Prognostic significance of concomitant radiotherapy in newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme: a multivariate analysis of 116 patients

Currently, radiotherapy with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide has become the standard treatment for glioblastoma. The purpose of this study was to report our experience with radiation plus concomitant temozolomide in 116 patients with glioblastoma multiforme [GBM] and examine the value of different prognostic factors. Retrospective analysis of 116 patients with newly diagnosed GBM, who were treated at our department between January 1994 and March 2009. Age, gender, Karnofsky performance scale [KPS] score, a preoperative history of seizures, extent of surgery, total radiotherapy dose, and use of concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide were evaluated in uni- and multivariate analyses. Survival was determined using the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences were compared using the log rank test. Cox regression analysis was conducted to identify the independent prognostic factors. The median overall survival time was 9 months, and the 1- and 2-year survival rates were 41.9% and 9.6%, respectively. The univariate analysis revealed that age, KPS score, presence of seizures, radiation doses, and use of concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide were significant prognostic factors. The multivariate analysis confirmed that the age, KPS score, presence of seizures, radiation doses, and use of concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide were independent, significant prognostic factors. The results of our analyses demonstrate that radiation with concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide yields encouraging outcomes in patients with GBM, validating the results published in research papers. In addition, age, KPS score, presence of seizures, and radiation doses were identified as prognostic factors

Association of breast cancer and cytokine gene polymorphism in Turkish women

To investigate the association of cytokine gene polymorphism with the development of breast cancer. The study was carried out in Uludag University Medical School, Bursa, Turkey. The study included 38 patients with breast cancer admitted to trie Medical Oncology outpatient clinic, and 24 healthy controls, age and sex matched, from the Internal Medicine Department between 2004 and 2005. All genotyping of tumor necrosis factor-a [TNF-alpha] tumor growth factor-beta1 [TGF-beta1], interleukin [IL]-10, IL-6, and interferon-gamma [IFN-gamma] experiments were performed using polymerase chain reaction sequence-specific primers. The frequencies of IL-6-174GC genotype and IL-10 [-1082, -819, -592] GCC/ATA haplotype were significantly higher in the patient group [P=0.0008] when compared with controls [P=0.020]. Significantly lower - frequencies of IL-10 [-1082, -819, -592] ACC/ATA haplotype were observed in the patient group in comparison to the controls [f=0.026]. The distribution of IFN-gamma +874, TNF-alpha 308, andTGF-[beta1 codon 10-25 genotypes failed to show any statistical significant association with the development of breast cancer. Our data suggest that IL-10 [-1082, -819, -592] GCC/ATA haplotype and IL-6-174 GC genotype seem to be potential risk factors for the development of breast cancer. The presence of IL-10ACC/ATA haplotype may be protective for the oncogenesis of breast cancer