Publications by authors named "Andre Molina"

Article Synopsis
  • - Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and aggressive skin cancer with low survival rates, primarily treated through surgery and radiation, as highlighted by the Brazilian Society of Surgical Oncology's guidelines on its management.
  • - The consensus emphasizes the importance of comprehensive staging, including imaging techniques like PET or CT scans, and recommends that all potential MCC cases be evaluated by a multidisciplinary team, including discussions in tumor boards to prevent treatment delays.
  • - For early-stage patients (clinical stage I or II), local excision and sentinel lymph node biopsy are advised, while those with positive lymph nodes should receive radiation therapy, and advanced cases should consider participation in clinical trials for treatment options.
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Background And Objectives: New scenarios for local therapy have arisen after starting immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) to treat advanced melanoma (AM). The aim of this study is to examine the role of local therapies with curative intention for patients with AM that have been on ICI.

Methods: This was a single institution, retrospective analysis of unresectable stage III or IV melanoma patients on treatment with anti-PD1 ± anti-CTLA-4 who underwent local therapy with curative intention with no other remaining sites of disease (NRD).

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Background: Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare low grade tumor with a locally aggressive behavior and low metastatic potential.

Objectives: To evaluate the factors that are associated with relapse in DFSP. Methods Retrospective analysis of medical records from 61 patients with dermatofibrosarcoma.

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Several studies suggest that melanoma patients with a positive sentinel node biopsy (SNB) can avoid having complete nodal dissection on the basis of pathological features of the node. The aim of the study was to determine the value of metastatic area ratio as a predictive factor for nonsentinel node (NSN) positivity. A retrospective analysis was carried out of melanoma patients who underwent SNB in a single institution between 2000 and 2010.

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Background: Sentinel lymph nodes (SLN) in popliteal basins are rare, and there is controversy in literature regarding their origin, management, and outcomes.

Objectives: To correlate clinical and pathological features of popliteal basin drainage and analyze the impact of popliteal lymph node drainage on survival.

Materials And Methods: Retrospective analysis of SLN biopsies performed at a single institution between 2000 and 2010.

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Background: The pathological features of melanoma biopsies can provide significant prognostic information that can help the surgeon evaluate the risk of nodal disease. The aim of this study was to attempt to determine the relationship between pathological features of primary melanoma and nodal disease, by sentinel node biopsy (SNB) and complete node dissection (CND).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was completed of patients who underwent SNB at AC Camargo Cancer Center, São Paulo, Brazil, between 2000 and 2010.

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Background: Dermatofibrosarcoma Protuberans (DFSP) of the vulva is rare and oncologic surgery with free margins may lead to severe functional damage, requiring multidisciplinary approach regarding resection, margin assessment and reconstruction.Case Report: Two cases of DFSP in vulva were treated in a single institution. A 28-year-old patient with an incisional biopsy in the vulvar region revealing DFSP underwent a partial vulvectomy with clitoris preservation.

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Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a locally invasive neoplasia with a pattern of infiltrative growth that leads to extended resections. To avoid unnecessary resections and spare tissues, its treatment requires an adequate assessment of the margins. We present a case where artificial dermis (Matriderm®) was used followed by skin graft for reconstruction.

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Background: The isolated limb infusion (ILI) technique is a simpler and less invasive alternative to isolated limb perfusion, which allows regional administration of high-dose chemotherapy to patients with advanced melanoma and other malignancies restricted to a limb.

Methods: Patients from two institutions, treated by ILI between 1998 and 2009 for extensive disease restricted to a limb, were included. The cohort included 31 patients with melanoma who presented with in-transit metastases or an extensive primary lesion, one patient with squamous cell carcinoma and another with epithelioid sarcoma not suitable for local surgical treatment.

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Objective: Isolated limb perfusion combined with melphalan is an accepted treatment for obtaining locoregional control in advanced melanoma of the extremities and other malignant neoplasias restricted to the limb. This study aims to examine the factors associated with toxicity caused by the regional method. We considered the technical aspects of severe complications associated with the procedure in an attempt to diminish the patient morbidity that occurs during the learning curve.

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Objective: To assess the prevalence of the main metabolic alterations found in patients with recent diagnosis of urolithiasis in the West region of Parana state, Brazil.

Materials And Methods: We made a retrospective study on 425 patients with evidence of recent formation of renal stones. Laboratory assessment consisted in 3 samples of 24-hour urine with dosing of calcium, uric acid, citrate, oxalate, sodium and creatinine.

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