A new perspective on the future of Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology: Young Radiation Oncologists Group (TROD/GROG 001)

Radiation oncology is a field of medicine that has been rapidly growing with advances in technology, radiobiology, treatment algorithms and quality of life of modern radiotherapy over the last century. In the context of these advances, it is critical to be aware of the role of the young radiation oncologists and enable them to discover new perspectives. For this purpose, “The Young Radiation Oncologists Group” (GROG) has been established by the Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology (TROD), a subgroup which has focused on the professional developments, early career and integrating into the TROD family while supporting education and innovative research of young radiation oncologists. The purpose of this paper was to outline the structure and responsibilities of GROG and its scientific and social activities within TROD and in its own right.

Giant congenital pelvic AVM causing cardiac failure, diplegia, and neurogenic bladder

BACKGROUND: Pelvic arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are uncommon lesions and only a rare number of male cases have been reported. Their clinical presentations are variable and imaging modalities have an important place in diagnosis and treatment planning. CASE REPORT: We present the imaging findings of a giant congenital pelvic AVM that was diagnosed in a 30-year-old male patient eight years ago and which progressed despite follow-up and treatment, causing cardiac failure, diplegia, and neurogenic bladder. CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic AVMs are uncommon lesions and they can present with various symptoms based on their locations and sizes. Delays in the diagnosis and treatment can cause local and systemic complications. Imaging is very important in the diagnosis of pelvic AVM

DETERMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOXORUBICIN RESISTANCE AND WNT SIGNALING PATHWAY IN HELA AND K562 CELL LINES

WOS: 000431691800003PubMed ID: 29805346Activation of the Wnt signaling in some types of cancer and its relation with chemotherapy resistance is a very interesting issue that has been emphasized in recent years. Although, it is known that increase in the activity of beta-catenin is important in blast transformation and drug resistance, the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, changes in the expression levels of 186 genes that are thought to be important in drug resistance and Wnt signaling pathways were determined by using qPCR method in doxorubicin-sensitive and -resistant HeLa and K562 cell lines. It has been observed that the genes involved in the Wnt signaling pathways are involved in more changes in HeLa/Dox cells (36 genes) than in the K562/Dox cells (17 genes). Genes important for the development of cancer resistance have been found to be significantly different in expression levels of 18 genes in HeLa/Dox cells and 20 genes in K562/Dox cells. In both cell lines, the expression of ABCB1 gene was significantly increased to 160 and 103 fold, respectively. However, despite the resistance to same drug in HeLa and K562 cell lines, it appears that the expression levels of different oncogenes and genes involved in Wnt signaling pathways have been altered. It has been found that although resistance develops to the same drug in both cell lines, the expression levels of different genes have changed. If functional analysis of these genes is performed on patient population groups, these molecules may become candidates for novel therapeutic target molecules.TUBITAKTurkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK) [214S634]This work was supported by TUBITAK 3001 project (Project No: 214S634)

Testosterone- and Cortisol-Secreting Adrenocortical Oncocytoma: An Unusual Cause of Hirsutism

Objective. Oncocytomas of the adrenal cortex are usually benign and nonfunctional. They are rarely seen as the cause of hirsutism. Therefore, we aimed to report a case of adrenocortical oncocytoma presenting with hirsutism. Methods. We report a testosterone- and cortisol-secreting adrenal oncocytoma in a 23-year-old female patient presenting with hirsutism. Results. The patient had the complaint of hirsutism for the last year. Laboratory tests revealed total testosterone level of 4.2 ng/mL, free testosterone of >100 pg/mL, and DHEAS level of 574 µg/dL. There was no suppression in cortisol levels with 2 mg dexamethasone suppression test (5.4 µg/dL). Adrenal MRI revealed a 27×25 mm isointense solid mass lesion in the left adrenal gland and the patient underwent laparoscopic left adrenalectomy. Pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of benign adrenocortical oncoyctoma. Conclusion. This well-characterized case describes a testosterone- and cortisol-secreting adrenocortical oncocytoma as a possible cause of hirsutism. To our knowledge, this is the second report in the literature. Adrenal oncocytomas should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of hirsutism

Successful treatment of triple primary tumor

INTRODUCTION: The occurrence of multiple primary tumors is rare. Only limited number of cases with triple malignancy have been reported. We report here a rare case of a woman presented synchronous triple tumors, in her lung, breast, skin

Experimental out-of-plane damage limits of historical stone masonry walls

In stone masonry buildings, failure under strong ground motions usually occurs in the form of out-of-plane overturning of the walls before reaching their in-plane strength, as the walls have long unsupported spans perpendicular to their plane and the lack of slabs ensuring a diaphragm effect. Post-earthquake damage obser-vations reveal this specific weakness of the historic masonry walls. Experimental determination of the out-of -plane damage limits of these walls, emerges as a need for use, especially during numerical evaluations. This article presents the results of static and dynamic testing of double-and three-leaf large-scale U-shaped masonry wall specimens. For this purpose, nondestructive material characterization was conducted on a reference his-torical masonry structure. Large-scale wall specimens were designed considering these findings and material tests performed on mortar samples. Quasi-static cyclic tests and ambient vibration tests for both initial and damaged conditions were performed on these specimens to capture the damage evolution and the corresponding drift limits. Damage limits are suggested to be used in performance-based evaluations of other territorial structures

Effects of Boron-Based Gel on Radiation-Induced Dermatitis in Breast Cancer: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Aim: This study is aimed to evaluate the effects of boron on radiation-induced skin reactions (RISR) in breast cancer patients. Material and methods: After 47 patients with invasive ductal carcinoma underwent radiotherapy, 23 (49%) received a boron-based gel, and 24 (51%) received placebo. Assessments were performed according to the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) skin scale and a Five-Point Horizontal Scale (FPHS). Results: At the end of the fifth week of radiotherapy, the RTOG scores in the boron group were significantly lower than those in the placebo group (p = .024). The FPHS score was higher in the placebo group than in the boron group, and this difference was not statistically significant (p = .079). Conclusion: Using the RTOG scoring system, we revealed that the application of a boron-based gel diminished RISR. The mechanism of action is unclear but may be related to antioxidant, wound healing, and thermal degradation effects of boron

History of suffocation, state-trait anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity in predicting 35% carbon dioxide-induced panic

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of history of suffocation, state-trait anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity on response to a 35% carbon dioxide (CO(2)) challenge in panic disorder patients, their healthy first-degree relatives and healthy comparisons. Thirty-two patients with panic disorder, 32 first-degree relatives, and 34 healthy volunteers underwent the 35% CO(2) challenge. We assessed baseline anxiety with the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI1), and panic symptoms with the Panic Symptom List (PSL III-R). A history of suffocation was associated with greater risk of CO(2) reactivity in the combined sample. Patients had more anxiety sensitivity and state and trait anxiety than relatives and healthy comparisons; the difference between relatives and healthy comparisons was not significant. In female patients, trait anxiety predicted CO(2)-induced panic. Having a CO(2)-sensitive panic disorder patient as a first-degree relative did not predict CO(2)-induced panic in a healthy relative. History of suffocation may be an important predictor of CO(2)-induced panic. Trait anxiety may have a gender-specific relation to CO(2) reactivity. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved