Aim: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between some demographic and clinical factors and survival in patients with gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated the records of 252 gastric cancer patients followed up in the medical oncology department between 01.01.2016 and 10.01.2020. Gastric lymphoma, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and neuroendocrine tumor were excluded. Factors evaluated in the study included age, sex, urban/non-urban residence, admitting complaints, smoking history, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, stage at diagnosis, histological subtype, surgical history, tumor location, grade, diameter and macroscopic view of tumor, metastatic lymph node ratio, chemotherapy regimens, febrile neutropenia, post-chemotherapy radiological reports, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) history and survival after diagnosis. Results: Mean overall survival (OS) time was significantly shorter in patients with weight loss (p<0.001), high ECOG score (p<0.001), radiological progression (p<0.001), advanced cancer stage (p<0.001) and tumor grade (p=0.024). Mean OS was longer in patients who received chemotherapy compared to those who did not at stage 4 (p<0.001). Mean OS was significantly longer in patients who underwent gastrectomy and received adjuvant CRT compared to those who did not (p<0.001). Mean OS was shorter in patients with a metastatic lymph node ratio over 30% (p30%, tumor diameter >3 cm and presence of palliative chemotherapy in terminal patients.

Background/Objective: The psychological impact of in vivo diagnostic procedures remains poorly understood. We assessed changes in psychological distress and drug hypersensitivity-related quality of life (QoL) throughout a diagnostic evaluation for suspected immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions (IDHRs) and aimed to identify predictors of persistent psychological burden. Methods: This single-center prospective observational longitudinal study included 100 consecutive adults undergoing evaluation for suspected IDHRs. Psychological distress and QoL were assessed using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Drug Hypersensitivity Quality of Life Questionnaire (DrHy-Q). Assessments were performed before and after each diagnostic phase, including skin tests (STs), placebo, and drug provocation tests (DPTs). Results: The mean age was 44.2 ± 12.5 years, and women comprised 72% of the cohort. Depression, anxiety, stress, and DrHy-Q scores significantly decreased after ST, placebo, and DPT compared with baseline measurements. Across diagnostic stages, depression, anxiety, stress, and DrHy-Q scores were significantly lower during the DPT phase than during the ST and placebo phase in both pre-test and post-test measurements (p < 0.01 for pairwise comparisons). The number of prior HSRs showed a weak but significant positive correlation with DrHy-Q scores. In multivariable linear regression analysis, the number of prior HSRs was the only independent predictor of post-DPT DrHy-Q scores (β = 3.43, 95% CI 1.36–5.50, p = 0.001). Patients who avoided the provoked drug despite a negative DPT had higher DPT-post depression, anxiety, stress, and DrHy-Q scores. Conclusions: Psychological burden progressively decreased over the course of the stepwise diagnostic evaluation for suspected IDHRs, although patients with repeated reactions may benefit from additional support.