Testicular cancer is a relatively rare tumor type, accounting for approximately 1% of all cancers in men. However, among men aged between 15 and 40 years, testicular cancer is the most commonly ...diagnosed malignancy. Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are classified as seminoma and non-seminoma. The RAS oncogene controls several cellular functions, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and differentiation. Thus, RAS signaling is important for normal germ cell development. Mutations of the Kirsten RAS (K-RAS) gene are present in over 20% of all cancers. RAS gene mutations have also been reported in TGCTs. We investigated K-RAS and N-RAS mutations in seminoma and non-seminoma TGCT patients. A total of 24 (55%) pure seminoma cases and 19 (45%) non-seminoma cases were included in the study. K-RAS and N-RAS analyses were performed in our molecular pathology laboratory, using K-RAS and N-RAS Pyro Kit 24 V1 (Qiagen). In total, a RAS mutation was present in 12 patients (27%): 7 seminoma (29%) and 5 non-seminoma cases (26%) p = 0.55. A K-RAS mutation was present in 4 pure seminoma tumors (16%) and 3 non-seminoma tumors (15%) p = 0.63, and an N-RAS mutation was observed in 4 seminoma tumors (16%) and 3 non-seminoma tumors (15%) p = 0.63. Both, K-RAS and N-RAS mutations were present in two patients: one with seminoma tumor and the other with non-seminoma tumor. To date, no approved targeted therapy is available for the treatment of TGCTs. The analysis of K-RAS and N-RAS mutations in these tumors may provide more treatment options, especially in platinum-resistant tumors.
Procalcitonin (PCT) represents a new marker of systemic inflammatory reactions to bacterial infections. The main aim in this study was to determine the diagnostic value of PCT in predicting the ...clinical severity of febril neutropenic attacks, compare it with that of C-reactive protein (CRP), and clarify its importance in culture-positive attacks.
Between February 2001 and April 2002, 36 patients who were neutropenic due to various hematologic disorders and febrile were entered into the study. Blood samples were obtained on the first day of fever for the measurement of serum PCT and CRP levels.
In clinically severe neutropenic fever attacks, means of serum PCT and CRP levels were measured as 0.93+/-1.33 ng/mL and 67+/-24 mg/L, while they were 0.37+/-0.23 ng/mL and 32+/-19 mg/L in clinically mild ones (p = 0.033 and p < 0.001). On the other hand, no statistical significance was found between culture-positive and negative attacks when either serum PCT or CRP levels were taken into consideration (p = 0.133 and p = 0.141). The specificity and positive predictive value of the serum PCT test for severe febrile neutropenia was higher than that of the serum CRP test (0.80 vs. 0.57 and 0.50 vs. 0.39). However, sensitivity and negative predictive value for CRP were higher than the values for PCT (1.00 vs. 0.40 and 1.00 vs. 0.73). Diagnostic value and positive likelihood ratio of CRP for severe febrile neutropenia were higher than those of PCT (71 vs. 67 and 2.32 vs. 2.00).
PCT and CRP are comparable with each other in prediction of the clinical severity of febrile neutropenic attacks. Furthermore, serum CRP levels correlate with the duration of fever.
The relation between leukemia and gingiva was investigated in the present study. An extensive tumor infiltration in the gingiva was established in 1 of 2 patients with acute leukemia (AML). An ...inflammatory cell infiltration in various degrees was noticed in total 28 patients with leukemia (L). Various degrees of epithelium hyperplasia in all patients existing in 14 patients with medium intensity and occurring in 14 patients with light intensity of hyperplasia were observed. An increase in the keratinization of epithelium, in 3 patients with medium intensity and 1 patient with light intensity was found. It was also seen that there were fungal infections in 3 patients with medium intensity, in 6 patients with light intensity and existing in a total 26 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
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