Weight loss as a prognostic factor for recurrence and survival in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients.

Although the mortality rate of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) has been decreasing over the last 30 years, there has been a significant increase in the frequency of diagnosis of this type of cancer in several countries. Beyond the classic prognostic factors, such as TNM stage, there is a lack of predictive factors for recurrence and treatment response. A retrospective analysis of patients with OPSCC treated at the Oncology Department of the Santa Terezinha University Hospital between 2007 and 2012 was performed, with the aim of identifying new prognostic factors. In addition to the significance of clinical stage as a prognostic factor for recurrence, OPSCC patients with advanced TNM stage and those treated with radiotherapy, chemoradiation or palliative measures, had a worse prognosis. Patients with moderate or severe weight loss (>5%) at diagnosis had a higher tumor recurrence rate compared with those with mild or no weight loss (P=0.007). Furthermore, 76.9% of patients with moderate or severe weight loss, as opposed to 13.3% of patients with mild or no weight loss, eventually succumbed to the disease (P=0.0001). These data suggest that moderate and severe weight loss at diagnosis is a prognostic factor for OPSCC and it is associated with disease recurrence.

Perfil nutricional de pacientes oncológicos internados em um Hospital Universitário da Região Meio Oeste de Santa Catarina / Nutritional profile of cancer patients hospitalized at a University Hospital in the Midwest Region of Santa Catarina

Introdução: O câncer é considerado uma das doenças crônicas não transmissíveis que mais afeta a população mundial. Essa afecção crônica provoca muitas alterações relacionadas ao metabolismo, como o aumento na demanda nutricional causada pelo tumor e pelos tratamentos realizados. Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil nutricional de pacientes oncológicos internados no Hospital Universitário Santa Terezinha (HUST), localizado na Região Meio Oeste de Santa Catarina. Método: Este estudo é de natureza aplicada, transversal, de cunho quantitativo, descritivo, realizado no período de maio a dezembro de 2016. Os dados clínicos foram obtidos pela análise de prontuário e a avaliação do estado nutricional por meio da avaliação subjetiva global produzida pelo paciente (ASG-PPP), índice de massa corporal (IMC) e percentual de redução de peso corporal. A análise estatística foi realizada com o programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) versão 21.0. Resultados: 57 pacientes oncológicos hospitalizados no HUST, portadores de neoplasias de cabeça e pescoço (31,6%) e do trato gastrointestinal, destacando-se cólon (28,1%), prevalência de homens 61,4%, a média de idade 60,1 anos, 75,4% dos pacientes estavam desnutridos. Os pacientes no estadiamento III foram os que mais tiveram o peso reduzido, sendo que os pacientes com redução superior a 20% encontravam-se nos estadiamentos III e IV. 90% não realizavam acompanhamento nutricional e 65% não faziam uso de terapia nutricional. Conclusões: A desnutrição é condição clínica prevalente nos pacientes oncológicos, portadores de neoplasias de cabeça e pescoço, e no trato gastrointestinal internados no HUST.(AU)

Introduction: Cancer is considered one of the chronic non-communicable diseases that most affects the world population. This chronic disease causes many changes related to metabolism such as increased nutritional demand caused by the tumor and the treatments performed. Objective: To evaluate the nutritional profile of cancer patients hospitalized at the Santa Terezinha University Hospital (HUST), located in the Midwest Region of Santa Catarina. Methods: This is a cross-sectional, quantitative, descriptive study from May to December 2016. Clinical data were obtained through chart analysis and evaluation of nutritional status through the global subjective evaluation produced by the patient (ASG-PPP), body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body weight reduction. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21.0. Results: 57 cancer patients hospitalized in HUST, with head and neck neoplasias (31.6%) and gastrointestinal tract, with colon (28.1%), men's prevalence 61.4%, mean age 60.1 years, 75.4% of the patients were malnourished, the patients in stage III were the ones that most reduced weight, and patients with a reduction greater than 20% were hiding in the III and IV stations. 90% did not perform nutritional monitoring and 65% did not use nutritional therapy. Conclusions: Malnutrition is a prevalent clinical condition in cancer patients with head and neck neoplasias and in the gastrointestinal tract admitted to HUST.(AU)

Immature teratoma presenting as a soft-tissue mass with no evidence of other sites of involvement: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Germ cell tumors are tumors composed of tissues derived from more than one of the three germinal layers. They are more common in the testes and ovaries, but can present in many different regions in the midline, including the sacral region, retroperitoneum, mediastinum, and brain. Testicular germ cell tumors generally metastasize to the retroperitoneum, lungs, and brain; metastases to soft tissue are very rare. CASE PRESENTATION: Here we describe a case of a single soft-tissue mass in the thigh of a 27-year-old man, with histology showing areas of mature teratoma tissues derived from the ectodermal and mesodermal lineages, and areas of immature teratoma tissue composed of small undifferentiated cells, with primitive neuroectodermal differentiation foci forming neuroepithelial elements - thus classified as immature teratoma. The patient had no other clinical or radiological evidence of involvement, besides the lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: The case presented suggests a rare and unexpected primary immature teratoma of the thigh.

Histiocytic sarcoma.

A 59-year-old white woman, SC, after being treated for pneumonia, presented with an increase in the size of lymph nodes. The immunohistochemical examination diagnosed histiocytic sarcoma. Relapse occurred 12 months after starting chemotherapy. The patient evolved with febrile neutropenia, septic shock and death.

Histiocytic sarcoma

A 59-year-old white woman, SC, after being treated for pneumonia, presented with an increase in the size of lymph nodes. The immunohistochemical examination diagnosed histiocytic sarcoma. Relapse occurred 12 months after starting chemotherapy. The patient evolved with febrile neutropenia, septic shock and death.

Cistos dermóide intracraniano – relato de um caso / Intracranial dermoid cyst – case report

Este estudo relata o caso de um paciente portador de um cisto dermóide, com características raras, localização frontobasal e grande extensão. Esta forma cística apresenta índice de crescimentolinear, diferentemente dos tumores neoplásicos que são exponenciais, o que caracteriza as manifestações clínicas tardias, desencadeando crises convulsivas ou síndrome de hipertensão intracraniana,por efeito comprensivo cerebral. No caso estudado, a localização do cisto comprometia estruturas vitais, o que resultou na permanência de restos capsulares após a cirurgia.