Effects of Radiotherapy for Malignancy in Systemic Sclerosis: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Concerns regarding offering radiotherapy to patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) stem from the potential worsening of SSc manifestations and radiotherapy toxicity. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effects of radiotherapy on SSc outcomes and radiotherapy-related toxicity. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for SSc and radiotherapy. Inclusion criteria were SSc diagnosis, subsequent cancer development, and radiotherapy exposure. Outcomes were SSc manifestations (cutaneous thickening, pulmonary fibrosis, and SSc flare) and radiotherapy toxicity (acute and late) using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events for grading. Grade 1 and 2 toxicities were categorized as nonsevere and grade 3 to 5 toxicities as severe. RESULTS: Of 121 patients with SSc undergoing radiotherapy (mean age 56.4 years, 83.3% female, median radiotherapy dose 50 Gy), most did not show worsened SSc skin thickening (74.5%) or pulmonary complications (74%) post radiotherapy. In retrospective studies, the average rates of acute adverse effects were 57.3% for nonsevere and 25.8% for severe, whereas the rates of late adverse effects were 32.4% for nonsevere and 24% for severe. CONCLUSION: Although most patients with SSc do not exhibit significant worsening of SSc manifestations post radiotherapy, there is a variable risk of acute and late toxicity. These findings suggest that although radiotherapy may be a viable option for patients with cancer with SSc, it requires caution.

Single versus Multiple Sitting Endodontic Treatment: Incidence of Postoperative Pain - A Randomized Controlled Trial.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study is to assess any considerable differences in the incidence and severity of postobturation pain after single- and multiple-visit root canal treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We carried our study on 400 successive patients who needed root canal treatment. They were randomly categorized into two groups of 200 each. First group underwent single-visit treatment and the other group underwent multiple-visit therapy. Visual analog scale was employed to evaluate pain preoperatively and postoperatively at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h after obturation. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20 was employed for analysis. RESULTS: There was a male predominance (235; 60.26%). Of 390 cases, 167 were vital and 223 were nonvital. There was an insignificant difference between the preoperative and postoperative pain levels of vital and nonvital teeth of both the groups at different time intervals. CONCLUSION: There was a less incidence of pain in multiple visit group than single-visit one, which was statistically significant.

Necessity of Antibiotics to Reduce Inflammatory Complications after Third Molar Extractions: A Prospective Study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship between the usage of antibiotics postoperatively and inflammatory complications following third molar extractions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample was derived from Saudi Arabia private practitioners who were oral surgeons and was randomly categorized into two groups: group A, who took postoperative antibiotics, and group B, who have not taken antibiotics. The observed primary variable was the occurrence of inflammatory complications subsequent to removal of third molar. RESULTS: The data were obtained from 35 oral surgeons, who gave details about 725 patients in whom 965 third molars were removed. A total of 455 (62.75%) patients have taken antibiotics postoperatively. The mean age was 28 ± 14.8 years. We noticed a very high male preponderance of 543 (74.89%). Mean body mass index was 26.7 ± 6.3 kg/m2. The mean Preoperative Disease Severity Score and Operative Difficulty Score was 2.13 ± 2.1 and 12.1 ± 6.3, respectively. CONCLUSION: Fewer postoperative inflammatory complications were observed in subjects who have taken antibiotics after third molar removal.

Effect of public knowledge, attitudes, and behavior on willingness to undergo colorectal cancer screening using the health belief model.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Success of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is dependent in part on the proportion of uptake by the targeted population. We aimed in this study to identify factors that were associated with willingness to undergo CRC screening based on the health belief model (HBM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study among citizens of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Demographic data collected included gender, age, education, marital status, employment status, a history of CRC in the family or knowing a friend with CRC, as well as income. A questionnaire was developed in Arabic based on the HBM and included enquiries on knowledge about CRC symptoms and risk factors, types of CRC screening tests, perceived risk of CRC, previously undergoing CRC screening, intent to undergo CRC screening, perceived barriers to CRC screening, perceived severity of CRC, as well as attitudes toward CRC and its screening. RESULTS: Five hundred participants were included. The mean age was 41.0 years (SD 10.7). Males were 50% and only 6.7% of those between 50 and 55 years of age had undergone CRC screening. Of those surveyed, 70.7% were willing to undergo CRC screening. Also, 70.5% thought that CRC is curable, 73.3% believed it was preventable, whereas 56.7% thought it was a fatal disease. Neither gender, level of education, occupation, income, marital status, nor general knowledge about CRC was found to be associated with the willingness to undergo CRC screening. Recognizing that colonoscopy was a screening test (OR 1.55, 95% CI; 1.04-2.29) was associated with a strong desire to undergo CRC screening while choosing a stool-based test was associated with not willing to undergo CRC screening (OR 0.59, 95%CI; 0.38-0.91). CONCLUSION: We found that the majority of those interviewed were willing to undergo CRC screening and identified a number of barriers as well as potential areas that could be targeted in the promotion of CRC screening uptake if such a national program were to be implemented.