Background: Despite a reduction in the number of deaths from cancers made possible by the development of early detection tests, improvements in treatment, changes in the age distribution of the population, and changes of personal behaviors as a result of awareness, breast cancer remains a major health problem worldwide. Breast cancer is the most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death in women. Several genetic and environmental factors are known to be involved in breast cancer pathogenesis, but its exact etiology is complicated and is not clearly identified. The structure and integrity of telomeres are pivotal for genome stability, and telomere length is maintained by the expression of the telomerase enzyme. The human telomerase reverse transcriptase ( hTERT ) gene is a principal functional subunit of the telomerase. Several recent studies have provided evidence that hTERT gene variants may have an important role in cancer development. Methods: Three hTERT variants (rs2736100, rs2736098, and rs2853669) were genotyped for 107 breast cancer patients and 110 healthy controls to determine their effect on breast cancer susceptibility. Results: It was observed that hTERT rs2736098 was associated with breast cancer risk (odds ratio [OR] = 1.88; p = 0.034), while rs2736100 and rs2853669 did not significantly differ between the groups. Conclusions: These findings are the first description of hTERT allele distributions in the Turkish population and may contribute to our understanding of breast cancer development. Nevertheless, further large-scale population studies are needed to understand the role of the hTERT polymorphisms and haplotypes in the development of breast cancer.

Background and Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of pneumoperitoneum and patient positioning on respiratory mechanics and blood gases in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. Methods After the approval of the Ethical Committee, 32 patients were divided into 2 groups as COPD patients (n=16) and normal patients (n=16). Dynamic respiratory compliance (Cdyn), airway resistance, and peak inspiratory pressure were monitored. Measurements were made in 5 time points: after intubation (intubation), Trendelenburg position (Trendelenburg), during laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication surgery after pneumoperitoneum with the Fowler position (Fowler), right before the desufflation with Fowler position (Fowler-end), and after the desufflation in supine position (supine). Samples of arterial blood gases were collected at the same periods. Results At all periods, there was a significant decrease in Cdyn and arterial oxygen pressure in 2 groups. Although pneumoperitoneum did not exist during Trendelenburg position, the Cdyn (38±13 mL cm H₂O⁻¹) found to be significantly decreased in COPD patients. In 2 groups, the lowest Cdyn value detected during the Fowler-end period was 43±8 mL cm H₂O⁻¹ in control group and 34±11 mL cm H₂O⁻¹ in COPD group. Whereas the pH decreased at Fowler, Fowler-end, and supine period, arterial carbon dioxide pressure increased (P<0.05). There was no difference for the other parameters. Conclusions In COPD patients, Trendelenburg position has negative effect on respiratory mechanics. Pneumoperitoneum and other positions have similar effect on respiratory mechanics in COPD and control patients.

Aim: Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. Several genetic and environmental factors are known to be involved in breast cancer pathogenesis, but the exact etiology of this disease is complicated and not completely understood. We aimed to investigate whether the gene polymorphisms of ABCB1 and ABCG2 carrier proteins and COX-2 enzyme affect breast cancer risk. Method: ABCG2 C421A (rs2231142), ABCB1 C3435T (rs1045642), COX-2 T8473C (rs5275) and COX-2 G306C (rs5277) were genotyped 104 breast cancer patients and 90 healthy controls using a real-time PCR for breast cancer susceptibility. Results: Patients carrying ABCG2 C421A, the CC genotype, had a higher risk of disease compared with patients carrying any A allele (OR = 3.06; 95% CI = 1.49–6.25, p = 0.0019). The other variants showed no association with breast cancer (p > 0.05). Comparing the pathological parameters with the variants, only, the frequency of C allele of ABCB1 C3435T was significantly lower in the estrogen receptor-α (ERα) (OR = 2.25; 95% CI: 0.75–6.76; p = 0.041) and progesterone receptor (PgR) (OR = 3.67; 95% CI: 1.34–10.03; p = 0.008) positive breast cancer patients. Conclusion: ABCB1 C3435T and ABCG2 C421A might represent a potential risk factor for breast cancer for Turkish women.

Background: This study investigates the effects of COVID-19 on the breast cancer stage and the volume of breast cancer surgery in a specialized breast institute.Methods: Data of 332 patients who were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer between December 2019 and November 2020 were evaluated retrospectively according to periods of pandemic.Results: A significant decrease in the number of operations, especially upfront surgeries rather than surgeries after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, was detected in the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was found that patients with complaints were mostly admitted during this period (p = 0.024). No statistical significance was found for age, sex, side of the tumor, type of tumor, surgery to breast, and axilla. Following the early period of the pandemic, it was observed that patients with mostly luminal, early-stage, and less axillary nodal involvement (p < 0.05) were admitted, and as a result, it was founded that upfront surgeries increased, although no change in TNM staging was observed. However, it did affect the decision of initial treatment. Thus, the number of upfront surgeries was significantly higher than the NCT group (p = 0.027) following the early period.Conclusion: Surgical volume is significantly affected in the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic. To overcome overload due to delayed surgeries related to pandemics, some hospitals should be spared for oncological treatments. Following the early period, mostly luminal type, early-stage patients were admitted, probably because of increased self-awareness and short wave duration, but the breast cancer stage was not affected.