Mitigating strategies and nursing response for cancer care management during the COVID-19 pandemic: an Italian experience.

AIM: To describe our response to the COVID-19 emergency in a cancer centre to enable other nursing organizations to determine which elements could be useful to manage a surge of patients in their own setting. BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic represents one of the most challenging healthcare scenarios faced to date. Managing cancer care in such a complex situation requires a coordinated emergency action plan to guarantee the continuity of cancer treatments for patients by providing healthcare procedures for patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals in a safe environment. PROCEDURES: We describe the main strategies and role of nurses in implementating such procedures. RESULTS: Nurses at our hospital were actively involved in COVID-19 response defined by the emergency action plan that positively contributed to correct social distancing and to the prevention of the spread of the virus. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICIES: Lessons learned from the response to phase I of COVID-19 have several implications for future nursing and health policies in which nurses play an active role through their involvement in the frontline of such events. Key policies include a coordinated emergency action plan permitting duty of care within the context of a pandemic, and care pathway revision. This requires the rapid implementation of strategies and policies for a nursing response to the new care scenarios: personnel redistribution, nursing workflow revision, acquisition of new skills and knowledge, effective communication strategies, infection control policies, risk assessment and surveillance programmes, and continuous supplying of personal protective equipment. Finally, within a pandemic context, clear nursing policies reinforcing the role of nurses as patient and caregiver educators are needed to promote infection prevention behaviour in the general population.

Oral candidosis in relation to oral immunity.

Symptomatic oral infection with Candida albicans is characterized by invasion of the oral epithelium by virulent hyphae that cause tissue damage releasing the inflammatory mediators that initiate and sustain local inflammation. Candida albicans triggers pattern-recognition receptors of keratinocytes, macrophages, monocytes and dendritic cells, stimulating the production of IL-1ß, IL-6 and IL-23. These cytokines induce the differentiation of Th17 cells and the generation of IL-17- and/or IL-22-mediated antifungal protective immuno-inflammatory responses in infected mucosa. Some immune cells including NKT cells, γδ T cells and lymphoid cells that are innate to the oral mucosa have the capacity to produce large quantities of IL-17 in response to C. albicans, sufficient to mediate effective protective immunity against C. albicans. On the other hand, molecular structures of commensal C. albicans blastoconidia, although detected by pattern-recognition receptors, are avirulent, do not invade the oral epithelium, do not elicit inflammatory responses in a healthy host, but induce regulatory immune responses that maintain tissue tolerance to the commensal fungi. The type, specificity and sensitivity of the protective immune response towards C. albicans is determined by the outcome of the integrated interactions between the intracellular signalling pathways of specific combinations of activated pattern-recognition receptors (TLR2, TLR4, Dectin-1 and Dectin-2). IL-17-mediated protective immune response is essential for oral mucosal immunity to C. albicans infection.

Noma (cancrum oris) in the South African context.

Noma (cancrum oris) is a destructive necrotising disease affecting orofacial tissues predominantly of malnourished young children. It is characterised by a rapid acute onset which usually starts in the mouth, spreads intra-orally destroying soft tissue and bone and progresses to perforate the facial skin, causing disfigurement. Polybacterial anaerobic infection is critical too, but is not alone sufficient for the initiation of noma. Cofactors, first and foremost malnutrition, but also systemic viral and bacterial infections are crucial to the development of noma. A patient with necrotising stomatitis or noma must be admitted to hospital for antibiotic treatment, fluid and electrolytes as well as nutritional supplementation and general supportive treatment. The epidemiology of noma in the South African population is unknown, and the clinicopathological features are poorly characterised. Although worldwide there is no evidence that HIV infection is a strong risk factor for noma, HIV infection may play a substantial role in the pathogenesis of noma in South Africa.

Radiolucent inflammatory implant periapical lesions: a review of the literature.

PURPOSE: To discuss the terminology, etiopathogenesis, and treatment of radiolucent inflammatory implant periapical lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An electronic search for relevant articles published in the English literature in the PubMed database. RESULTS: Bacterial contamination of the apical portion of the implant either from a preexisting dental periapical infection or from a periapical lesion of endodontic origin of an adjacent tooth is the probable causative factor. Aseptic bone necrosis owing to overheating of the bone during preparation of osteotomies, or compression of the bone at the apex of the implant owing to excessive tightening, may also play a role. The histopathological features are of a mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate on a background of granulation tissue consistent with either a granuloma or an abscess as may be found at the apex of a nonvital tooth. Treatment consists of immediate and aggressive surgical debridement, chemical detoxification of the apical portion of the exposed implant surface, and systemic antibiotics with or without a bone regenerative procedure. CONCLUSION: A radiolucent inflammatory implant periapical lesion is analogous to either a granuloma or an abscess as may be found at the apex of a nonvital tooth.

Oral medicine case book 65: Necrotising stomatitis.

Necrotising stomatitis is a fulminating anaerobic polybacterial infection affecting predominantly the oral mucosa of debilitated malnourished children or immunosuppressed HIV-seropositive subjects. It starts as necrotising gingivitis which progresses to necrotising periodontitis and subsequently to necrotising stomatitis. In order to prevent the progression of necrotising stomatitis to noma (cancrum oris), affected patients should be vigorously treated and may require admission to hospital. Healthcare personnel should therefore be familiar with the signs and symptoms of necrotising gingivitis/necrotising periodontitis, of their potential sequelae and of the need for immediate therapeutic intervention.

Continuity of care of cancer patients. Analysis of theoretical models and survey tools of continuity of care in people with a cancer diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: The Italian Ministry of Health declared oncology a priority and stressed the importance of ensuring continuity and integration in cancer care pathways. In order to monitor the quality of cancer care pathways, we need to explore patients' experience of the continuity of care, identifying the dimensions that define continuity. METHODS: We found 886 relevant articles in the Pubmed database from 1987 to 5 November 2013. The search strategy for the electronic database was defined using the Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome(s) framework (PICO) to identify keywords. Two researchers independently reviewed records identified through the search strategy, analyzing continuity dimensions, specificity and/or transversal domains. RESULTS: We selected 20 articles that measure the patients' experience of continuity of care: 7 articles including 5 questionnaires [Questionnaire by King et al. 2008; Cancer care coordination Questionnaire (Cccq); Patient Continuity of Care Questionnaire (Pccq); Medical Care Questionnaire (Mcq); Continuity and Coordination of Care Questionnaire (CCCQ)]; 6 articles evaluating the relationship between patient and his/her physician (the same across the care pathway) in terms of frequency and/or dispersion; 6 articles considering one subscale of larger scales designed to evaluate the generic cancer care service patient experience; 1 revealing four organizational indicators of care pathway continuity / discontinuity. CONCLUSIONS: We traced 3 transversal dimensions across the individual analyses: informational, organizational, relational continuity. It follows that in order to cater to the needs of cancer patients, we need to simultaneously focus on these three dimensions along the cancer care pathway. In line with these results, we promoted the "R.In.Cu.ORAM.i" study (Networks for Integrated Treatment of colorectal and breast cancer), in Area Vasta Romagna Area (Italy), and developed a continuity of care patient-experience continuity tool.

A clinico-pathologic review of 56 cases of ossifying fibroma of the jaws with emphasis on the histomorphologic variations.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims at contributing to the definitive diagnosis of ossifying fibroma (OF) based on histomorphological features. The study also aims to determine some demographic features of OF, common sites of occurrence and to determine whether behavior correlates well with the histomorphological variations seen in the lesion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 80 patients who were diagnosed either as cementifying fibroma CF, OF and cemento-ossifying fibroma (COF) of the jaws from the files of the Oral Pathology Department of the University of the Witwatersrand Dental School were retrieved and the histology slides of each case were reviewed with the most recent diagnostic criteria for OF and the authors additional criteria. A total of 56 cases that met the set criteria were analyzed. RESULTS: The patients were clustered within the third and fourth decades of life ( n = 39, 69.6%). Majority of the patients were black (83.93%), whereas the rest were whites (12.50%) and Asians (3.57%). There were 17 males (30.4%) and 39 females (69.6%), giving a male to female ratio of 1:2.3. Most of the lesions (70.3%) occurred in the mandible, involving the premolar molar region (56.7%). Scanty fibrous tissues in highly cellular lesions were found in 36 (64.3%) of the cases. There were globular, dystrophic or granular calcifications mixed with irregularly shaped trabeculae of lamellar or cellular woven bone or osteoid were found, in 36 (64.3%) cases. CONCLUSION: Demographic data, clinicoradiologic features, combined with histopathology will continue to be relevant in the definitive diagnosis of OF and in predicting its behavior. Highly aggressive lesions with shorter duration in people below 15 years were called juvenile OF and treated as such, while OF applies to other conventional ones.

Analysis of demographic data obtained from pathology records.

INTRODUCTION: Pathologists commonly analyse patient data obtained from pathology records. Such information is useful in that it might provide an indication of changing patterns of disease, or of the aetio-pathogenesis of a disease process, but such data is seldom standardised. AIM: To determine to what extent the lack of standardisation may influence the resultant data and the conclusions drawn. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pathology reports of all cysts diagnosed from 1994 to 2004 were retrieved. The diagnosis and site of the cyst, and the age, gender and race of patient were analysed. Comparative data from 1958 to 1992 was obtained from the text "Cysts of the oral regions". The data from the different periods was statistically compared. Only the four most common cysts were included: radicular, dentigerous, odontogenic keratocyst and nasopalatine duct cysts. RESULTS: There was no difference in frequency and site of cysts or in age of patients. Statistically significant differences were found in the gender and race comparisons. CONCLUSION: Do the differences reflect a changing pattern of disease or are they due to changes in the demographics of the patient pool from which the surgical specimens were obtained? We favour the latter. Awareness of the fact that data from either survey is not reliable due to lack of standardisation is pertinent to avoid drawing fundamental conclusions from such data.

Transformation of Cancer Care during and after the COVID Pandemic, a point of no return. The Experience of Italy.

Policymakers everywhere struggle to introduce therapeutic innovation while controlling costs, a particular challenge for the universal Italian National Healthcare System (SSN), which spends only 8.8% of GDP to care for one of the world's oldest populations. Oncology provides a telling example, where innovation has dramatically improved care and survival, transforming cancer into a chronic condition. However, innovation has also increased therapy duration, adverse event management, and service demand. The SSN risks collapse unless centralized cancer planning changes gear, particularly with Covid-19 causing treatment delays, worsening patient prognosis and straining capacity. In view of the 750 billion Euro "Next Generation EU", released by the European Union to relieve Member States hit by the pandemic, the SSN tapped a multidisciplinary research team to identify key strategies for equitable uptake of innovations in treatment and delivery, with emphasis on data-driven technological and managerial advancements - and lessons from Covid-19.

[Organizational model of the Cancer Institute of Romagna (I.R.S.T.) and the Romagna Cancer Network]. / Modello organizzativo dell'Istituto Tumori della Romagna (I.R.S.T.) e della Rete Oncologica Romagnola.

The quality of a treatment is strictly connected to research and technological development: to carry out competitive research, investments in advanced technologies are compulsory. To invest in research and new technologies for the diagnosis and the treatment of neoplasies at first level is compulsory as well and it also represents the most effective method to save resources. The AWR (wide area Romagna) is an health care network which is now treating approx. 9,000 cancer patients a year in a regional population of 1,095,205 residents in the provinces of Forli-Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini. I.R.S.T (The Cancer Institute of Romagna) is the "nucleus" of the oncologic network: it works as a Hub for some highly specialized activities and as a Spoke for other activities on behalf of the Local Health Authorities. I.R.S.T.'s Mission is focused on Translational Research, representing a structure fully integrated within the Regional Health System. In agreement with the AVR's Local Health Authorities and on their behalf I.R.S.T. manages all oncological research and clinical trials, in addition to facilitating innovative trials, which require particular organizational structures and technologies that are not generally available in the oncologic network.

Microbiological evaluation of environmental cleanliness in haematopoietic cell transplant patient rooms: implementing JACIE standards.

BACKGROUND: Environmental hygiene is one of the most important strategies to prevent hospital-acquired infections by reducing pathogens in haematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) patient rooms. This study was designed in response to JACIE requirements for microbiological monitoring, and aimed to assess environmental hygiene in protective isolation rooms. METHODS: Environmental cleanliness was assessed by measuring microbial loads in at-rest and operational conditions sampled from target surfaces, and in passive and active air from rooms occupied by patients with different grades of neutropenia. The study also evaluated whether microbial loads were influenced by isolation precautions. RESULTS: The failure rate of cleanliness on target surfaces in at-rest conditions was 0% compared with 37% for surfaces and 13% for passive and active air samples in operational conditions. Differences in failure rates were observed in the rooms of patients with different levels of neutropenia (P=0.036 for surfaces, 0.028% for passive air). No relationship was found between infections and microbial loads. CONCLUSIONS: Microbiological assessment integrated with an enhanced monitoring programme for hospital hygiene provides invaluable information to drive infection control policies in HCT patients. These results highlight the need to set and validate strict standards for the assessment of cleanliness in a clinical setting.

Costs of irritable bowel syndrome in European countries with universal healthcare coverage: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an overall estimate of the direct, indirect and total costs of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) for the adult population of the European countries with universal healthcare coverage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched MedLine and Scopus databases (up to September 2018) to identify the European studies that evaluated the economic impact of IBS. Mean annual direct, indirect and total per-capita IBS costs were estimated using random-effect single-group meta-analyses of continuous data. All analyses were stratified by payer category (governments, insurance, societal), and the results were expressed as summary mean and 95% CI. RESULTS: A total of 24 studies were included in the meta-analyses. Only two studies evaluated IBS costs in Italy. The pooled summary of direct IBS per-capita cost, obtained from 23 European datasets (n=15,157), was €1837/year (95% CI: 1480-2195), with large differences across payers (from €1183 to €3358, in countries with publicly-funded and insurance-based health systems, respectively). The mean indirect cost, extracted from 13 datasets (n=3978), was €2314/year (95% CI: 1811-2817), again with wide differences across payers. Finally, the meta-analysis estimating the total annual cost, based upon 11 European datasets (n=2757), yielded a summary estimate of €2889/year (95% CI: 2318-3460) per patient, ranging from €1602 (insurance-based health systems) to €3909 (studies adopting a societal perspective). CONCLUSIONS: Considering a conservative estimate of 2,736,700 Italian adults affected by the syndrome, the minimum costs due to IBS in Italy - likely underestimated - range from 6 to 8 billion euro per year. Given the substantial economic burden for patients, healthcare systems and society, IBS should be included among the priorities of the public health agenda.

Cytomegalovirus co-infection in AIDS-associated oral Kaposi's sarcoma.

The increasing appearance of AIDS-associated oral Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in South Africa may be ascribed to the later start of the HIV epidemic, more patients reaching stages III and IV, and the inaccessibility of most patients to anti-retroviral therapy. The objective of this study was to demonstrate cytomegalovirus (CMV) co-infection in oral KS and to consider its possible significance. We reviewed 20 cases of oral KS in known HIV-positive patients without active CMV disease. HHV8 PCR and CMV immunohistochemistry were performed. HHV8 DNA was present in all cases. CMV inclusions were detected in five cases. The significance of CMV co-infection in oral KS is unclear. The inclusions suggest active infection, although there is no evidence to support CMV in the pathogenesis of KS. Nonetheless, it is vital that physicians be alerted to active CMV infection, so that timely intervention and careful observation can be instituted, ensuring early diagnosis and treatment.

Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma of the head and face.

Ultraviolet light (UV) is an important risk factor for cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous melanoma of the skin. These cancers most commonly affect persons with fair skin and blue eyes who sunburn rather than suntan. However, each of these cancers appears to be associated with a different pattern of UV exposure and to be mediated by different intracellular molecular pathways.Some melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene variants play a direct role in the pathogenesis of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous melanoma apart from their role in determining a cancer-prone pigmentory phenotype (fair skin, red hair, blue eyes) through their interactions with other genes regulating immuno-inflammatory responses, DNA repair or apoptosis.In this short review we focus on the aetiological role of UV in cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous melanoma of the skin, and on some associated biopathological events.

Oral mucosal melanoma: some pathobiological considerations and an illustrative report of a case.

Oral mucosal melanoma is a relatively rare malignancy with an aggressive clinico-pathological behaviour. The mean 5-year survival rate is about 15 %. It arises primarily from melanocytes found in the basal cell layer of the epithelium, but may sometimes arise from melanocytes residing in the lamina propria. The pathogenesis is complex, and few of the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of oral mucosal melanoma have been defined. The extraneous risk factors associated with oral mucosal melanoma, if any, are unknown. Oral mucosal melanomas account for about 25 % of all mucosal melanomas of the head and neck, and exhibit a profile of cytogenetic alterations, and a pathobiological behaviour and clinical course different from that of cutaneous melanomas. As they are usually painless and grow quickly, as a rule, they are diagnosed late in the course of the disease when the lesions are already large and have metastasized to regional lymph nodes. In this paper we discuss some aspects of the pathobiology of oral mucosal melanoma, and present an illustrative case report.

Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma. Report of two cases and review of the literature.

This study reviews the literature and reports on the morphologic and immunophenotypic features of 2 clear cell odontogenic carcinomas occurring in the mandible of elderly women, showing extensive infiltration into adjacent tissues. The tumor cells were large, with clear cytoplasm, and arranged in irregular sheets. Some of the latter demonstrated a peripheral rim of cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm or included duct-like structures. There was no evidence of ameloblastic differentiation. Most cells contained glycogen granules and were immunoreactive for cytokeratins and epithelial membrane antigen. In the differential diagnosis other clear cell odontogenic, salivary gland, and metastatic tumors should be considered. Both cases were treated with surgical excision, and the patients are free of disease after 3 and 5 years, respectively. In the literature, however, variable behavior of these tumors has been reported, including recurrence and metastases. It is recommended that terms such as clear cell ameloblastoma and clear cell odontogenic tumor not be used to describe such tumors.

The spatial and temporal expression of calretinin in developing rat molars (Rattus norvegicus).

Calretinin is a 29-kDa calcium-binding protein abundantly expressed in central and peripheral neural tissues. The aim here was to determine its expression during various stages of odontogenesis. Five categories of embryonic (E) and postnatal (P) rats at various ages (E17, E18, E20, P0, and P7), both male and female, were used to represent the various stages of molar tooth development. The heads of the experimental animals were harvested at the appropriate time and each was cut mid-sagittally and coronally to locate the tooth germs. Selected sections were stained immunohistochemically with polyclonal rabbit anticalretinin at a concentration of 1:25 after microwave irradiation. The results showed that calretinin is distributed widely in epithelium-derived tissues during odontogenesis in rat molar tooth germs. It was expressed focally in the dental lamina, outer enamel epithelium, stellate reticulum and stratum intermedium at different stages. In contrast, it was expressed diffusely and intensely in the inner enamel epithelium and presecretory ameloblasts, although it was discontinuous over the cusp tips. In the secretory ameloblasts, the staining was less intense, being restricted to the cytoplasm, including Tomes' processes. This distribution suggests that calretinin may play a part in enamel formation.

Clear cell tumors of the salivary glands, jaws, and oral mucosa.

Clear cell tumors of the oral mucosa, jaws, and salivary glands constitute a heterogeneous group of lesions which may be either odontogenic, salivary gland, or metastatic in origin. Clear cells in these proliferations most frequently result from fixation artifact but may also be the result of cytoplasmic accumulation of water, glycogen, intermediate filaments, or immature zymogen granules, or a paucity of cellular organelles. Odontogenic neoplasms that may be characterized by a predominantly clear cell component include odontogenic carcinoma, ameloblastoma, and calcifying epithelial odontogenic (Pindborg) tumor. Clear cell tumors of salivary gland origin are almost invariably malignant in nature but they do include two benign lesions; namely, oncocytoma and myoepithelioma. Clear cells in acinic cell carcinoma seldom comprise a significant portion of the tumor whereas clear cell mucoepidermoid carcinomas can readily be identified by an admixture of clear-squamoid, mucous and intermediate cells. Lesions previously reported as "clear cell adenoma" "clear cell carcinoma, or glycogen-rich carcinoma" can be divided into the distinctive biphasic epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma and monophasic lesions which have been shown to be either myoepithelial or ductal in origin. The latter are primarily represented by the recently described "hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma." The most common metastatic clear cell tumor in the oral mucosa and the jaws is the renal cell carcinoma. However, metastases of melanoma and malignant clear cell tumors of the prostate, bowel, thyroid, and liver must also be considered.

Age-specific and age-standardised incidence rates for intraoral squamous cell carcinoma in blacks on the Witwatersrand, South Africa.

All new cases of intraoral squamous cell carcinoma which occurred in Blacks resident on the Witwatersrand during the 10-yr period 1971-80 were traced by examining the records of all the hospital pathology departments in this area. The population at risk at the mid-point of the study (1975) was calculated from the National Population Censuses of 1970 and 1980, and consisted of 1125960 men and 880269 women. Age-specific incidence rates and age-standardised incidence rates were calculated for each intraoral site for men and women. In the latter calculation a standard World population was used. All rates are expressed as average number of cases per 100000 population per annum. The age-specific incidence rates and age-standardised incidence rates (in brackets) for men and women respectively are: tongue, 1.43 and 0.26 (2.69 and 0.41); gingiva and alveolar ridge, 0.04 and 0.01 (0.07 and 0.01); floor of mouth, 0.87 and 0.22 (1.64 and 0.38); buccal mucosa, 0.05 and 0.04 (0.13 and 0.05); hard and soft palate, 0.34 and 0.05 (0.63 and 0.08). There appears to have been an increase in the incidence of intraoral cancer in Black South Africans since the first survey in 1953-55, which can probably be ascribed to the urbanization process. In Europe, North America and in other population groups in South Africa, the palate is least frequently affected. In contrast, in Black South Africans lesions of the palate are much more common, being less frequent only than tongue and floor of mouth lesions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dentigerous cysts of inflammatory origin. A clinicopathologic study.

The exact histogenesis of dentigerous cysts remains unknown, but most authors favor a developmental origin from the tooth follicle. The aim of this article is to report a series of 15 dentigerous cysts that we believe to be of inflammatory origin. These inflammatory dentigerous cysts occurred in the first and early part of the second decades of life. Males were affected more frequently, and there did not appear to be any racial predilection. All of the cases involved permanent teeth: premolars in nine cases, canines in four cases, and second molars in two cases. The mandible was affected twice as frequently as the maxilla. In 13 cases, nonvital grossly carious or heavily restored deciduous teeth were associated with the cysts. Some of these teeth had been extracted before the cysts were diagnosed. In the remaining two cases, both of which involved the second permanent molars, there were no nonvital deciduous teeth, however both had concomitant proliferative periostitis. All of the cysts were moderately or intensely inflamed and were lined predominantly or entirely by nonkeratinized stratified squamous epithelium that in some cases was markedly hyperplastic and exhibited anastomosing rete ridges mimicking radicular cysts. In the majority of cases, parts of the cysts were lined with a 2 to 3 cell layer thick cuboidal epithelium that we believe was derived from reduced enamel epithelium. Rests of odontogenic epithelium frequently were evident in the cyst walls. We suggest that these cysts arose as a result of periapical inflammation from any source but usually from a nonvital deciduous tooth and spreading to involve the follicles of the unerupted permanent successors. The inflammatory exudate causes separation of the reduced enamel epithelium from the enamel with resultant cyst formation. This study proposes the existence of two types of dentigerous cysts: one developmental and the other inflammatory in nature.