Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) and biliary tract cancers (BTCs) have poor survival rates and a low likelihood of a cure, especially in advanced-stage disease. Early diagnosis is crucial and can significantly improve survival rates through curative treatment approaches. Current guidelines recommend abdominal ultrasonography (USG) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) monitoring for HCC screening in high-risk groups, and abdominal USG, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) monitoring for biliary tract cancer. However, despite this screening strategy, many high-risk individuals still develop advanced-stage HCC and BTC. Blood-based biomarkers are being developed for use in HCC or BTC high-risk groups. Studies on AFP, AFP-L3, des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin, glypican-3 (GPC3), osteopontin (OPN), midkine (MK), neopterin, squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), Mac-2-binding protein (M2BP), cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and interleukin-6 biomarkers for HCC screening have shown promising results when evaluated individually or in combination. In the case of BTCs, the potential applications of circulating tumor DNA, circulating microRNA, and circulating tumor cells in diagnosis are also promising. These biomarkers have shown potential in detecting BTCs in early stages, which can significantly improve patient outcomes. Additionally, these biomarkers hold promise for monitoring disease progression and evaluating response to therapy in BTC patients. However, further research is necessary to fully understand the clinical utility of these biomarkers in the diagnosis and management of HCC and BTCs.

Background: Metastatic bladder cancer (mBC) presents a significant global health challenge with a poor prognosis and considerably limited survival. Despite advancements in therapies, long-term survival remains difficult to predict. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic potential of various pretreatment blood-based biomarkers, including the NLR, dNLR, LMR, PLR, SII, mGPS, CAR, AGR, PNI, PIV, and Bellmunt score, in mBC patients. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 133 patients from Hacettepe University Cancer Institute was analyzed. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox regression models were used to assess overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: There was a significant association between multiple biomarkers and OS in the univariate analysis, with a higher NLR, PLR, and SII linked to worse outcomes. However, in the multivariate analysis, only the modified Glasgow Prognostic Score (mGPS) maintained independent prognostic significance for OS (HR: 1.984, p = 0.013). This suggests that the mGPS, which reflects systemic inflammation and nutritional status, is a robust predictor of survival in mBC. Conclusions: This study highlights the potential of integrating blood-based biomarkers into clinical decision-making to improve personalized treatment strategies. However, prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and assess their applicability to newer therapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors and antibody–drug conjugates.

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-targeting therapies have become crucial in the management of HER2-positive breast cancer. Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) is a microtubule inhibitor and HER2-targeted antibody conjugate. T-DM1 resistance is most likely influenced by factors involved in the biological mechanisms of T-DM1 action. This study aimed to examine the efficacy of statins, which influence HER-2-based therapies via the caveolin-1 (CAV-1) protein, in female breast cancer patients receiving T-DM1. Our study included 105 patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer treated with T-DM1. The progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients who received statins concurrently with T-DM1 versus those who did not were compared. During the median 39.5 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 35.6–43.5) months of follow-up, 16 (15.2%) patients received statins, and 89 (84.8%) patients did not. Median OS was significantly higher in patients using statins than in patients not using statins (58.8 vs 26.5 months, P = .016). The association between statin use and PFS did not reach statistical significance (34.7 vs 9.9 months, P = .159). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that better performance status (hormone receptor [HR]: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.13–0.71, P = .006), use of trastuzumab plus pertuzumab prior to T-DM1 (HR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.18–0.76, P = .007) and use of statins with T-DM1 (HR: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.12–0.70, P = .006) were independent factors that prolong OS duration. Our study showed that T-DM1 is more effective at treating HER2-positive breast cancer in people who receive statins concurrently with T-DM1 than those who do not.

Background/Objectives: In this retrospective study, we aimed to compare the efficacy, survival, and toxicity results of induction (IC) or adjuvant (AC) treatment with chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in locally advanced nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Methods: A total of 405 patients from 22 different centres in Turkey, belonging to the Turkish Oncology Group (TOG), was included. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and the secondary endpoints were safety and toxicity. Results: The median age of the patients included in the study was 49 (18.2–91.5) years. In total, 298 (73.6%) of the patients were male. Of the 405 patients, 258 (63.7%) received IC and 147 (36.3%) received AC treatment. When OS and PFS analyses were performed in terms of age, gender, T and N stages, pathological features, and treatments received, no effect of any variable on prognosis was observed. For the overall group, the median estimated OS was 137.3 months (the Kaplan–Meier statistical method could not reach the 95% confidence interval [CI]). For the IC group, the median estimated survival was 137.3 months (95% CI: 111.4–163.3), whereas the Kaplan–Meier statistical method could not estimate survival for the AC group. No statistically significant difference was observed between IC and AC groups in terms of OS (p = 0.209) or PFS (p = 0.248). Grade 3–4 side effects were observed in 12% of patients in the IC group and 29.9% of patients in the AC group. Treatment was discontinued due to toxicity in 5 patients (1.9%) in the IC group and 18 patients (12.2%) in the AC group. Conclusion: No difference in OS or PFS was observed between AC and IC treatments. More grade 3–4 side effects were observed in the AC-treated group and early discontinuation rate was higher.