Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations are potential markers driving carcinogenesis, and may alter the response to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The frequency of EGFR mutations in patients with NSCLC differs according to sex, smoking habits and regional-based ethnicity differences. The aim of the present study was to determine the frequency of EGFR mutations in Turkish patients with NSCLC to highlight the importance of regional differences, and their associations with patient characteristics. Genomic DNA was extracted from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tumor tissue sections of 409 NSCLC patients. The most common EGFR mutations in exons 18, 19, 20 and 21 were detected using BioFilmChip-based microarray assay. The overall EGFR mutation frequency was 16.6%, and the highest mutation frequencies were observed in exon 19 (6.4%) and exon 21 (7.3%). There was a higher frequency of EGFR mutations in females compared with males and in never-smokers compared with smokers (both P≤0.05). These results were similar to other European population-based studies, but not consistent Middle-Eastern based studies. The present study may contribute to understanding the gradient frequency of EGFR mutation across different ethnicities, and in designing genome wide-based collaborations that may reveal novel decision making and susceptibility mutations in EGFR in patients with NSCLC.

Background/aim: Natural products are popular insights for researchers to investigate promising anti-cancer agents since some of these substances have lesser adverse effects restricting the treatment than traditional chemotherapeutic agents. A well-known monoterpene Carvacrol, widely consumed in Mediterranean cuisine and lower risks of cancer, has efficient anticancer effects. However, the mechanism of action is yet to be discovered. Materials and methods: The investigation aims to illuminate a new perceptive in the role of this substance on colorectal cancer treatment, by the means of differences in a well-defined range of soluble factors. Carvacrol effect on both HT-29 and HCT-116 cell lines was evaluated on proliferation and the IC 50 values were calculated by the RTCA xCELLigence device. Then MAGPIX assay was performed to obtain the changes in soluble factors of the cell lines. Results: The Multiplexing assay suggests some of these factors were altered in favor of surviving and proliferation in aggressive cell line HCT-116 whereas they were altered against these characters in HT-29, were correlated with the increased IC 50 concentration of HCT-116 in carvacrol treatment. Conclusion: The current study indicates that differences in the levels of these soluble factors could modulate the anticancer effect related to carvacrol.

As in all living cells, cancer cells are evaluating is very important in the frames of tumor development and treatment. As in all evolutionary process, the environment of living cells has an important role. Tumor cells have an environment is called tumor microenvironment, affects the therapeutic response and clinical results. Tumor microenvironments involve various cell types, extracellular matrix substances that are in the niche of cancer cells. The microenvironment is not only important in tumorigenesis but it is effective on therapeutic efficacy. In this review, we carried out the interaction between non-small cell lung cancer and its microenvironment to point out the significance of the tumor environment.

Objectives:Neuroblastoma is an extracranial solid tumor of early childhood that has a hypoxic environment. VEGF and HIFs molecules play a role in adaptation to this microenvironment. Hypoxic microenvironment leads to poor prognosis and inadequate treatment of neuroblastoma. Metformin has been shown to inhibit tumor growth, might be a potential chemotherapeutic agent. The anti-cancer activity of Metformin on SH-SY5Y cells are not fully elucidated. The aim of this study is to determine the anti-cancer effect of Metformin on SH-SY5Y cells and to elucidate its molecular action mechanism in hypoxia/normoxia.Patients and Methods:SH-SY5Y cells were exposed to increasing doses of Metformin. The viability of SH-SY5Y cells was evaluated using the real time xCELLigence RTCA system. Migration of SH-SY5Y cells was determined using wound healing. The effect of metformin on mRNA and protein expression levels was evaluated using Real-time PCR and Western Blot, respectively.Results:Metformin was observed to significantly reduce the viability of SH-SY5Y cells. Metformin treatment reduced migration of SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, Metformin treatment significantly reduced mRNA expression of HIF-1α, PDK-1 and VEGF-A in SH-SY5Y cells under normoxia and hypoxia. In hypoxia condition, protein expression of HIF-1α and VEGF-A decreased after Metformin administration on SH-SY5Y cells. Protein expression of PDK-1 was observed to decrease in both normoxia and hypoxia conditions on SH-SY5Y cells. Conclusion:In this study, the anti-cancer effect of Metformin on SH-SY5Y cells was determined. Metformin has been observed as inhibitor of migration in SH-SY5Y. Metformin treatment has been shown to reduce gene and protein levels of HIF-1α and target molecules in neuroblastoma cells.

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