Abstract Introduction In Brazil, about 26,000 cases of colorectal cancer are diagnosed per year. Pa- tients considered at the early stage of disease (without lymph node) evolve with tumor relapse or ...recurrence in up to a quarter of cases, probably due to understaging. Objective Research on ex vivo sentinel lymph node in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. Materials and methods We studied 37 patients who underwent curative surgical resection. The marker used to identify lymph nodes was patent blue dye injected into the peritu- moral submucosa of the open surgical specimen immediately after its removal from the abdominal cavity. Results Ex vivo identification of sentinel lymph node with marker occurred in 13 (35.1%) patients. The sensitivity was 40% and 60% false negative. The detailed histological examina- tion of sentinel lymph nodes with multilevel section and immunohistochemistry showed metastasis in one (4.3%) individual, considered ultra-staging. Conclusion The ex vivo identification of sentinel lymph node had questionable benefits, and worse results when include patients with rectal cancer. Restaging of one patient was possible after multilevel section and immunohistochemistry of the sentinel lymph node, but more research is needed to evaluate the role of micrometastases in patients with colorectal cancer.
RESUMO Objetivo: avaliar a qualidade do tratamento cirúrgico de pacientes com câncer de ovário e o impacto do tratamento oncológico cirúrgico adequado na sobrevida livre de doença e sobrevida global ...de pacientes com câncer de ovário epitelial avançado. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional, retrospectivo, de análise quantitativo, com coleta de dados em prontuários de uma amostra de conveniência temporal de pacientes com diagnóstico de câncer de ovário internadas em uma Unidade de Oncologia de Alta Complexidade (UNACON), em Belo Horizonte, no período de 2014 a 2020. Resultados: foram avaliadas 91 pacientes diagnosticadas com câncer de ovário, sendo o tipo histopatológico epitelial o mais frequente (85%). Desse total, 68 pacientes (74,7%) apresentavam câncer de ovário em estágio avançado. O tratamento cirúrgico adequado foi realizado em 30,9% das pacientes com câncer de ovário epitelial avançado e o tipo de cirurgia realizada foi estatisticamente significativo para a sobrevida global. Essa baixa proporção de tratamento cirúrgico oncológico adequado não esteve relacionada à especialidade cirúrgica ou competência do cirurgião, mas principalmente à doença avançada relacionada ao fluxo de pacientes na UNACON. Não foi possível confirmar se a doença em estágio avançado estava relacionada à biologia tumoral ou à perda de tempo do diagnóstico para a cirurgia oncológica. Conclusão: A sobrevida global de pacientes com câncer de ovário epitelial em estágio avançado é diretamente influenciada pelo tratamento cirúrgico adequado. Porém, o percentual de câncer de ovário avançado recebendo tratamento cirúrgico adequado foi muito inferior aos índices relatados na literatura. Para melhorar esses resultados, acreditamos que os cirurgiões devem continuar acompanhando as pacientes durante a quimioterapia neoadjuvante para apontar um melhor momento para a cirurgia, e os oncologistas clínicos devem considerar melhor a cirurgia oncológica adequada como um dos pilares do tratamento do câncer de ovário e se envolver mais na facilitação das cirurgias.
ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the quality of surgical treatment of ovarian cancer patients and assess the impact of adequate surgical oncological treatment on disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: this is an observational, retrospective study with quantitative analysis, with the collection of data in medical records of a temporal convenience sample of patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer admitted to a High Complexity Oncology Unit, in Belo Horizonte, from the period of 2014 to 2020. Results: a total of 91 patients diagnosed with ovarian cancer were evaluated, with the epithelial histopathological type being the most frequent (85%). Of this total, 68 patients (74.7%) had advanced-stage ovarian cancer. Appropriate surgical treatment was performed in 30.9% of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer and the type of performed surgery was statistically significant for overall survival. This low proportion of appropriate surgical oncological treatment was not related to surgical specially or surgeon competence, but mainly to advanced disease related to patient flow at UNACON. It was not possible to confirm if the advanced-stage disease was related to tumor biology or losing time from diagnosis to oncological surgery. Conclusion: overall survival of advanced-stage epithelial ovarian cancer patients is directly influenced by appropriate surgical treatment, however, in this study, the percentage of advanced ovarian cancer receiving adequate surgical treatment was much lower than the rates reported in the literature. To improve these outcomes, we believe that surgeons should keep following patients during neoadjuvant chemotherapy to point to a better time for surgery, and clinical oncologists should better consider adequate oncological surgery as one of the pillars of ovarian cancer treatment and get more involved in facilitating surgeries.
The use of opioid analgesics remains the primary therapy for pain control in cancer patients. However, ample evidence persists showing that treatment is still inadequate. This cross-sectional study ...was carried out during one year in a Brazilian Cancer Hospital to evaluate the impact of opioid use on analgesia and patients' quality of life. The Pain Management Index (PMI), EORTC QLQ.C30 (Quality of Life of Cancer Patients), Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4), and Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form (BPI-SF) were used. A hundred patients with advanced solid tumors and using opioids were included, with 82% of them reporting daily pain with 58% having intense pain. Morphine with a mean dose of 49 Morphine Milligram Equivalent were used by 57% of them, and PMI was negative in 34% of the sample. Neuropathic pain was found in 72% of patients. The pain was related to all BPI variables. Despite the substantial negative impact of pain on QOL, no association was found between the clinical factors assessed and QOL itself. This gap can be related to the persistence of high levels of sub-treatment, depression, and neuropathic pain associated with the use of low doses of opiates and adjuvant medications in the sample.
Abstract Background Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare neuroendocrine skin cancer with poor 5‐year survival rates. Surgery and radiation are the current first‐line treatments for local and nodal ...disease. Objectives The Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology developed this document aiming to guide the surgical oncology role in multimodal MCC management. Methods The consensus was established in three rounds of online discussion, achieving consensus on specific topics including diagnosis, staging, treatment, and follow‐up. Results Patients suspected of having MCC should undergo immunohistochemical examination and preferably undergo pathology review by a dermatopathologist. Initial staging should be performed with dermatologic and nodal physical examination, combined with complementary imaging. Whole‐body imaging, preferably with positron emission tomography (PET) or computed tomography (CT) scans, are recommended. Due to the need for multidisciplinary approaches, we recommend that all cases should be discussed in tumor boards and referred to other specialties as soon as possible, reducing potential treatment delays. We recommend that all patients with clinical stage I or II may undergo local excision associated with sentinel lymph node biopsy. The decision on margin size should consider time to recovery, patient's comorbidities, and risk factors. Patients with positive sentinel lymph nodes or the presence of risk factors should undergo postoperative radiation therapy at the primary site. Exclusive radiation is a viable option for patients with low performance. Patients with positive sentinel lymph node biopsy should undergo nodal radiation therapy or lymphadenectomy. In patients with nodal clinical disease, in addition to primary tumor treatment, nodal radiation therapy and/or lymphadenectomy are recommended. Patients with advanced disease should preferably be enrolled in clinical trials and discussed in multidisciplinary meetings. The role of surgery and radiation therapy in the metastatic/advanced setting should be discussed individually and always in tumor boards. Conclusion This document aims to standardize a protocol for initial assessment and treatment for Merkel cell carcinoma, optimizing oncologic outcomes in middle‐income countries such as Brazil.
Cisplatin (CDDP) is one of the most active cytotoxic agents and has been widely used in the treatment of peritoneal carcinomatosis by the intraperitoneal (i.p.) route. However, CDDP, a ...low-molecular-weight compound, is rapidly absorbed by the capillaries in the i.p. serosa and transferred to the bloodstream, inducing the appearance of systemic side-effects, such as nephrotoxicity. Furthermore, the i.p. CDDP chemotherapy is limited to patients whose residual tumor nodules are less than 0.5 cm in diameter after surgical debulking. The failure of i.p. therapy is attributed to the poor penetration of CDDP into larger tumors. One strategy to improve drug delivery in the peritoneal region and reduce toxicity is the use of drug delivery systems. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the biodistribution and antitumoral effect of long-circulating and pH-sensitive liposomes containing CDDP (SpHL-CDDP), as compared with free CDDP, after their i.p. administration in Ehrlich ascitic tumor-bearing mice. After administering a 6 mg/kg single i.p. bolus injection of either free CDDP or SpHL-CDDP, ascitic fluid (AF), blood and organs (kidneys, liver, spleen and lungs) were collected and analyzed for CDDP content. The area under the CDDP concentration-time curve (AUC) obtained for AF and blood after SpHL-CDDP administration was 3.3-fold larger and 1.3-fold lower, respectively, when compared with free CDDP treatment, thus indicating its high retention within the peritoneal cavity. The determination of the ratio between AUC in each tissue and that in blood (Kp) showed a lower accumulation of CDDP in kidneys after SpHL-CDDP treatment. The SpHL-CDDP treatment demonstrated a significant uptake by the liver and spleen. SpHL-CDDP treatment led to a higher survival rate of mice with initial or disseminated peritoneal carcinomatosis than CDDP treatment. These results indicate that SpHL-CDDP may be useful for i.p. chemotherapy due to their greater concentration in the peritoneal cavity.
New scientific evidence has led to modifications in the clinical practice of handling melanoma. In health care systems, there is currently a wide variety of clinical procedures to treat cancer, and ...the various routes have different effects on the survival of patients with cancer. Thus, this article aimed to evaluate the journey of patients with melanoma in the public and private health care systems in Brazil from the viewpoint of different medical professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. The study also considers the resources used for the complete delivery cycle of health care at different stages of the evolution of melanoma.
We conducted a behavioral study by applying a questionnaire to a group of medical professionals. A nonprobabilistic sampling method for convenience was used, justified by the heterogeneous national incidence and the limited availability of medical professionals who diagnose and treat melanoma.
The questionnaire was answered by 138 doctors, including doctors from the Brazilian states with the highest concentration of medical specialists and regions with a higher melanoma incidence. The results of this study have the potential to enrich our understanding of the reality of Brazilian health care systems and, at the same time, allow us to discuss the multiple ways in which professionals from diverse specialist fields understand and explain decision making in health care.
Health care decision making is complex and, among other factors, depends on the diversity of available health resources and the knowledge of which treatments provide the greatest benefit to patients and greatest value to the system as a whole. This work can inform debates and reflection that are applicable not only in Brazil, but also in various other countries with similar realities.
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