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<b><i>Background:</i></b> Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a rare disease amongst children and adolescents. Previous studies have reported a number of differences between children/adolescents, young adults, and adult patients with CRC. However, none of these studies compared these age groups according to their clinicopathologic and prognostic characteristics. In the current study, we compare these three age groups. <b><i>Methods:</i></b>A total of 173 (1.1% of 15,654 patients) young CRC patients (≤25 years) were included in the study. As a control group, 237 adult CRC patients (&#x3e;25 years) were also included. Patients were divided into three age groups: child/adolescent (10–19 years), young adult (20–25 years), and adult (&#x3e;25 years). <b><i>Results:</i></b> Statistical differences amongst the three groups in terms of gender (<i>p</i> = 0.446), family history (<i>p</i> = 0.578), symptoms of presentation (<i>p</i> = 0.306), and interval between initiation of symptoms and diagnosis (<i>p</i> = 0.710) could not be demonstrated. Whilst abdominal pain (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) and vomiting (<i>p</i> = 0.002) were less common in young adults than in other groups, rectal bleeding and changes in bowel habits were relatively less common in adolescents than in other groups. Rectal localisation (<i>p</i> = 0.035), mucinous adenocarcinoma (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001), and a poorly differentiated histologic subtype (<i>p</i> &#x3c; 0.001) were less common in the adult group than in other groups. The percentage of patients with metastasis and sites of metastasis (e.g., peritoneum and lung) differed between groups. The median overall survival was 32.6 months in the adolescent group, 57.8 months in the young adult group and was not reached in the adult group (<i>p</i> = 0.022). The median event-free survival of the adolescent, young adult, and adult groups was 29.0, 29.9, and 61.6 months, respectively (<i>p</i> = 0.003). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> CRC patients of different age groups present different clinicopathologic and prognostic characteristics. Clinicians should be aware of and manage the disease according to these differences.

Aim: To compare the seropositivity rate of cancer patients with non-cancer controls after inactive SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (CoronaVac) and evaluate the factors affecting seropositivity. Method: Spike IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 were measured in blood samples of 776 cancer patients and 715 non-cancer volunteers. An IgG level ≥50 AU/ml is accepted as seropositive. Results: The seropositivity rate was 85.2% in the patient group and 97.5% in the control group. The seropositivity rate and antibody levels were significantly lower in the patient group (p < 0.001). Age and chemotherapy were associated with lower seropositivity in cancer patients (p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study highlighted the efficacy and safety of the inactivated vaccine in cancer patients. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT04771559  (ClinicalTrials.gov)

Objectives:To analyze the relationship between clinical features, hormonal receptor status, and survival in patients who were diagnosed with medullary breast cancer (MBC).Methods:Demographic characteristics, histopathological features, and survival statuses of 201 patients diagnosed with MBC between 1995 and 2015 were retrospectively recorded. Survival analyses were conducted with uni- and multivariate cox regression analysis.Results:Median follow-up time was 54 (4-272) months. Median patient age at the time of diagnosis was 47 years old (26-90). Of the patients, 91.5% were triple negative. Five-year recurrence free survival time (RFS) rate was 87.4% and overalll survival (OS) rate 95.7%. For RFS, progesterone receptor (PR) negativity, atypical histopathological evaluation, absence of lymphovascular invasion, smaller tumor, lower nodal involvement were found to be favourable prognostic factors by univariate analysis (p<0.05). The PR negativity and smaller tumor were found to be favourable factors by univariate analysis (p<0.05). However, none of these factors were determined as significant independent prognostic factors for OS (p>0.05).Conclusion:Turkish MBC patients exhibited good prognosis, which was comparable with survival outcomes achieved in the literature. The PR negativity was related to a better RFS and OS rates.

BackgroundSoft tissue sarcomas (STSs) are rare malignant tumors of embryogenic mesoderm origin. Primary thoracic STSs account for a small percentage of all STSs and limited published information is available. This study aimed to identify the prognostic factors for thoracic STSs and evaluate the disease's clinical outcomes.MethodsThe medical records of 109 patients with thoracic STSs who were treated between 2003 and 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' survival rates were analyzed and potential prognostic factors evaluated.ResultsThe median follow-up period was 29 months (range: 1–121 months). STSs were most frequently localized on the chest wall (n = 42; 38.5%) and lungs (n = 42; 38.5%). The most common histological types were malignant fibrous histiocytoma (n = 23; 21.1%), liposarcoma (n = 17; 15.6%), and leiomyosarcoma (n = 16; 14.7%). The median survival time of all patients was 40.3 months (95% confidence interval, 14.22–66.37 months), with one and five-year survival rates of 93.4% and 63.5%, respectively. Univariate analysis of all groups revealed that metastatic stage, unresectability, tumor diameter of >10 cm, tumor location other than the chest wall, and grade 3 diseases were predictable of poor survival. However, only grade 3 diseases and tumor location other than the chest wall were confirmed by multivariate analysis as poor prognostic factors.ConclusionsPrimary thoracic STSs are rarely seen malignant tumors. Our results indicated that patients with low-grade tumors and those localized on the chest wall often experienced better survival outcomes.