RadioLab project: knowledge of radon gas in Italy.

RadioLab is an Italian project, addressed to school-age people, and designed for the dissemination of scientific culture on the theme of environmental radioactivity, with particular regards to the importance of knowledge of radon gas exposure. The project is a nationwide initiative promoted by the National Institute of Nuclear Physics- INFN. First tool used by the project, and of immediate impact to assess the public awareness on radon, is the administration of the survey "do you know the radon gas?". In the survey, together with the knowledge of radon and of its sources, information on personal, cultural and territorial details regarding the interviewees are also taken. Reasonably, the survey invests not only young people, but also their relatives, school workers and, gradually, the public. The survey is administrated during exhibitions or outreach events devoted to schools, but also open to the public. The survey is in dual form: printed and online. The online mode clearly leads RadioLab project even outside the school environment. Based on the results of the survey, several statistical analyses have been performed and many conclusions are drawn about the knowledge of the population on the radon risk. The RadioLab benefit and the requirement to carry on the project goals, spreading awareness of environmental radioactivity from radon, emerge. The dataset involves all twenty Italian regions and consists of 28,612 entries covering the 5-year period 2018-2022.

Late diagnosis of a primary oral malignant melanoma: a case report.

Primary oral malignant melanoma (OMM) is a rare disease, representing 0.2% to 8% of all melanomas. Eighty percent of the cases are located on the palate and maxillary gingiva, with the remainder found on the mandibular gingiva, buccal mucosa, tongue, and floor of the mouth. OMM are highly aggressive with the tendency to metastasize and invade the surrounding tissues more readily than other oral malignancies. Prognosis is poor and the five-year survival rate ranges from 5% to 20%. The usual therapeutic approach for OMM is surgical excision of the primary tumor, supplemented by radiotherapy, with chemotherapy and immunotherapy serving as adjuvant. The authors report a well-documented case of OMM in a 40-year-old male who was referred to the Oral Medicine Service of the Cancer Hospital, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil exhibiting a firm mass at the right side of the face. Palpation revealed a painless soft tissue arising in maxillary gingiva, extending to the palate and vestibular mucosa. Pigmented areas were found in the mass. The patient underestimated his symptoms and look for treatment after a substantial growth of the lesion. This is an example of how a delayed detection affects the prognosis of OMM. The patient was treated by radiotherapy since surgical intervention was not possible, but died seven months later.

Ovarian cancer surgery: a clinical pathway.

Clinical pathways are useful tools in providing quality care while decreasing the cost of that care. Pathways help to facilitate managed care, identify patient and family educational needs, encourage multidisciplinary communication, and expedite patient discharge. This article discusses a clinical pathway for ovarian cancer surgery.

Patient use of the symptom reporting tool.

Patients frequently report symptoms to nurses without reporting them to their physicians. A variety of reasons are cited for this occurrence. The Symptom Reporting Tool was developed so that patients and family members could document their symptoms at home. By bringing the tool with them to appointments, patients found it easier to discuss problems with their physicians. Because the results of attempts to relieve these symptoms also were documented, the effectiveness of the symptom management plan was evaluated easily and a more positive patient outcome resulted.