Presence of risk factors for thyroid cancer does not improve the performance of ultrasound screening for thyroid nodules in patients with obesity.

PURPOSE: It has been suggested, on a theoretical basis, that ultrasound screening of thyroid nodules in obese patients with additional risk factors (family history, chronic autoimmune thyroiditis or high thyrotropin) might be cost-effective for the early detection and treatment of thyroid cancer. The present study evaluates if this approach can be validated in a real clinical setting. METHODS: Patients with obesity who attended hospital-based clinics were evaluated for risk factors of thyroid cancer and ultrasound screened for thyroid nodularity. Detected nodules were evaluated according to current guidelines. RESULTS: A total of 429 patients were evaluated (70.2% women, mean age 49.1 ± 11.0, mean body mass index 42.6 ± 5.8 kg/m2 ). Risk factors were present in 129 (30.1%) patients. Thyroid nodules with indication for fine-needle aspiration biopsy were detected in 69 (16.1%). We did not find differences in the risk of harbouring thyroid nodules according to the presence of risk factors (no risk factors 16.6%, risk factors 14.1%, P = .64). No single risk factor conferred an increased risk for thyroid nodules During the screening procedure, four cases of thyroid cancer were detected, none of them with the evaluated risk factors. CONCLUSION: The presence of known risk factors for thyroid cancer does not improve the performance of a US screening strategy aimed at the detection of thyroid nodules in obese patients. According to current guidelines, screening for thyroid nodules in obese patients is not recommended regardless of the presence of thyroid cancer risk factors.

Occult secretion of acth and bilateral adrenalectomy: sometimes the messenger has to be shot.

Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) secretion is infrequent, the most frequent cause being bronchial carcinoid; nevertheless, in a considerable proportion of cases (up to 16%), the origin of ACTH secretion is not found. Treatment of Cushing's syndrome due to ectopic ACTH secretion is surgical resection of the tumor. However, surgical excision is not always feasible, either because the tumor has not been located, or because it is unresectable; in these cases the question is when to carry out a bilateral adrenalectomy. We present a case of ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism, in which the ectopic origin of ACTH secretion was established from the results of complementary tests (suppression tests, petrosal sinus sampling, imaging); nevertheless, none of the imaging tests was able to identify the secreting tumor. Consequently, after a reasonable interval, a bilateral adrenalectomy was performed, with good clinical results.

A percepção da mulher com câncer mamário em relação ao impacto nos filhos / Percepción de mujeres con cáncer mamario con respecto al impacto en sus hijos / Perception of Women with Breast Cancer regarding the Disease Impact on their Children

Introdução: Não obstante avanços quanto ao diagnóstico da neoplasia mamária, o estigma da morte ainda se impõe. É necessário comunicação clara com a família, sendo este um desafio no cuidado pela equipe de saúde. O diagnóstico da neoplasia muda a rotina da paciente e estrutura familiar, havendo reflexão do tratamento na família; há, como consequência, repercussão negativa à mulher com câncer de mama, a depender da forma que esta percebe a influência de sua doença e prejuízos possíveis na vida de seus filhos. Objetivo: refletir vivências de mulheres com câncer mamário, em relação ao impacto de sua doença na vida dos filhos. Métodos: reflexão fundamentada em Merleau-Ponty, após revisão teórica do impacto psicológico do câncer de mama feminino na prole e sua percepção por esta mulher. Resultados: filhos, cujas mães têm câncer mamário, sobrevivem situações de estresse, relacionadas ao diagnóstico da doença materna. A mulher percebe tamanho impacto, o que repercute na vivência da patologia, sobrevindo culpa e piora do sofrimento psicológico existente em relação à doença. Para Merleau-Ponty, toda consciência é perceptiva e o mundo percebido é a base presumida de toda a racionalidade e existência. Conclusão: a iminência de morte de mães com câncer mamário pode propiciar o luto antecipatório nos filhos; a ausência destas mães, ao se dedicarem a tratamentos oncológicos, se impõe como fator de estresse à prole, trazendo maior angústia à mulher no enfrentamento da patologia(AU)

Introducción: A pesar de los avances en el diagnóstico del cáncer de mama, el estigma de la muerte se impone. Es necesaria la comunicación clara con la familia, lo cual es un desafío en el cuidado del equipo de salud. El diagnóstico de neoplasia cambia la rutina y la estructura familiar del paciente, se reflexiona sobre el tratamiento a la familia; como consecuencia, hay una repercusión negativa para las mujeres con cáncer de mama, dependiendo de cómo perciben la influencia de su enfermedad y el posible daño a la vida de sus hijos. Objetivo: Reflejar las experiencias de las mujeres con cáncer de mama, con respecto al impacto de su enfermedad en la vida de sus hijos. Métodos: Reflexión basada en Merleau-Ponty, luego de una revisión teórica del impacto psicológico del cáncer de mama femenino en la descendencia y su percepción por parte de esta mujer. Resultados: Los niños cuyas madres tienen cáncer de mama sobreviven a situaciones de estrés relacionadas con el diagnóstico de enfermedad materna. La mujer percibe tal impacto, que afecta la experiencia de la patología, lo que resulta en culpa y empeoramiento del sufrimiento psicológico existente en relación con la enfermedad. Para Merleau-Ponty, toda conciencia es perceptiva y el mundo percibido es la base presunta de toda racionalidad y existencia. Conclusión: La muerte inminente de estas madres, se impone como un factor de estrés para la descendencia, lo que provoca una mayor angustia a las mujeres al enfrentar la patología(AU)

Introduction: Despite advances in the diagnosis of breast cancer, the stigma of death is imposed. Clear communication with the family is necessary, which is a care-related challenge for the health team. The diagnosis of neoplasia changes the routine and the family structure of the patient, while inducing reflection on family treatment. As a consequence, there is a negative impact on women with breast cancer, depending on how they perceive the influence of their disease and the possible damage to the lives of their children. Objective: To reflect the experiences of women with breast cancer, regarding the impact of their disease on the lives of their children. Methods: Reflection based on Merleau-Ponty, after a theoretical review of the psychological impact of female breast cancer on the offspring and the way this woman perceives the phenomenon. Results: Children whose mothers have breast cancer survive stressful situations related to the diagnosis of maternal disease. The woman perceives such impact, which affects the experience of the pathology, which results in guilt and worsening of the existing psychological suffering in relation to the disease. For Merleau-Ponty, all consciousness is perceptive and the perceived world is the presumed basis of all rationality and existence. Conclusion: The imminent death of these mothers is imposed as a stress factor for the offspring, which causes greater distress to women when facing the pathology(AU)

Secreción oculta de corticotropina y suprarrenalectomía bilateral: cuando en ocasiones es necesario matar al mensajero / Occult secretion of acth and bilateral adrenalectomy: sometimes the messenger has to be shot

El síndrome de Cushing por secreción ectópica de corticotropina (ACTH)es infrecuente, y la causa más frecuente es el carcinoide bronquial; sin embargo, en una proporción no despreciable de los casos (hasta un 16%)no se consigue localizar. El tratamiento del síndrome de Cushing ectópicoes la resección del tumor causal, pero en muchas ocasiones esto no es posible, bien porque no se ha localizado el tumor o bien porque éste no es resecable; en estos casos se plantea cuándo proceder a una suprarrenalectomía bilateral. Se presenta un caso de una paciente con hipercortisolismo dependiente de ACTH, en que se establece el origen ectópico de la ACTH a partir de los resultados de las pruebas complementarias (tests de supresión, cateterismo de senos petrosos y pruebas de imagen); sin embargo, ninguna de las pruebas de imagen fue capaz de localizar el origen del tumor secretor de ACTH. Por ello, después de un tiempo prudencial, se decidió proceder a suprarrenalectomía bilateral, con buena respuesta clínica (AU)

Cushing’s syndrome due to ectopicad renocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)secretion is infrequent, the most frequent cause being bronchial carcinoid; nevertheless, in a considerable proportion of cases (up to 16%), the origin of ACTH secretion is not found. Treatment of Cushing’s syndrome due to ectopic ACTH secretion is surgical resection of the tumor. However, surgical excision is not always feasible, either because the tumor has not been located, or because it is unresectable; in these cases the question is when to carry out a bilateral adrenalectomy. We present a case of ACTH-dependent hypercortisolism, in which the ectopic origin of ACTH secretion was established from the results of complementary tests(suppression tests, petrosal sinus sampling, imaging); nevertheless, none of the imaging tests was able to identify the secreting tumor. Consequently, after a reasonable interval, a bilateral adrenalectomy was performed, with good clinical results (AU)