Browsing by Author "Kamer, Serra"

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Daily Workflow and Workload of Radiation Oncology Specialists in Turkey
(2015) Akman, Fadime; Kamer, Serra; Onal, Cem; Agaoglu, Fulya; Guney, Yildiz; Hicsonmez, Ayse; Koc, Mehmet; Colpan Oksuz, Didem; Ozyigit, Gokhan; Ozkok, Serdar; 0000-0002-2742-9021; D-5195-2014
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to research the effort required by patient evaluation, radiotherapy planning and treatment processes in the daily applications of radiation oncology in terms of time, and to use this effort as the primary source for human power and infrastructure planning required in radiotherapy. METHODS The surveys carried out by Turkish Radiation Oncology Association Proficiency Board, Curriculum Preparation and Evaluation Commission on Education Institutions, Surveys delivered to the officers of the center via electronic mail, were answered and evaluated in accordance with the data of 2012. RESULTS 26 University and 8 Ministry of Health Hospitals participated in the study. The total number of specialists employed in the participant centers, were 227. For per specialist, 383 hours in a year were spent for the patients at follow-up, 334 hours were spent for the patients that were in treatment, and 950 hours were spent for planning and treatment set-ups. It was determined that the time spent for per patient in intensity modulated radiotherapy technique, was 2-3 times more when compared to the location of tumor, which is a conformal technique. It was observed that this duration was much longer in special radiotherapy applications such as brachytherapy, total body irradiation and radiosurgery. CONCLUSION Technological advancements in radiotherapy, require more effort and working time for new job descriptions and in daily practice.
Pediatric Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis: Single Center Experience Over A 17-Year Period
(2016) Ince, Dilek; Demirag, Bengu; Ozek, Gulcihan; Erbay, Ayse; Ortac, Ragip; Oymak, Yesim; Kamer, Serra; Yaman, Yontem; Kundak, Selcen; Vergin, Canan; 28276205
This study aimed to analyze children with the diagnosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) who were diagnosed and treated between 1998-2015. Medical records were evaluated retrospectively for clinical and laboratory features, treatment details, and outcome. There were 20 patients, the median age of diagnosis was 37 months, M/F ratio: 1.5. Nine had single system (SS), 11 had multisystem (MS) LCH. Spontaneous regression occurred in three infants with skin limited LCH. Eight patients had risk organ involvement in MS-LCH group. The curettage alone was performed in only one case. Patients received LCH-II/LCH-III based chemotherapy schema. Radiotherapy was performed to vertebral disease and residual craniofacial bone disease in four cases. The regression and relapse rates were 100% and 33% for SS-LCH. The regression and relapse rates were 73%, and 18% for MS-LCH. Two infants with MS-LCH died despite chemotherapy. Pulmonary and liver involvements affected outcome adversely in MS-LCH. Multidisciplinary treatment approaches are needed.
Review of Current Status of Radiotherapy Facilities and Assessment of Required Time for Radiotherapy Delivery Workflow in Turkey: On Behalf of Turkish Society for Radiation Oncology
(2015) Akman, Fadime; Onal, Cem; Kamer, Serra; Agaoglu, Fulya; Guney, Yildiz; Hicsonmez, Ayse; Koc, Mehmet; Oksuz, Didem C.; Ozyiğit, Gokhan; Ozkok, Serdar
The aim this study is to evaluate current status and workload of radiotherapy (RT) centers in Turkey, by assessing time and staff required during core treatment procedures in patients with different tumor sites. A survey sent via e-mail to all hospitals that are actively treating patients with RT, that aimed expose the details on type of the techniques being used and the time spent for treatment planning and delivery for the different techniques according to different tumor sites. The results were evaluated by several variables, the type of the center (university hospitals or state-run hospitals) and the number of patients treated per year per center (<1000 patients/year treated vs. 000 patients/year treated). The survey was sent to 48 centers and the return rate was 71% (34 centers). Average daily treatment course performed by one physician was 192 per year (range: 41 - 650). Median number of patients treated by a specialist per year was 210 (range: 79 - 650) in the university hospitals and 101 (range: 41 - 167) in the state-run hospitals. Median time spent for treating a patient with 3-dimensional conformal RT (3DCRT) was 4 h, and it was 5 h 45 min for intensity-modulated AT (IMRT). The time spent for all cancer types treated with 3DCRT and IMRT was higher in state-run hospitals compared to university hospitals. With increasing use of newer AT techniques, the time spent for treating patients increases. Besides adequate equipment, sufficient and well-trained staff is required to achieve these newer AT technique benefits for the patients.
Treatment outcome and prognostic factors for adult patients with medulloblastoma: The Rare Cancer Network (RCN) experience
(2018) Atalar, Banu; Ozsahin, Mahmut; Call, Jason; Napieralska, Aleksandra; Kamer, Serra; Villa, Salvador; Erpolat, Petek; Negretti, Laura; Lassen-Ramshad, Yasmin; Onal, Cem; Akyurek, Serap; Ugurluer, Gamze; Baumert, Brigitta G.; Servagi-Vernat, Stephanie; Miller, Robert C.; Ozyar, Enis; Sio, Terence T.; https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2742-9021; 29373196; D-5195-2014
Background and purpose: The optimal treatment for adults with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma (MB) has not been defined. We report a large series of cases from the Rare Cancer Network. Material and methods: Thirteen institutions enrolled 206 MB patients who underwent postoperative radiotherapy (RT) between 1976 and 2014. Log-rank univariate and Cox-modeled multivariate analyses were used to analyze data collected. Results: Median patient age was 29 years; follow-up was 31 months. All patients had the tumor resected; surgery was complete in 140 (68%) patients. Postoperative RT was given in 202 (98%) patients, and 94% received craniospinal irradiation (CSI) and, usually, a posterior fossa boost. Ninety-eight (48%) patients had chemotherapy, mostly cisplatin and vincristine-based. The 10-year local control, overall survival, and disease-free survival rates were 46%, 51%, and 38%, respectively. In multivariate analyses, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) >= 80 and CSI were significant for disease-free and overall survival (P <= .04 for all); receiving chemotherapy and KPS >= 80 correlated with better local-control rates. Conclusions: Patients with high KPS who received CSI had better rates of disease-free and overall survival. Chemotherapy was associated with better local control. These results may serve as a benchmark for future studies designed to improve outcomes for adults with medulloblastoma. (C) 2018 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved. Radiotherapy and Oncology 127 (2018) 96-102