Chemotherapy, Alopecia, and Scalp Cooling Systems. / Alopecia, quimioterapia y gorras de frío o «scalp cooling system¼.

Chemotherapy-induced hair loss in cancer is usually temporary but can take a significant emotional toll on patients and lead to treatment refusal in many cases. Although hair loss is usually reversible, regrowth can take months, causing greater psychological distress. Recent years have seen the emergence of cold caps, or scalp cooling systems, designed to prevent or at least reduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss. The results to date are encouraging. We review the evidence on the effects and effectiveness of these systems, which are making their way into routine clinical practice.

Alopecia, quimioterapia y gorras de frío o «scalp cooling system» / Chemotherapy, Alopecia, and Scalp Cooling Systems

La alopecia es un efecto generalmente transitorio del tratamiento con citostáticos, generador de una importante repercusión emocional en el tratamiento contra el cáncer, muchas veces responsable de rechazo de distintas maniobras terapéuticas. Si bien en la mayoría de los casos es reversible, esto puede involucrar meses, amplificando el impacto, sobre todo psicológico, de los tratamientos. En los últimos años han surgido estrategias con gorras de frío, o «scalp cooling system» que buscan prevenir, o al menos limitar, este efecto adverso, con resultados que se han mostrado promisorios. El objetivo de esta revisión es analizar la evidencia con la que contamos respecto a los efectos y eficacia de este tipo de técnicas que han empezado a inmiscuirse dentro de nuestra práctica clínica diaria (AU)

Chemotherapy-induced hair loss in cancer is usually temporary but can take a significant emotional toll on patients and lead to treatment refusal in many cases. Although hair loss is usually reversible, regrowth can take months, causing greater psychological distress. Recent years have seen the emergence of cold caps, or scalp cooling systems, designed to prevent or at least reduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss. The results to date are encouraging. We review the evidence on the effects and effectiveness of these systems, which are making their way into routine clinical practice (AU)

[Translated article] Chemotherapy, Alopecia, and Scalp Cooling Systems / Alopecia, quimioterapia y gorras de frío o «scalp cooling system»

Chemotherapy-induced hair loss in cancer is usually temporary but can take a significant emotional toll on patients and lead to treatment refusal in many cases. Although hair loss is usually reversible, regrowth can take months, causing greater psychological distress. Recent years have seen the emergence of cold caps, or scalp cooling systems, designed to prevent or at least reduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss. The results to date are encouraging. We review the evidence on the effects and effectiveness of these systems, which are making their way into routine clinical practice (AU)

La alopecia es un efecto generalmente transitorio del tratamiento con citostáticos, generador de una importante repercusión emocional en el tratamiento contra el cáncer, muchas veces responsable de rechazo de distintas maniobras terapéuticas. Si bien en la mayoría de los casos es reversible, esto puede involucrar meses, amplificando el impacto, sobre todo psicológico, de los tratamientos. En los últimos años han surgido estrategias con gorras de frío, o «scalp cooling system» que buscan prevenir, o al menos limitar, este efecto adverso, con resultados que se han mostrado promisorios. El objetivo de esta revisión es analizar la evidencia con la que contamos respecto a los efectos y eficacia de este tipo de técnicas que han empezado a inmiscuirse dentro de nuestra práctica clínica diaria (AU)

Postoperative chemotherapy in resected gastric cancer: results of a single center experience.

Gastric cancer remains a major health problem despite its decline in incidence in Western countries. Although radical surgery represents the primary curative option for gastric cancer patients, most of them relapse and die due to their disease despite an R0 resection. At present the routine use of postoperative adjuvant therapy to reduce disease recurrence is still considered an investigational approach. Out of a total of 275 patients (stage IB through IV M0 AJCC/UICC) who underwent surgery for gastric cancer at our Surgery Unit between 1993 and 2001, 156 were eligible for adjuvant chemotherapy, of whom only 52 accepted to undergo this treatment. This group of patients was retrospectively compared with a control group (1:2) and overall survival was assessed using hazard ratio and Kaplan-Meier estimates. Five-year survival was 40% in the chemotherapy group and 37.8% in the group which underwent surgery alone. Indeed, chemotherapy did not reduce the risk of death (HR 0.87, 95% CI = 0.57-1.34, p=0.54). Serosal involvement and the invasion of more than 6 lymph nodes were the main independent prognostic factors identified by multivariate analysis. The current study did not show a clear advantage of chemotherapy over surgery alone. However, our results can help to define strategies for future clinical trials with the use of new regimens based on more effective and less toxic drugs.

Detection of recurrent malignant melanoma with 99mTc-MIBI scintigraphy.

Initial reports suggest that 99mTc-methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) scanning may be of clinical value in staging patients with malignant melanoma. We carried out a study to evaluate the potential of this technique in the detection of recurrent disease. Whole-body 99mTC-MIBI scans were performed in 81 patients with a history of a surgically excised MM: 28 with known recurrent lesions and 53 during follow-up without evidence of disease. Images started 10 min post-injection, using a dose of 740 MBq. Diagnoses were confirmed by cytological/histological examination or at least one conventional imaging modality. Blinded interpretations of the MIBI scans were performed. Whole-body MIBI scanning correctly detected 68 (92%) of 74 metastatic lesions in the following sites: regional lymph nodes (n=23), non-regional lymph nodes (n=10), skin (n=16), brain/cerebellum (n=6), lung (n=8), bone (n=4) and breast (n=1). The technique failed to detect three subcutaneous regressive lesions (< 1 cm), one liver metastasis, one spleen metastasis and a case of multiple small lesions of the duodenal mucous membrane. In 14 patients the procedure detected previously unknown metastatic lesions. These results suggest that 99mTc-MIBI scanning is an effective imaging modality for whole-body screening of metastatic disease in malignant melanoma patients with the potential to influence treatment planning.

Toxoplasmose ocular em Venda Nova do Imigrante, ES, Brasil / Ocular toxoplasmosis at Venda Nova do Imigrante, ES, Brasil

Realizamos um estudo amostral populacional para melhor conhecer a prevalência de toxoplasmose ocular em Venda Nova do Imigrante, ES e compará-la co a prevalência de lesöes em outras regiöes do Brasil. De 1074 pessoas examinadas , 11.27 por cento foram diagnosticadas como portadoras de toxoplasmose ocular, baseado em achados fundoscópicos. Esta prevalência foi superior à existente nos Estados Unidos (0.6 por cento) e em Säo Paulo (9 por cento), mas inferior à de Erechin, RS (17.7 por cento). Foram encontrados quatro casos familiares (2 famílias com dois irmäos näo gêmeos e 2 famílias com casos de mäes e filhos afetados), sugerindo toxoplasmose adquirida. A acuidade visual foi igual ou inferior a 20/200 em 7 por cento dos olhos com lesöes oculares devido a presença de lesöes maculares.

Kidney biopsy in the hepatosplenic form of infection with Schistosoma mansoni in man.

A study of early glomerular lesions was made in 8 patients infected with Schistosoma mansoni but having no clinical evidence of renal disease. Electron-microscopy of renal biopsies showed the presence of electron-dense deposits in basement membranes and of laminated bodies near the mesangial cells. Immunofluorescence showed that the deposits corresponded to IgG in 8 cases and to IgM in 2 cases. These lesions are comparable with those found in the kidneys of patients with cirrhosis of the liver.