To the best of our knowledge, this is the first randomized-controlled study to have examined the impact of weaning method on iron intakes, hematological parameters and growth in breastfed infants. BLW can be an alternative complementary feeding type without increasing the risk of iron deficiency, choking and growth faltering. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Background: Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is one of the important health problems in Turkey, being very common and highly lethal. The aim of this study was to determine clinical, demographic features and risk factors. Materials and Methods: Nine hundred and sixth-three patients with HCC from 13 cities in Turkey were included in this study. Results: Only 205 (21%) of the 963 patients were women, with a male:female predominance of 4.8:1 and a median age of 61 years. The etiologic risk factors for HCC were hepatitis B in 555 patients (57.6%), 453 (81%) in men, and 102 (19%) in women, again with male predominance, hepatitis C in 159 (16.5%), (14.9% and 22.4%, with a higher incidence in women), and chronic alcohol abuse (more than ten years) in 137 (14.2%) (16.8% and 4.9%, higher in males). The Child-Pugh score paralleled with advanced disease stage amd also a high level of AFP. Conclusions: According to our findings the viral etiology (hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections) in the Turkish population was the most important factor in HCC development, with alcohol abuse as the third risk factor. The Child-Pugh classification and AFP levels were determined to be important prognostic factors in HCC patients.

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Purpose: It is well known that trace elements and heavy metals play a significant role in human health and disease. These elements play an important role in different metabolic pathways of cells and tissues. Trace element deficiency or excess is implicated in the development or progression of some cancers. We present a study which investigates serum/ plasma levels of trace-heavy elements in metastatic colon cancer patients and healthy subjects. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 29 healthy subjects and 40 patients with metastatic colon cancer in Oncology Department of Medical School of Yuzuncu Yil University. In both groups, the serum levels of copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), lead (Pb), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn) selenium (Se), manganese (Mn), and cadmium (Cd) were determined. Results: Higher levels of Cu, Mg, Pb, Cr, Zn, Mn and Cd were seen in patients with metastatic colon cancer compared to healthy subjects and these findings were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Se levels were noted to be lower in patients with colon cancer in comparison to healthy subjects and this finding was also statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: According to our findings there was significant diffence in trace elements and heavy metals levels between healthy subjects and metastatic colon cancer patients. Therefore heavy metal and trace elements may have prognostic significance in complex disorders including colon cancer. However, further comprehensive studies are needed in order to advance our understanding of the relationship between heavy metal and trace elements and their role in cancers.

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BackgroundDiagnostic performance of Diffusion-Weighted magnetic resonance Imaging (DWI) and Multi-Detector Computed Tomography (MDCT) for TNM (Tumor, Lymph node, Metastasis) staging of gastric cancer was compared.Patients and methodsWe used axial T2-weighted images and DWI (b-0,400 and b-800 s/mm2) protocol on 51 pre-operative patients who had been diagnosed with gastric cancer. We also conducted MDCT examinations on them. We looked for a signal increase in the series of DWI images. The depth of tumor invasion in the stomach wall (tumor (T) staging), the involvement of lymph nodes (nodal (N) staging), and the presence or absence of metastases (metastatic staging) in DWI and CT images according to the TNM staging system were evaluated. In each diagnosis of the tumors, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative accuracy rates of DWI and MDCT examinations were found through a comparison with the results of the surgical pathology, which is the gold standard method. In addition to the compatibilities of each examination with surgical pathology, kappa statistics were used.ResultsSensitivity and specificity of DWI and MDCT in lymph node staging were as follows: N1: DWI: 75.0%, 84.6%; MDCT: 66.7%, 82%;N2: DWI: 79.3%, 77.3%; MDCT: 69.0%, 68.2%; N3: DWI: 60.0%, 97.6%; MDCT: 50.0%, 90.2%. The diagnostic tool DWI seemed more compatible with the gold standard method (surgical pathology), especially in the staging of lymph node, when compared to MDCT. On the other hand, in T staging, the results of DWI and MDCT were better than the gold standard when the T stage increased. However, DWI did not demonstrate superiority to MDCT. The sensitivity and specificity of both imaging techniques for detecting distant metastasis were 100%.ConclusionsThe diagnostic accuracy of DWI for TNM staging in gastric cancer before surgery is at a comparable level with MDCT and adding DWI to routine protocol of evaluating lymph nodes metastasis might increase diagnostic accuracy.

Lapatinib is a dual tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) that has a considerable efficacy in ErbB2-positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC). Previous studies revealed that TKIs caused cardiotoxicity in approximately 10 % of the patients. This study assessed the cardiac safety of lapatinib in women with ErbB2-positive MBC. In this observational single center study, all patients with ErbB2-positive MBC who were previously treated with anthracycline, taxanes, and trastuzumab in the adjuvant and/or metastatic setting were assigned to receive lapatinib at a dose of 1,250 mg per day continuously plus capecitabine at a dose of 2,000 mg/m(2) in two divided doses on days 1 through 14 of a 21-day cycle. Cardiac toxicity was assessed with symptoms, transthoracic echocardiography, electrocardiography and biochemical markers (brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), creatine kinase (CK) and creatine kinase-MB) at baseline and every 9 weeks until disease progression. Twenty-six patients were treated with lapatinib and capecitabine therapy for a median of 18 (range 3-60) weeks. The median age was 48 (range 28-83) years. All patients had ErbB2-positive MBC. Among 25 eligible patients, 5 (19.2 %) patients experienced new cardiac events compared with baseline findings. Of these 5 patients, 1 (3.8 %) had T wave negativity, 1 (3.8 %) had sinus tachycardia, 1 (3.8 %) had grade 1 (453 ms) QT prolongation, and 2 (7.7 %) had decreased LVEF below the critical level. Among eligible 21 patients, 2 (7.7 %) had increased BNP, 1 (3.8 %) had increased CK, and 1 (3.8 %) had increased CK-MB level compared with baseline. No serious cardiac events that required monitorization or medication occurred. There was no statistically significant relationship between the duration of lapatinib administration and LVEF changes, QT prolongation, BNP, CK, and CK-MB level. According to our findings, lapatinib was safe and well tolerated and has a low incidence of cardiac side effects. Therefore, it seemed that cardiotoxicity was not a class effect of TKIs. However, despite the absence of clinically significant adverse cardiac effects under lapatinib therapy, the incidence of cardiotoxicity reported in our study was higher than previous lapatinib studies.