Epidemiological profile of young patients with squamous cell carcinoma in northeast Brazil.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to delineate the epidemiological profile of young patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) treated at a healthcare service in northeastern Brazil. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed involving the quantitative analysis of 51 medical records from patients diagnosed with SCC between 1998 and 2013. All patients aged ≤50 years were included in the study. Statistical analysis involved Pearson's χ2 -test, Fisher's exact test, and the Mann-Whitney U-test, with the level of significance set at 5% (P < .05). RESULTS: The mean age was 46 ± 7.94 years, and males accounted for 80.4% of the sample. The tongue was the most affected site (37.3%). Most tumors were classified as stage III (26.3%) or IV (42.1%). Surgery associated with chemotherapy was the most common therapeutic approach (39.3%). Female patients had a lower mean age (P = .013) and less advanced clinical staging (P = .022). Smoking was more associated with male sex (P = .043). CONCLUSION: SCC in young patients is more common in males aged 46 ± 7.94 years, with the tongue being the most affected anatomic site. Important differences were found in clinical-epidemiological features between young men and women.

Prospective evaluation of quality of life in patients with head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate, prospectively, the quality of life of patients with head and neck cancer. STUDY DESIGN: A quantitative, longitudinal, and prospective study was conducted. The survey instrument was the University of Washington quality of life questionnaire. The sample consisted of 47 patients. For data analysis, paired t test, McNemar test, Student t test, and 1-way analysis of variance tests were used. The significance level was 5% (P < .05). RESULTS: Mood (68.89 ± 35.41) and anxiety (70.22 ± 32.99) domains were the most affected at the time of diagnosis. Chewing (71.11 ± 39.15) and speech (76.22 ± 33.72) domains were the most affected in the revaluation of the questionnaire, after 3 months. In the temporal assessment of the domains at diagnosis and after 3 months, it was observed that domains that improved quality of life were pain (P = .013) and mood (P = .039). Swallowing (P = .017), chewing (P = .024), speech (P = .048), and saliva (P = .004) domains produced a worse quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The parameters that influence quality of life differ when the the University of Washington quality of life questionnaire is applied at the time of diagnosis and 3 months after diagnosis.

Epidemiological Profile of Facial Fractures and Their Relationship With Clinical-Epidemiological Variables.

The objective of this study was to identify the epidemiological profile of facial fractures and to associate with clinical-epidemiological variables. An epidemiological survey was conducted in which data retrieved from the records of patients with facial fractures were analyzed. Pearson χ(2) test, Student t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Bonferroni post-hoc test, and logistic regression were used for statistical analysis, adopting a level of significance of 5%. The sample consisted of 718 patients ranging in age from 21 to 30 years (56.4%), including 480 (66.9%) men. Traffic accidents were the main etiological agent (62.7%) and the nasal bones were the most affected (41.8%). An association was observed between age and etiology (P < 0.001), fractured bone (P < 0.001), type of treatment (P < 0.001), hospital length of stay (P < 0.001), and complications (P = 0.001). Patients with traffic accident [odds ratio (OR) = 3.08, P < 0.001] and fall (OR = 2.50, P = 0.049) as etiology had more risk of complications. The type of fractured bone was associated with etiology (P < 0.001), type of treatment (P < 0.001), hospital length of stay (P < 0.001), and complications (maxilla--OR = 1.90, P = 0.004). In conclusion, facial fractures predominantly affect men aged 21 to 30 years. Traffic accidents are the main etiology and the nasal bone is the site most affected. It was observed that the older the patient, the greater the susceptibility to falls, surgical treatment, hospital stay, and complications. Patients with maxillary or mandibular fractures remain hospitalized for longer periods of time. Fractures by traffic accident and fall had more risk of complications. The risk of complications was also higher in patients with maxilla fracture.

Mucopolysaccharidosis: radiographic findings in a series of 16 cases.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the radiographic findings of mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) on panoramic radiographs in a series of 16 patients. STUDY DESIGN: This retrospective cross-sectional study included panoramic radiographs of 16 patients with cytogenetically diagnosed MPS. Two blinded, previously calibrated observers evaluate the presence or absence of the following features: type of dentition; stage of dental age in comparison with chronologic age; delayed exfoliation of deciduous teeth; supernumerary teeth; teeth impaction; enlarged, cyst-like dental crypt; hypercementosis; taurodontism; generalized enamel hypoplasia; enlargement of the bone marrow spaces; thinning of cortical bone; unusual morphology of condyles; and flattening of the condylar head. RESULTS: The final sample was composed of 8 MPS IV, 7 MPS VI, and 1 MPS I cases. All patients presented unusual morphology of condyles. Cyst-like dental crypt (75%), taurodontism, and teeth impaction (68.75% each) were also overall common findings. Generalized enamel hypoplasia was exclusively identified in patients with MPS IV (75% of those patients). CONCLUSIONS: Radiographic features of oral and maxillofacial manifestations in patients with MPS frequently encountered by dentists may help recognize the disorder. However, because of sample size limitations, it was not possible to infer any statistical relationship between the radiographic features and the types of MPS.