Cancer symptom clusters, cardiovascular risk, and quality of life of patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy: A longitudinal pilot study.

Patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy may have different cancer symptom clusters (CSC) that negatively impact their quality of life (QoL). These symptoms can sometimes arise from the disease itself or as a result of their cancer treatment. This study aimed to: examine the feasibility of longitudinal testing of CSC pattern and QoL in a sample of adult cancer patients undergoing outpatient chemotherapy; to identify the cardiovascular risk of patients with cancer undergoing outpatient chemotherapy; and to investigate the most prevalent CSC and their impact on the QoL of these patients. A longitudinal pilot study was conducted with eleven participants with a mean age of 56.09 years (range: 27-79) diagnosed with malignant neoplasm and undergoing outpatient chemotherapy treatment were evaluated during 6 cycles of chemotherapy. The CSC, cardiovascular risk, and QoL were assessed using the MSAS, FRS, and EQ-5D-3L™, respectively. Descriptive statistical and non-parametric bivariate analyses were performed. Patients who started chemotherapy treatment generally had a low to moderate cardiovascular risk and were likely to have a family history of hypertension, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke. Cardiovascular risk was found to be correlated with patient age (Rhos = 0.64; P = .033). In addition, the results showed a reduction in the QoL scoring over the 6 chemotherapy sessions. Regarding the most prevalent CSC, 2 clusters were identified: the neuropsychological symptom cluster (difficulty concentrating-sadness-worry) and the fatigue-difficulty sleeping cluster. Between the first and sixth chemotherapy sessions, there was a decrease in the perception of "mild" severity (P = .004) and an increase in the perception of "severe" and "very severe" (P = .003) for all symptoms. Adequate attention to CSC should be the basis for the accurate planning of effective interventions to manage the symptoms experienced by cancer patients.

Temporal Trends in the Completeness of Epidemiological Variables in a Hospital-Based Cancer Registry of a Pediatric Oncology Center in Brazil.

This ecological time series study aimed to examine the temporal trends in the completeness of epidemiological variables from a hospital-based cancer registry (HbCR) of a reference center for pediatric oncology in Brazil from 2010 to 2016. Completeness categories were based on the percentage of missing data, with the categories excellent (<5%), good (5-10%), regular (11-20%), poor (21-50%), and very poor (>50%). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed using R.4.1.0; a Mann-Kendall trend test was performed to examine the temporal trends. Variables with the highest incompleteness included race/color (17.24% in 2016), level of education (51.40% in 2015), TNM (56.88% in 2012), disease status at the end of the first treatment (12.09% in 2013), cancer family history (79.12% in 2013), history of alcoholic consumption (39.25% in 2015), history of tobacco consumption (38.32% in 2015), and type of admission clinic (10.28% in 2015). Nevertheless, most variables achieved 100% completeness and were classified as excellent across the time series. A significant trend was observed for race/color, TNM, and history of tobacco consumption. While most variables maintained excellent completeness, the increasing incompleteness trend in race/color and decreasing trend in TNM underscore the importance of reliable and complete HbCRs for personalized cancer care, for planning public policies, and for conducting research on cancer control.

Effects on communication due to face mask use: an integrative review.

OBJECTIVES: to integrate evidence from studies on auditory perceptual and speech production effects in communication situations with face mask use. METHODS: an integrative literature review, in MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Embase databases. The guiding question was: what effects on communication (perceptual-auditory and speech production) occur with face mask use? RESULTS: searches in electronic databases resulted in 1,478 studies and filtering resulted in 29 final studies. CONCLUSIONS: mask use has effects on communication, both in perception and speech production, factors that are also related to quality of life, stress and socio-emotional factors. These data can impact on indicators and alerts in favor of adopting strategies to manage mask use, involving speech production and perception when wearing a mask in health services.

Effects on communication due to face mask use: an integrative review / Efectos en la comunicación por el uso de cubrebocas: revisión integradora / Efeitos na comunicação em razão de uso de máscara facial: revisão integrativa

ABSTRACT Objectives: to integrate evidence from studies on auditory perceptual and speech production effects in communication situations with face mask use. Methods: an integrative literature review, in MEDLINE, Cochrane Library and Embase databases. The guiding question was: what effects on communication (perceptual-auditory and speech production) occur with face mask use? Results: searches in electronic databases resulted in 1,478 studies and filtering resulted in 29 final studies. Conclusions: mask use has effects on communication, both in perception and speech production, factors that are also related to quality of life, stress and socio-emotional factors. These data can impact on indicators and alerts in favor of adopting strategies to manage mask use, involving speech production and perception when wearing a mask in health services.

RESUMEN Objetivos: integrar evidencias de estudios sobre efectos perceptuales auditivos y de producción del habla en situaciones de comunicación con el uso de mascarilla facial. Métodos: revisión integrativa de la literatura, en las bases de datos MEDLINE, Cochrane Library y Embase. La pregunta orientadora fue: ¿qué efectos en la comunicación (perceptivo-auditiva y producción del habla) se producen con el uso de mascarillas? Resultados: las búsquedas en bases de datos electrónicas dieron como resultado 1.478 estudios y el filtrado dio como resultado 29 estudios finales. Conclusiones: el uso de mascarillas tiene efectos en la comunicación, tanto en la percepción como en la producción del habla, factores que también se relacionan con la calidad de vida, el estrés y factores socioemocionales. Estos datos pueden impactar en indicadores y alertas a favor de la adopción de estrategias para gestionar el uso de mascarillas, involucrando la producción y percepción del habla al usar mascarilla en los servicios de salud.

RESUMO Objetivos: integrar evidências de estudos sobre efeitos perceptivos auditivos e de produção de fala em situações de comunicação com o uso de máscara facial. Métodos: revisão integrativa da literatura, nas bases MEDLINE, Cochrane Library e Embase. O questionamento direcionador foi: quais efeitos na comunicação (perceptivo-auditivos e de produção de fala) ocorrem com o uso de máscaras faciais? Resultados: as buscas nas bases de dados eletrônicas resultaram em 1.478 estudos, e a filtragem culminou em 29 estudos finais. Conclusões: o uso de máscaras traz efeitos na comunicação, tanto na percepção quanto na produção da fala, fatores ademais relacionados à qualidade de vida, estresse e socioemocionais. Esses dados podem impactar em indicadores e alertas em prol da adoção de estratégias ao manejo de uso de máscaras, envolvendo a produção e percepção de fala em ocasião de uso de máscara nos serviços de saúde.

Health Policies for Rare Disease Patients: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: To identify and map the available evidence on the implementation of public health policies directed at individuals with rare diseases, and to compare the implementation of these health policies between Brazil and other countries. METHOD: A scoping review guided by the PRISMA-ScR and JBI checklists. The search for articles was conducted in eight electronic databases, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and LILACS, using controlled descriptors, synonyms, and keywords combined with Boolean operators. All steps of this review were independently conducted by two researchers. The selected studies were classified by evidence hierarchy, and a generic quantitative tool was used for the assessment of the studies. RESULTS: A total of 473 studies were identified, of which 13 which met all the inclusion criteria were selected and analyzed. Of these studies, 61.5% (n = 8) had final scores equal to or greater than 70%, i.e., they were classified by this tool as being well-reported. The comparative analysis of international rare diseases demonstrates that public authorities' priorities and recommendations regarding this topic also permeate and apply to the Brazilian context. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation and monitoring of public policies directed at rare disease patients are urgent and necessary to improve and implement such policies with less bureaucracy and more determination for this unique population that requires timely and high-quality care.

Completeness and Consistency of Epidemiological Variables from Hospital-Based Cancer Registries in a Brazilian State.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the completeness and consistency of data from hospital-based cancer registries (HCRs) in a Brazilian state. METHODS: This retrospective descriptive study was based on secondary data from an HCR in the state of Espírito Santo (ES) between 2010 and 2017. The data were collected between August and November 2020 by the ES State Health Department (SESA/ES). Cancer data were obtained from the HCR of ES using the tumor registration form of the Brazilian Hospital Cancer Registry Integrator and complete databases within the SESA/ES. The incompleteness of the data was classified as excellent (<5%), good (between 5% and 10%), regular (between 10% and 20%), poor (between 20% and 50%), and very poor (>50%), according to the percentage of the absence of information. Descriptive statistical analyses were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS® Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) version 20.0. RESULTS: Complete data were observed for the variables of sex, date of the first hospital visit, and histological type of the primary tumor; that is, there were no missing data. Most epidemiological variables, including age, origin, date of first tumor diagnosis, previous diagnosis and treatment, location of the primary tumor, first treatment received at the hospital, date of death of the patient, and probable location of the primary tumor, were classified as having excellent completeness throughout the study period. However, the variables schooling, smoking, alcohol consumption, occupation, family history of cancer, and clinical staging of the tumor were classified as poor. CONCLUSION: Most epidemiological variables from the HCR in the state of ES, Brazil, showed excellent completeness. It is essential to elucidate the sociodemographic and clinical variables of epidemiological importance for a better understanding of the health-disease process.