanserinin evrelemesinde tümör çapı yerine kullanılıp kullanılamayacağının ve sağkalımla olan ilişkisinin tespitidir. Yöntem ve gereçler: T1-3,N0-3,M0 meme kanseri tanısıyla ameliyat edilen ve çalışma kriterlerini sağlayabilen 194 olgunun preoperatif tümör boyutları ve postoperatif patolojik evreleme sonuçları retrospektif olarak incelendi. Tümör çap ve genişlikleri için mamografik/ultrasonografik ölçümlerdeki en büyük değerler, derinlikleri için ise ultrasonografik değer esas alınarak hacim hesaplamaları yapıldı. Tümör hacimleri, ≤4 cm3, 4.1-14 cm3, 14.1-32 cm3 ve ≥32.1cm3 (≤23, >23 - ≤33, >33 - ≤43 ve >43) şeklinde gruplandırıldı. Bulgular: Tümör hacminin, tümörün lenf nodu kategorisi (R=0.45; p<0.0001 vs R=0.23; p=0.001), patolojik evresi (R=0.52; p<0.0001 vs R=0.43; p<0.0001) ve hasta sağkalımı (R= -0.33; p<0.0001 ve R= -0.18; p<0.012) ile tümör çapına kıyasla daha iyi korelasyon gösterdiği ve univariate analiz ve regresyon testlerinde de üstünlük sağladığı belirlendi. Sonuç: Sınırlı sayıda hastada gerçekleştirdiğimiz çalışmamıza göre, patolojik evre, lenf nodu evresi ve sağkalım ile daha iyi korelasyonlar gösteren tümör hacminin, standart klinik evreleme parametresi olan tümör çapının yerine kullanılabileceği düşünülmüş, konunun netlik kazanabilmesi için geniş hasta serili çalışmalara ihtiyaç olduğu kanısına varılmıştır.Purpose: The aim of the present study is to determine whether or not tumor volume can be used instead of tumor diameter in breast cancer staging and the relation between tumor volume and survival. Patients and method: The preoperative tumor sizes and the results of postoperative pathological staging of 194 patients who underwent surgery with the diagnosis of T1-3, N0-3, M0 breast cancer and also fulfilled the study criteria were retrospectively evaluated. The tumor volume was estimated by using the tumor diameter and the width which were specified according to the highest value at the mammographic and ultrasonographic examinations and using the tumor depth which was designated according to the ultrasonographic measurement. The tumor volumes were categorized as, = 32.1 cm(3). (23 - 33 - 43). Results: The tumor volume had better correlation than the tumor diameter with the classification of lymph node, (R=0.45; p<0.0001 vs R=0.23; p=0.001) pathological stage of the tumor (R=0.52; p<0.0001 vs R=0.43; p<0.0001) and patient survival (R= -0.33; p<0.0001 vs R= -0.18; p<0.012). Moreover, it was detected that the tumor volume had superiority in the univariant analysis and regression tests. Conclusion: According to the results of our study including limited number of patients, it has been thought that the tumor volume which was of better correlation with the lymph node status, pathological stages of the tumor and survival of the patients can be used instead of the tumor diameter which is a standart clinical staging parameter and that trials of broad patient series are required in order to obtain more conclusive outcomes