Comparative analysis: QOL in breast cancer patients before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Introduction: The 2019 outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) posed unprecedented challenges of emotional matter for women diagnosed with breast cancer. This research aimed to compare the quality of life of patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer from 2014 to 2019, and patients who were diagnosed during the COVID-19 pandemic, from January to August 2020. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed, including patients with breast cancer, associated or not with chronic pathologies, with no psychiatric disorders, aged over 18 years. The questionnaire developed by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC-C30) version 3.0 was used for the comparative analysis of quality of life. The study population consisted of 185 women, of which 43.2% (n = 80) were previously diagnosed and 56.7% (n = 105) were diagnosed during the pandemic, with a median age of 45 years (IQ = 15). Results: The EORTC-C30 quality of life score remained the same for both groups (33.33; 33.33). There was a decrease in the scores on the emotional (58; 50) and physical (60; 40) scales of patients diagnosed during the pandemic. Conclusions: Future longitudinal research should contribute to the understanding of the long-term effects of COVID-19 on the psychological health of patients with breast cancer.

Chronic psychological stress and its impact on the development of aggressive breast cancer / Estresse psicológico crônico e seu impacto no desenvolvimento de neoplasia mamária agressiva

Objective To investigate the clinicopathological findings of women diagnosed with breast cancer and study the impact of chronic psychological stress on the pathological characteristics of these tumors.Methods We investigated a cohort composed of women diagnosed with breast cancer and divided into two groups. One group was categorized as presenting with chronic psychological stress (by using the Self-Reporting Questionnaire − SRQ-20). Another group of women with breast cancer, but with no previous history of chronic psychological stress, comprised the Control Group. Clinical and pathological data were assessed.Results Women presenting with a history of chronic distress were significantly overweight when compared to the Control Group. Furthermore, it was observed that these stressed women also had a significant percentage of aggressive breast cancer subtype, the HER2 amplified tumor, which could be putatively associated with the loss of immunosurveillance.Conclusion Our findings suggested an interaction among chronic psychological stress, overweight, and the development of more aggressive breast tumors.

Objetivo Investigar os achados clínico-patológicos de mulheres diagnosticadas com câncer de mama e estudar o impacto do estresse psicológico crônico nas características patológicas desses tumores.Métodos Investigamos uma coorte composta por mulheres diagnosticadas com câncer de mama divididas em dois grupos. O primeiro foi classificado pela apresentação de estresse psicológico crônico (por meio do Self-Reporting Questionnaire− SRQ-20). Outro grupo de mulheres com câncer de mama, mas sem história prévia de estresse psicológico crônico, foi denominado Grupo Controle. Os dados clínicos e patológicos foram avaliados.Resultados As mulheres com histórico de estresse crônico apresentaram-se significativamente acima do peso quando comparadas com o Grupo Controle. Além disso, verificou-se que estas mulheres estressadas apresentaram um porcentual significativo de um subtipo de câncer de mama agressivo, o HER2, o que poderia estar associado à possível perda da imunovigilância.Conclusão Nossos resultados sugeriram uma ligação entre o estresse psicológico crônico, o excesso de peso e o desenvolvimento de tumores de mama com maior agressividade.

Smoking as a risk factor for the development of breast cancer

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is considered a public health problem and in many cases is responsible for the development of lung diseases and cancer. One of the mechanisms by which tobacco can induce cancer is through the generation of free radicals, establishing an oxidative stress status in smokers. With increasing smoking among women, much evidence in the literature has shown a relation between smoking and breast cancer development. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to analyze the available studies in literature that demonstrate the association between smoking and the risk of breast cancer development. METHODS: We performed a review from the literature based on the search results in PubMed and Scielo. The selected works were composed by current articles according to their relevance and human application. RESULTS: The literature revealed several published studies linking smoking to oxidative stress through the action of free radicals that are generated by toxic compounds found in cigarettes. There are few studies relating smoking with breast cancer, which is a relatively more recent research line, where the vast majority of works includes epidemiological and controversial studies. CONCLUSIONS: The selected works show that, although controversial, smoking is considered a risk factor for developing breast cancer.

Breast cancer and oxidative stress in chemotherapy

Objective: This revision characterizes the biomarkers used for analysis of the development of oxidative stress produced during breast cancer chemotherapy. Materials and methods: A search of articles indexed in digital databases (Lilacs, Bireme, PubMed, Scielo and digital libraries), along with publications printed as books, periodicals and articles not available online, in the period from 1979 to 2009. Conclusion: Reactive oxygen and nitrogen species are produced, principally, during aerobic metabolism; however, its synthesis can be exacerbated or antioxidant defense reduced or more usually, both conditions can occurr in many pathophysiologic situations, leading to a net reactive species yelded. This unbalance is defined as oxidative stress. Stress biomarkers can be defined as predictive indicators able to detect in vivo oxidative damage and can be subdivided into antioxidant and pro-oxidants. To verify the antioxidant system, it is possible to analyze the superoxide dismutase enzymes, catalase and glutathione, along with vitamins A, E, C and glutathione among others. The analysis of pro-oxidants can be made through the verification of protein nitration and oxidation, heat shock proteins, lipoperoxidation, formation of aldehydes for malondialdehyde tests, 4-hydroxynonenal, oxidized LDL and isoprostanes or for chemiluminescent techniques. Advances in cancer detection through the identification of potential biomarkers consist of a promising strategy for the prevention and early identification of this pathology.