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.

Neutrophil/Lymphocyte Ratio and Platelet/Lymphocyte Ratio and Their Relationship with Nutritional Status and Quality of Life of Hospitalized Women with Breast Cancer.

Blood cell biomarkers, such as the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), have been recently used as prognostic markers in tumors. In this study, we investigated the association between NLR and PLR with sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, and quality of life factors of hospitalized women with non-metastatic breast cancer. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a reference center for oncological treatment in Southeast Brazil. Female participants aged over 18 years, with a histopathological diagnosis of stage I, II or III breast cancer, in any phase of antineoplastic treatment, were included. Our study revealed a high risk for participants, with high mean values of NLR and PLR, indicating low antitumor activity and worse prognosis. The binary logistic regression model showed that there was a significant association of the NLR marker and marital status (OR = 3.1; 95%CI = 1.06-8.57; p = 0.03) and, in relation to PLR, a trend was shown for a higher chance in women of black ethnicity to have increased PLR compared to white women (OR = 4.13; 95%CI = 0.96-17.70; p = 0.05). However, the inflammatory markers (NLR and PLR) did not show any significant association with nutritional factors. NLR and PLR are inflammatory biomarkers that can be easily obtained and measured in clinical practice.

Factors Associated with the Nutritional Status of Women with Non-Metastatic Breast Cancer in a Brazilian High Complexity Oncology Center.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer poses a significant public health concern owing to its high prevalence and the risk of mortality associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of women with non-metastatic breast cancer and to identify factors associated with it. METHODS: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a High Complexity Oncology Assistance Center in the southeast region of Brazil, with the aim of assessing the nutritional status in women undergoing treatment for stage I, II, or III breast cancer. Patients in palliative care or undergoing reconstructive surgery were excluded. Data collection took place between June 2022 and March 2023 and included questionnaires, physical examinations, laboratory tests, and anthropometric assessments. Nutritional status was assessed using measures such as BMI and skinfold thickness, while nutritional risk was assessed using the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002) tool. RESULTS: Significant associations were found between nutritional risk and educational level (p = 0.03) and BMI (p = 0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between educational level and nutritional risk, indicating that lower educational level was associated with higher odds of nutritional risk (OR = 4.59; 95% CI = 1.01-21.04; p = 0.049). In addition, regarding BMI, it was observed that a BMI above 20.5 kg/m2 was associated with a higher likelihood of nutritional risk (OR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.01-0.89; p = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: It is crucial to consider the nutritional status of breast cancer patients, alongside clinical factors, to offer comprehensive and personalized care. Gaining insight into the sociodemographic variables linked to nutritional risk can significantly contribute to our understanding of breast cancer. This knowledge, in turn, can aid in identifying effective strategies for public policy, health promotion, and prevention efforts aimed at tackling this condition.

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.

Cost-effectiveness of home care services versus hospital care for pediatric patients worldwide: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Despite the expansion of home care services (HCS) in several countries, there is still a need to systematically investigate the available evidence on the cost-effectiveness of this type of service compared to hospital care in the world, particularly for the pediatric population. Hence, we aimed to systematically synthesize and critically evaluate the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of HCS versus in-hospital services worldwide. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols. Ten databases will be searched: MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica database, cummulative index to nursing and allied health literature (CINAHL), Web of Science, SCOPUS, Science Direct, PsycINFO, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature and Chinese national knowledge infrastructure with no restrictions on publication date or languages. A checklist for assessing the quality of reporting of economic evaluation studies will be applied. To assess the methodological quality of evidence from observational research on comparative effectiveness, the Good Research for Comparative Effectiveness Checklist v5.0 will be used. The heterogeneity among the studies will be assessed using the I2 statistic test. According to the results of this test, we will verify whether a meta-analysis is feasible. If feasibility is confirmed, a random-effect model analysis will be carried out. For data analysis, the calculation of the pooled effect estimates will consider a 95% CI and alpha will be set in 0.05 using the R statistical software, v.4.0.4. In addition, we will rate the certainty of evidence based on Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. All methodological steps of this review will be performed independently and paired by 2 reviewers and conducted and managed in the EPPI-Reviewer Software™. RESULTS: The results may have relevance for the basis of public health policies, regarding the forms of organization of HCS, especially in terms of complete economic evaluations through cost-effectiveness analysis in relation to hospital care. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge this will be the first systematic review and metanalysis to synthesize and critically evaluate the evidence on the cost-effectiveness of HCS versus in-hospital services worldwide. The review will adopt a rigorous approach, adhering to PRISMA Statement 2020, using a comprehensive and systematic search strategy in 10 databases, further the gray literature, pre-prints, with no time period or language restrictions.

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.

Use of family history taking for hereditary neoplastic syndromes screening in primary health care: A systematic review protocol.

BACKGROUND: Although most neoplasms result from complex interactions between the individual's genome and the environment, a percentage of cases is particularly due to inherited alterations that confer a greater predisposition to the development of tumors. Hereditary Neoplastic Syndromes have a high psychosocial and economic burden, in addition to being characterized by an increased risk for one or more types of cancer, onset of malignancy at a young age, high risk of secondary malignancies, and occurrence in successive generations of the family. Personal and family history, as well as pedigree, may be useful resources to estimate the risk for developing cancer, especially in Primary Health Care settings. OBJECTIVE: To identify and evaluate the evidence regarding the impact of using family history as a genomic technology for Hereditary Neoplastic Syndromes screening at Primary Health Care. METHODS: This systematic review protocol was elaborated in compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P). We will include all observational as well as experimental study designs published up to end of July 2022, and studies covering the impact of family history on screening for Hereditary Neoplastic Syndromes in primary health care. Qualitative studies, as well as guidelines, reviews, and studies undertaken in hospitals, outpatient clinic, or medical environments will be excluded. Five databases will be searched, including MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, and LILACS. Additional sources will also be retrieved, including Clinical trials.gov-NIH, The British Library, and Google Scholar. No restriction to language or date will be employed in the search strategy. Three investigators will select studies independently, perform data extraction, and conduct the critical appraisal of the risk of bias and overall quality of the selected studies according to their designs. Regarding data synthesis, the study characteristics will be summarized and presented in tables and results will be presented according to the study design. A qualitative synthesis of data will also be provided in this systematic review. DISCUSSION: To the best of our knowledge, this systematic review will be the first to identify and critically assess evidence regarding the impact of using family history as a genomic technology for Hereditary Neoplastic Syndromes screening in Primary Health Care settings worldwide. This study is expected to provide consistent evidence that will aid the primary care decision-makers regarding hereditary cancer screening, thus helping individuals and families at risk for cancer. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020166211.

Effectiveness of complementary therapies for the management of symptom clusters in palliative care in pediatric oncology: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of complementary therapies in the management of symptom clusters in children and adolescents with cancer undergoing palliative care. METHOD: Systematic review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, resorting to the databases MEDLINE, Web of Science, Central Cochrane, and PsycINFO. The identification, selection, inclusion, extraction, and methodological assessment were conducted by two independent reviewers. RESULTS: Five quasi-experiments met the eligibility criteria. The heterogeneous characteristics of the studies made meta-analysis impossible. Two studies used therapeutic massage, one used Reiki, one used boswellic acid, and one used Cannabis sativa; three of them (therapeutic massage and Reiki) presented statistically significant results for the management of the cluster pain-anxiety-worry-dyspnea. Most studies presented a moderate risk of bias as per ROBINS-I tool. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic massage and Reiki may be effective for the symptom clusters management, especially the pain-anxiety-worry-dyspnea cluster in children and adolescents undergoing palliative care.

Effectiveness of complementary therapies for the management of symptom clusters in palliative care in pediatric oncology: a systematic review / Efectividad de las terapias complementarias para el manejo de los grupos de síntomas en los cuidados paliativos en oncopediatría: revisión sistemática / Efetividade de terapias complementares para o manejo de clusters de sintomas em cuidados paliativos em oncopediatria: revisão sistemática

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of complementary therapies in the management of symptom clusters in children and adolescents with cancer undergoing palliative care. Method: Systematic review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, resorting to the databases MEDLINE, Web of Science, Central Cochrane, and PsycINFO. The identification, selection, inclusion, extraction, and methodological assessment were conducted by two independent reviewers. Results: Five quasi-experiments met the eligibility criteria. The heterogeneous characteristics of the studies made meta-analysis impossible. Two studies used therapeutic massage, one used Reiki, one used boswellic acid, and one used Cannabis sativa; three of them (therapeutic massage and Reiki) presented statistically significant results for the management of the cluster pain-anxiety-worry-dyspnea. Most studies presented a moderate risk of bias as per ROBINS-I tool. Conclusion: Therapeutic massage and Reiki may be effective for the symptom clusters management, especially the pain-anxiety-worry-dyspnea cluster in children and adolescents undergoing palliative care.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad de las terapias complementarias para el manejo de los grupos de síntomas en niños y adolescentes con cáncer en cuidados paliativos. Método: Revisión sistemática guiada por Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, con acceso a las bases de datos MEDLINE, Web of Science, Central Cochrane y PsycINFO. La identificación, selección, inclusión, extracción y evaluación metodológica fueron realizadas por dos revisores de forma independiente. Resultados: Cinco cuasi-experimentos cumplían los criterios de elegibilidad. Las características heterogéneas de los estudios impidieron el metanálisis. Dos estudios utilizaron la terapia de masaje; uno, el Reiki; uno, el ácido boswélico; y uno, la Cannabis sativa; tres de ellos (los que utilizaron la terapia de masaje y el Reiki) mostraron resultados estadísticamente significativos para el tratamiento del grupo dolor-ansiedad-preocupación-disnea. La mayoría de los estudios mostraron un riesgo de sesgo moderado según la herramienta ROBINS-I. Conclusión: La terapia de masaje y el Reiki pueden ser terapias efectivas para el manejo de los grupos de síntomas, especialmente el grupo dolor-ansiedad-preocupación-disnea en niños y adolescentes con cáncer en cuidados paliativos.

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a efetividade de terapias complementares no manejo dos clusters de sintomas em crianças e adolescentes com câncer em cuidados paliativos. Método: Revisão sistemática guiada pelo Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, com acesso às bases de dados MEDLINE, Web of Science, Central Cochrane e PsycINFO. A identificação, seleção, inclusão, extração e avaliação metodológica foram realizadas por dois revisores independentemente. Resultados: Atenderam aos critérios de elegibilidade cinco quase-experimentos. As características heterogêneas dos estudos impossibilitaram a meta-análise. Dois estudos utilizaram a massagem terapêutica; um, o Reiki; um, ácido boswélico; e um, a Cannabis sativa, sendo que três deles (que usaram massagem terapêutica e Reiki) apresentaram resultados estatisticamente significantes para o manejo do cluster dor-ansiedade-preocupação-dispneia. A maioria dos estudos apresentou risco-de-viés moderado pela ferramenta ROBINS-I. Conclusão: A massagem terapêutica e o Reiki podem ser terapias efetivas para o manejo de clusters de sintomas, especialmente o cluster dor-ansiedade-preocupação-dispneia em crianças e adolescentes com câncer em cuidados paliativos.

Efficacy of the complementary therapies in the management of cancer pain in palliative care: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: to synthesize the knowledge and to critically evaluate the evidences arising from randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of the complementary therapies in the management of cancer pain in adult patients with cancer in palliative care. METHOD: a systematic review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The search for articles in the MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge, CENTRAL Cochrane, and PsycINFO databases, as well as the manual search, selection of studies, data extraction, and methodological assessment using the Cochrane Bias Risk tool were performed independently by two reviewers. RESULTS: eight hundred and fifteen (815) studies were identified, six of them being selected and analyzed, of which three used massage therapy, one study used a combination of progressive muscle relaxation and guided imaging, and another two studies used acupuncture. Most of the studies had an uncertain risk of bias (n=4; 67%). CONCLUSION: while the evidence from the studies evaluating the use of massage therapy or the use of progressive muscle relaxation and guided imaging for the management of cancer pain in these patients demonstrated significant benefits, the other two studies that evaluated the use of acupuncture as a complementary therapy showed contradictory results, therefore, needing more research studies to elucidate such findings.

Effectiveness of mass testing for control of COVID-19: a systematic review protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Since March 2020, when the COVID-19 outbreak has been deemed a pandemic by the WHO, the SARS-CoV-2 spreading has been the focus of attention of scientists, authorities, public health agencies and communities around the world. One of the great concerns and challenges, mainly in low-income and middle-income countries, is the identification and monitoring of COVID-19 cases. The large-scale availability of testing is a fundamental aspect of COVID-19 control, but it is currently the biggest challenge faced by many countries around the world. We aimed to synthesise and critically evaluate the scientific evidence on the influence of the testing capacity for symptomatic individuals in the control of COVID-19. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A systematic review will be conducted in eight databases, such as Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, ISI-of-Knowledge, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, SCOPUS, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, PsycINFO and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, from inception to 30 July 2020. No restriction regarding the language, publication date or setting will be employed. Primary outcomes will include the sensitivity as well as the specificity of the tests for COVID-19. Study selection will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses checklist. Methodological assessment of the studies will be evaluated by the Cochrane Risk-of-Bias tool for randomised controlled trials, the MINORS for non-randomised studies and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cohort or case-control studies. Findings will be structured according to the test type and target population characteristics and focused on the primary outcomes (sensitivity and specificity). Moreover, if sufficient data are available, a meta-analysis will be performed. Pooled standardised mean differences and 95% CIs will be calculated. Heterogeneity between the studies will be determined by I2 statistics. Subgroup analyses will also be conducted. Publication bias will be assessed with funnel plots and Egger's test. Heterogeneity will be explored by random effects analysis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required. The results will be disseminated widely via peer-reviewed publication and presentations at conferences related to this field. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020182724.

Efficacy of the complementary therapies in the management of cancer pain in palliative care: A systematic review / Eficácia das terapias complementares no manejo da dor oncológica em cuidados paliativos: revisão sistemática / Eficacia de las terapias complementarias en el manejo del dolor oncológico en los cuidados paliativos: revisión sistemática

Objective: to synthesize the knowledge and to critically evaluate the evidences arising from randomized controlled trials on the efficacy of the complementary therapies in the management of cancer pain in adult patients with cancer in palliative care. Method: a systematic review guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. The search for articles in the MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge, CENTRAL Cochrane, and PsycINFO databases, as well as the manual search, selection of studies, data extraction, and methodological assessment using the Cochrane Bias Risk tool were performed independently by two reviewers. Results: eight hundred and fifteen (815) studies were identified, six of them being selected and analyzed, of which three used massage therapy, one study used a combination of progressive muscle relaxation and guided imaging, and another two studies used acupuncture. Most of the studies had an uncertain risk of bias (n=4; 67%). Conclusion: while the evidence from the studies evaluating the use of massage therapy or the use of progressive muscle relaxation and guided imaging for the management of cancer pain in these patients demonstrated significant benefits, the other two studies that evaluated the use of acupuncture as a complementary therapy showed contradictory results, therefore, needing more research studies to elucidate such findings.

Objetivo: sintetizar o conhecimento e avaliar criticamente as evidências provenientes de ensaios clínicos controlados randomizados sobre a eficácia das terapias complementares no manejo da dor oncológica em pacientes adultos com câncer em cuidados paliativos. Método: revisão sistemática guiada pelo Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. A busca dos artigos nas bases de dados MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge, CENTRAL Cochrane e PsycINFO, bem como a busca manual, seleção dos estudos, extração dos dados e avaliação metodológica pela ferramenta do Risco de Viés da Cochrane foram realizadas por dois revisores de forma independente. Resultados: foram identificados 815 estudos, sendo seis selecionados e analisados, dos quais três utilizaram a massagem terapêutica, um estudo usou uma combinação de relaxamento muscular progressivo e imagem guiada, e outros dois estudos a acupuntura. A maioria dos estudos apresentou risco de viés incerto (n=4; 67%). Conclusão: enquanto as evidências dos estudos que avaliaram o uso da massagem terapêutica ou o uso de relaxamento muscular progressivo e imagem guiada para manejo da dor oncológica nesses pacientes mostraram benefícios significativos, os outros dois estudos que avaliaram o uso da acupuntura como terapia complementar exibiram resultados divergentes, necessitando, portanto, de mais pesquisas para elucidar tais achados.

Objetivo: sintetizar conocimiento y realizar el análisis crítico de las evidencias procedentes de ensayos clínicos controlados aleatorios sobre la eficacia de las terapias complementarias en el manejo del dolor oncológico en pacientes adultos con cáncer en cuidados paliativos. Método: revisión sistemática guiada por el Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. La búsqueda de artículos en las bases de datos MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge, CENTRAL Cochrane y PsycINFO, así como la búsqueda manual, selección de estudios, extracción de datos y evaluación metodológica con la utilización de la herramienta Riesgo de Sesgo de Cochrane se realizaron por dos revisores de forma independiente. Resultados: se identificaron 815 estudios, de los cuales, seis fueron seleccionados y analizados, siendo que tres utilizaron masaje terapéutico, un estudio utilizó una combinación de relajación muscular progresiva e imagen guiada, y otros dos estudios la acupuntura. La mayor parte de los estudios presentaron riesgo de sesgo incierto (n=4; 67%) Conclusión: mientras las evidencias de los estudios que evalúan el uso de la del masaje terapéutico o el uso de la relajación muscular progresiva y las imágenes guiadas para el manejo del dolor oncológico en estos pacientes demostraron beneficios significativos, los otros dos estudios que evaluaron el uso de la acupuntura como terapia complementaria mostraron resultados divergentes, razón por la cual se requiere de más investigación para dilucidar tales hallazgos.