Uveal melanoma incidence and survival analysis in Portugal between 2013 and 2022.

PURPOSE: This study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the clinical characteristics and epidemiology of uveal melanoma (UM) in the Portuguese population, evaluated at the National Reference Centre (NRC). METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted, involving patients consecutively diagnosed with UM at the Portuguese NRC between July 2013 and December 2022. The study collected data on demographic and tumour characteristics, clinical staging according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC), treatment approaches, local disease control, patient survival, and the occurrence of distant metastases. RESULTS: The study included a total of 316 patients, 53.8% female. The mean age at diagnosis was 61.8±14.2 years, and 75.0% of patients presented with symptoms. The mean annual age-adjusted incidence of uveal melanoma in Portugal between 2014 and 2022 was 2.4 cases per million (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1-2.8). For choroidal/ciliary body tumours, the overall cumulative survival and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) rates at 5 years were 84.9% (95% CI: 78.7-91.1) and 79.4% (95%CI: 72.8-86.0), respectively. Notably, higher AJCC stages at presentation, the need for enucleation, and increased tumour thickness were associated with lower DSS and DMFS rates. CONCLUSION: This study represents the most extensive analysis of UM epidemiology within the Portuguese population. The findings underscore the importance of early diagnosis and treatment in UM, as lower AJCC stages and smaller tumour thickness at diagnosis correlate with improved DSS and DMFS.

Immunologic and nutritional evolution of children with cancer supplemented with arginine, fish oil and nucleotide formula

Objetivos: O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os efeitos nutricionais e a resposta imune de uma fórmula enteral completa, suplementada com arginina, nucleotídeos e ácidos graxos poliinsaturados w3 em crianças com tumores sólidos e desnutridas e em crianças submetidas ao transplante autólogo de medula óssea (TAMO). Método: Dez crianças com tumores sólidos em quimioterapia e quatro crianças a serem submetidas a TAMO foram admitidas em estudo randomizado, cego, com a utilização de uma fórmula experimental (E), contendo...

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional effects and the immune response of a complete and suplemented enteral formula with arginine, nucleotides and w3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with solid tumors and malnutritional and in children submitted to a randomized, blind study with the use of an experimental formula (E), with...

Comparative analysis between osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma: evaluation of the time from onset of signs and symptoms until diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to describe the early signs and symptoms of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma, identify symptoms that could be used to help differentiate the two types of tumors, and determine the time elapsed between the onset of signs and symptoms and the definitive diagnosis in our service, providing information and imputus for earlier diagnosis of these tumors. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of the medical dossiers of 365 patients under 30 years of age diagnosed with osteosarcoma or Ewing's sarcoma was performed, and the aspects of the clinical diagnosis were statistically analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The time between the onset of signs and the symptoms was 5.25 months for osteosarcoma and 8.1 months for Ewing's sarcoma, and the most frequent (89.5%) early symptom of osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma was local pain. Symptoms that might aid diagnosis included early local volume increase and the presence of fever. CONCLUSION: The time until diagnosis of both neoplasias was higher than that reported for North America and Europe. Education of the lay public and medical professionals regarding suspicious early signs and symptoms might shorten the delay of diagnosis.

Comparative analysis between osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcoma: evaluation of the time from onset of signs and symptoms until diagnosis

FINALIDADE: Este estudo propõ-se a esclarecer as características do osteossarcoma e do sarcoma de Ewing, bem como definir o intervalo de tempo decorrido, no Brasil, entre o início dos sinais e dos sintomas e o diagnóstico definitivo, fornecendo subsídios para um diagnóstico precoce desses tumores. MÉTODO: Alguns aspectos dos diagnósticos clínicos do prontuário de 365 pacientes com menos de 30 anos de idade, portadores de osteossarcoma ou sarcoma de Ewing foram analisados de forma retrospectiva e comparativa, seguindo-se uma análise estatística. RESULTADOS: O tempo entre o início de sinais e sintomas e o diagnóstico foi de 5,25 meses no osteossarcoma e 8,1 meses no sarcoma de Ewing; o sintoma mais freqüente (89,5) nas duas neoplasias foi a dor localizada. CONCLUSÃO: O tempo para o diagnóstico de ambas as neoplasias é maior do que o observado em estatísticas norte-americanas e européias.

Parosteal osteosarcoma with myocardial metastasis 13 years after follow-up.

PURPOSE: To report the case of a woman with a diagnosis of grade II (low grade) parosteal osteosarcoma with the occurrence of myocardial metastasis 13 years after resection, and to present a review of the existing literature on the subject. METHODS: Description of the case and review of the literature. CONCLUSION: The review leads to the conclusion that the occurrence of metastasis from parosteal osteosarcoma can occur in up to 38% of the cases, in spite of its relatively low aggressiveness. However, myocardial metastasis of a parosteal osteosarcoma is an event that was not found in the literature.

Parosteal osteosarcoma with myocardial metastasis 13 years after follow-up

PURPOSE: To report the case of a woman with a diagnosis of grade II (low grade) parosteal osteosarcoma with the occurrence of myocardial metastasis 13 years after resection, and to present a review of the existing literature on the subject. METHODS: Description of the case and review of the literature. CONCLUSION: The review leads to the conclusion that the occurrence of metastasis from parosteal osteosarcoma can occur in up to 38 percent of the cases, in spite of its relatively low aggressiveness. However, myocardial metastasis of a parosteal osteosarcoma is an event that was not found in the literature

Retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy in an infant with adrenocortical virilizing tumor.

CONTEXT: Adrenocortical virilizing tumors are rare in the pediatric age group. Laparoscopic surgery is the gold standard method for treatment of adrenal functional tumors under 6 cm in size, in adults. There has been very little use of laparoscopy in children and there is no report of its application in the treatment of adrenal carcinoma in childhood. DESIGN: Case report. CASE REPORT: We performed the first laparoscopic resection using retroperitoneal access for the treatment of an adrenocortical virilizing tumor in a pediatric patient. We believe that retroperitoneoscopic access is a viable and promising option for the treatment of adrenal tumors in children.

Retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy in an infant with adrenocortical virilizing tumor

CONTEXT: Adrenocortical virilizing tumors are rare in the pediatric age group. Laparoscopic surgery is the gold standard method for treatment of adrenal functional tumors under 6 cm in size, in adults. There has been very little use of laparoscopy in children and there is no report of its application in the treatment of adrenal carcinoma in childhood. DESIGN: Case report. CASE REPORT: We performed the first laparoscopic resection using retroperitoneal access for the treatment of an adrenocortical virilizing tumor in a pediatric patient. We believe that retroperitoneoscopic access is a viable and promising option for the treatment of adrenal tumors in children

Primary bone lymphoma in 24 patients treated between 1955 and 1999.

The authors present their experience in the treatment of 24 patients with primary bone lymphoma. Eighty-one patients treated between 1955 and 1999 were evaluated, and 57 were excluded because of misdiagnosis. The male to female ratio was 7:5 and the median age was 38.5 years (range, 18-69 years). Two patients had human immunodeficiency virus. Seventeen patients had intermediate-grade lymphomas (Working Formulation), nine patients had centroblastic subtype (Kiel), and 22 patients had B immunophenotype. Nine patients had combined treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, and nine patients had chemotherapy alone. The mean followup was 13.2 years (range, 1.5-37.3 years). Three patients had surgery, two because of subtrochanteric fractures (one patient had closed reduction and internal fixation and the other patient had resection and endoprosthesis reconstruction). The third patient presented with myelocompression at the thoracic level, and he had decompression surgery. Only one patient had radiation therapy and two patients had no treatment. There have been no local recurrences in 17 patients (70.8%). Seven patients (29.2%) died with evidence of disease within a followup of 11 months. The results of the current study showed that patients with primary bone lymphoma have a good prognosis when they are treated with chemotherapy, regardless of whether radiation therapy was given. Surgery usually is appropriate for patients with fractures.

Neuroblastoma em adultos: relato de caso / Neuroblastoma in adults: case report

O neuroblastoma e o tumor extracraniano mais comum na infancia, sendo extremamente raro em adultos. Os autores relatam o caso de um homem de 28 anos com neuroblastoma, juntamente com revisao da literatura pertinente

Ascariasis in the subdistrict of Cavacos, municipality of Alterosa (MG), Brazil: effect of mass treatment with albendazole on the intensity of infection

Em amostra aleatoria e estratificada da populacao do subdistrito de Cavacos, no municipio de Alterosa (Minas Gerais, Brasil) estudaram-se os aspectos clinicos e epidemiologicos da infeccao por Ascaris lumbricoides. Avaliou-se, tambem, na mesma amostra, seis meses mais tarde, o efeito do tratamento em massa com albendazol sobre a prevalencia e intensidade de infeccao por esse nematoide. Na primeira fase do estudo, realizou-se inquerito em 248 individuos, utilizando questionario que investigava aspectos relativos a condicoes socioeconomicas, sanitarias e clinicas. Foram, tambem, examinadas 230 amostras de fezes pela tecnica de Kato-Katz, visando determinacao da prevalencia e intensidade de infeccao por A. lumbricoides. Ao mesmo tempo, 202 individuos foram submetidos a micro-hematocrito e em 70 criancas com idade menor ou igual a 12 anos efetuou-se avaliacao do estado nutricional. Determinou-se, ainda, a presenca de ovos de A. lumbricoides e outros helmintos em 22 amostras de solo colhidas na zona urbana de Cavacos...

Características de uma favela da regiäo da Grande Säo Paulo / Characteristics of a slum area of Greater Säo Paulo

Os autores descrevem os resultados de um levantamento de condiçöes sócio-sanitárias feito em uma favela da Regiäo da Grande Säo Paulo, área industrilizada do sudeste brasileiro.