What hides beneath the scar: sexuality and breast cancer what women don't say: A single-center study.

Background: Breast is a symbol of femininity, motherhood and sexuality. Breast cancer (BC) is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide and most frequent cancer in Italy: in 2019, 53.500 new cases were diagnosed. BC and its treatment, the disturbances of body image, and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression could influence sexuality. Very often the aspect of sexuality in BC is likely not to be fully investigated: cultural barriers may also contribute to lack of attention to these issues. In Italy, there are very few Breast Units that provide the figure of the sexologist and psycho-oncologist. Methods: We enlisted 141 BC patients (pts), mean age was 54 years afferent to Breast Unit S. Maria Goretti Hospital, Latina, from March 2019 to March 2020. All pts had undergone surgical intervention. Participants were invited to complete a structured questionnaire, which included four close-up questions regarding self-image, sexual activity, sexual satisfaction, analyzing these aspects before and after BC and its treatments. Finally the participants were asked if they needed the sexologist and psycho-oncologist. Results: Only 2/141 pts (1.41%) refused to participate in our study. Of 139 participants, 68 (48.92%) had disturbances of body image, 26 (18.7%) had sexuality greatly negatively affected, and 103 (74.1%) every kind of sexual dissatisfaction after BC. 38 pts (27.3%) would require the help of the sexologist. 135 ( 97%) would require the help of the psycho-oncologist. Despite the negative influence in their body-image and sexuality, few pts require the help of the sexologist, but nearly all pts require the help of the psycho-oncologist. Conclusion: In our study nearly all pts require the help of the psycho-oncologist, but few pts of the sexologist. Further studies will be needed to understand the reasons for this disparity: at the moment we are carrying out another project following this illustration, with the aim of understanding why this disparity.

Incidence of thyroid cancer in Italy, 1991-2005: time trends and age-period-cohort effects.

BACKGROUND: In Italy, some of the highest incidence rates (IRs) of thyroid cancer (TC) worldwide have been reported. PATIENTS AND METHODS: TC cases <85 years of age reported to Italian cancer registries during 1991-2005 were included. Age-standardized IRs were computed for all TC and age-period-cohort effects were estimated for papillary TC. RESULTS: IRs of TC were twofold higher in 2001-2005 than in 1991-1995 (18 and 8 per 100,000 women, 6 and 3 per 100,000 men, respectively). Increases were similar in the two sexes and nearly exclusively due to papillary TC. Increases of papillary TC by birth cohort were found in both sexes and among all age groups between 20 and 79 years. Age-period-cohort models showed a strong period effect in both sexes (rate ratio for 2001-2009 versus 1991-1995 = 2.5 in women and 2.3 in men), although IRs peaked at an earlier age in women (45-49 years) than men (65-69 years). CONCLUSION: The strength of the period effect in both sexes and the earlier onset in women than men strongly implicated increased medical surveillance in the upward trends of papillary TC incidence in Italy. The consequences of the current intense search for TC on morbidity and possible overtreatment, especially among young women, should be carefully evaluated.

Electroencephalography and visually evoked potentials during moderate hypoglycemia.

The effects of hypoglycemia per se on the electroencephalogram (EEG) and visually evoked potentials (VEPs) were studied in eight normal young adults. The EEG and VEPs were recorded before and during hypoglycemic clamp studies, carried out at plasma insulin and glucose concentrations of about 287 pmol/L and 2.38 mmol/L, respectively. From the mean power EEG spectra obtained during each testing condition, several parameters in each frequency band considered were compared statistically. During the eyes closed recording, the mean frequency of the alpha-band (8-13 Hz) decreased from 10.1 +/- 0.2 (+/- SE) Hz in both the right and left frontal leads during euglycemia to 8.8 +/- 0.2 and 8.8 +/- 0.1 Hz (left and right frontal leads, respectively; P less than 0.05) during hypoglycemia. In the same leads, the peak frequency decreased from 10.6 +/- 0.4 and 10.3 +/- 0.4 Hz to 9.6 +/- 0.4 and 9.5 +/- 0.3 Hz, respectively (P less than 0.05). A similar pattern of variation was found during the eyes open recording. In contrast, mean VEP latencies did not vary significantly; they were 118 +/- 3 ms (smallest image size; square wave signals subtending 30 min of arc) and 116 +/- 3 ms (largest image size; square wave signals subtending 60 min of arc) during euglycemia to 121 +/- 3 and 119 +/- 3 ms, respectively, during hypoglycemia. This study demonstrates that the earliest hypoglycemia-induced EEG alterations occur in the frontal regions and can be quantified in terms of decreased mean and peak frequencies of the alpha-band. VEP latency is less sensitive. If confirmed in diabetic patients, these data may provide a theoretical basis for developing a portable device to detect early hypoglycemia in those patients who lack warning symptoms.