Can biosimilar products be interchangeable? Pharmaceutical perspective in the implementation of biosimilars in oncology.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety in the interchangeability of biosimilar products approved for cancer treatment from a pharmaceutical perspective. METHODS: A literature review was carried out using the descriptors "Biosimilar", "Oncology Therapy", "Interchangeable drugs" and "Biological Products", in the Sciencedirect, MEDLINE, and CAPLUS databases. RESULTS: Fifty-one articles were selected, which addressed the importance of establishing standards that prove the efficacy and safety of biosimilars with reference products, as well as the growing interest of the pharmaceutical industry in the development of biosimilars and the impact on costs and changes in the perspective of the treatment of cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: As they are large and complex molecules, it is impossible to obtain identical copies of their reference products, which generates conflicts and concerns on the part of the pharmaceutical class regarding the safety in the interchangeability of these products, highlighting the importance of pharmacovigilance in this process.

Religious/spiritual coping and level of hope in patients with cancer in chemotherapy.

AIM: To demonstrate the relationship between religious/spiritual coping and hope in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study with a quantitative approach performed in a reference outpatient clinic in Caruaru, PE, between August and October 2017. A total of 82 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy were included in the study, using the brief religious/spiritual coping scale (RCOPE-Brief) and the Herth Hope Scale (HHS). RESULTS: The sample presented mean positive RCOPE scores (3.03 ± 0.41) and the level of hope was considered high (42.7 points ± 3.67). Patients who had a high RCOPE score were found to have a higher mean of Herth's level of hope (44.12 points). CONCLUSION: This study becomes relevant to nursing professionals by encouraging care that takes into account the patient's spiritual dimension in order to stimulate positive mechanisms of religious coping and, consequently, raise the levels of hope.

Religious/spiritual coping and level of hope in patients with cancer in chemotherapy / Coping religioso/espiritual y nivel de esperanza en pacientes con cáncer en quimioterapia / Coping religioso/espiritual e nível de esperança em pacientes com câncer em quimioterapia

ABSTRACT Aim: To demonstrate the relationship between religious/spiritual coping and hope in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Method: This is a cross-sectional, descriptive study with a quantitative approach performed in a reference outpatient clinic in Caruaru, PE, between August and October 2017. A total of 82 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy were included in the study, using the brief religious/spiritual coping scale (RCOPE-Brief) and the Herth Hope Scale (HHS). Results: The sample presented mean positive RCOPE scores (3.03 ± 0.41) and the level of hope was considered high (42.7 points ± 3.67). Patients who had a high RCOPE score were found to have a higher mean of Herth's level of hope (44.12 points). Conclusion: This study becomes relevant to nursing professionals by encouraging care that takes into account the patient's spiritual dimension in order to stimulate positive mechanisms of religious coping and, consequently, raise the levels of hope.

RESUMEN Objetivo: demostrar la relación entre el coping religioso/espiritual y la esperanza en pacientes con cáncer en tratamiento quimioterápico. Método: se trata de un estudio transversal, descriptivo, con abordaje cuantitativo, realizado en un ambulatorio de referencia en tratamiento quimioterápico de Caruaru-PE, entre agosto y octubre de 2017. Participaron de la investigación 82 personas con cáncer en tratamiento quimioterápico, escala de coping religioso/espiritual breve (CRE-Breve) y la escala de esperanza de Herth (EEH). Resultado: la muestra presentó escores medios de CRE positivo (3,03 ± 0,41) y el nivel de esperanza fue considerado alto (42,7 puntos, ± 3,67). Se verificó que los pacientes que tuvieron clasificación alta del CRET presentaron mayor promedio del nivel de esperanza de Herth (44,12 puntos). Conclusión: se vuelve relevante a los profesionales de enfermería para alentar los cuidados que contemplan la dimensión espiritual del paciente a fin de estimular los mecanismos positivos del CRE y, consecuentemente, elevar los niveles de esperanza.

RESUMO Objetivo: demonstrar a relação entre o coping religioso/espiritual e a esperança em pacientes com câncer em tratamento quimioterápico. Método: trata-se de um estudo transversal, descritivo, com abordagem quantitativa, realizado em um ambulatório de referência em tratamento quimioterápico de Caruaru-PE, entre agosto e outubro de 2017. Participaram da pesquisa 82 pessoas com câncer em tratamento quimioterápico, utilizando-se a escala de coping religioso/espiritual breve (CRE-Breve) e a escala de esperança de Herth (EEH). Resultados: a amostra apresentou escores médios de CRE positivo (3,03 ± 0,41), e o nível de esperança foi considerado alto (42,7 pontos; ± 3,67). Verificou-se que os pacientes que tiveram classificação alta do CRET apresentaram maior média do nível de esperança de Herth (44,12 pontos). Conclusão: este estudo torna-se relevante aos profissionais de enfermagem ao encorajar cuidados que contemplem a dimensão espiritual do paciente a fim de estimular os mecanismos positivos do CRE e, consequentemente, elevar os níveis de esperança.

Vivência da espiritualidade em mulheres diagnosticadas com câncer de mama / Experience of spirituality in women diagnosed with breast cancer

Objetivo: analisar a vivência da espiritualidade em mulheres diagnosticadas com câncer de mama. Método: trata-se de estudo qualitativo, do tipo descritivo, com oito mulheres, por meio de entrevistas abertas, gravadas, transcritas na íntegra e analisadas conforme a técnica de Análise de Conteúdo na modalidade Análise Categorial. Resultados: verificou-se nas falas das mulheres expressões da espiritualidade, a presença do medo e da tristeza sobre o diagnóstico, gerando preocupações e dúvidas, mas a presença da fé no Divino como forma de mostrar seu apreço e reconhecimento da ação Dele no curso da doença, traz a esperança de cura em conjunto com a presença da família, sendo estas estratégias utilizadas pelas mulheres para o enfrentamento do câncer. Conclusão: conclui-se que as mulheres utilizam a espiritualidade como estratégia de enfrentamento durante sua vivência com o diagnóstico e o tratamento do câncer de mama.(AU)

Objective: to analyze the experience of spirituality in women diagnosed with breast cancer. Method: this is a qualitative, descriptive study, with eight women, through open interviews, recorded and fully transcribed and analyzed according to Content Analysis technique in the modality of Categorical Analysis. Results: the women's speeches evidenced expressions of spirituality, presence of fear and sadness about the diagnosis, generating concerns and doubts, but the presence of the faith in the Divine as a way to show their appreciation and recognition of His action in the course of the disease brings the hope of healing in conjunction with the presence of the family, being these strategies used by women to cope with cancer. Conclusion: women use spirituality as a coping strategy during their experience with the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer.(AU)

Objetivo: analizar la experiencia de la espiritualidad en las mujeres diagnosticadas con cáncer de mama. Método: este es un estudio cualitativo, descriptivo, con ocho mujeres, a través de entrevistas abiertas, grabadas y transcritas y analizadas de acuerdo a la técnica de análisis de contenido en la modalidad de análisis categórico. Resultados: se encontró en los discursos de las mujeres expresiones de espiritualidad, la presencia del miedo y la tristeza acerca del diagnóstico, generando inquietudes y dudas, pero la presencia de la fe en la Divinidad, como una manera de mostrar su agradecimiento y reconocimiento de su acción en el curso de la enfermedad, trae la esperanza de curación en conjunción con la presencia de la familia, siendo estas estrategias utilizadas por las mujeres para lidiar con el cáncer. Conclusión: se concluye que las mujeres usan la espiritualidad como una estrategia de subsistencia durante su experiencia en el diagnóstico y tratamiento del cáncer de mama.(AU)

Fut3 role in breast invasive ductal carcinoma: Investigating its gene promoter and protein expression.

Fucosylated glycans synthesized by α1,3/4-fucosyltransferase (FUT3) enzyme play an important role in breast cancer prognosis and metastasis, being involved in the binding of circulating tumor cells to the endothelium and being related to tumor stage, metastatic potential and chemoresistance. Despite the pro-tumor action of this enzyme, studies have demonstrated its role in natural killer-induced cytotoxicity through the recognition of sialyl Lewis X by C-type lectin receptors and through extrinsic apoptosis pathway triggered by Apo2L-TRAIL. This study aimed to investigate the expression pattern of FUT3 in invasive breast carcinoma (IDC) from patients of Pernambuco state, Northeast of Brazil, and genotype FUT3 promoter region to identify possible SNPs that could be associated with variations in FUT3 expression. Immunohistochemistry assay was used to access the FUT3 expression in normal (n=11) and tumor tissues (n=85). DNA sequencing was performed to genotype the FUT3 promoter region in patients with IDC (n=109) and healthy controls (n=110). Our results demonstrated that the absence of FUT3 enzyme is related to breast's IDC. The non-expression of FUT3 was more frequent in larger lesions and also in HER2 negative IDC tumors. Genomic analysis showed that two variations localized in FUT3 promoter region are possibly associated with IDC. Our results suggest that minor allele T of SNP rs73920070 (-6933 C>T) confers protection whereas minor allele T of SNP rs2306969 (-6951 C>T) triggers to susceptibility to IDC in the population of Pernambuco state, Northeast of Brazil.