Cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL, and nitric oxide as determinants of resting heart rate variability in non-hospitalized mild post-COVID individuals: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The association between plasma lipids, nitric oxide (NO) and cardiovascular risk has been well documented in the literature, however, the association between these outcomes and heart rate variability (HRV) in COVID-19 remains incipient as there is no scientific evidence that has investigated this outcome.

Objective: Investigate whether metabolic outcomes may be associated with cardiac autonomic behavior arising from short-term HRV variables in non-hospitalized mild post-COVID individuals.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study.

Structural validity of the Brazilian version of the quality care questionnaire-palliative care for use in individuals with diabetes mellitus eligible for palliative care.

Background: The Brazilian version of the Quality Care Questionnaire-Palliative Care (QCQ-PC) is an instrument designed to assess the quality of care provided in palliative care from the user's perspective, featuring easy comprehension and applicability. It has demonstrated validity for use in individuals with cancer, but there is a need for validation in other populations due to the scarcity of instruments with this purpose.

Objective: To structurally validate the Brazilian version of the QCQ-PC for use in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) eligible for palliative care.

Indicators of emotional distress and mindfulness in undergraduate students: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: to assess the association between indicators of emotional distress and dispositional mindfulness in health students at a Brazilian federal public university.

Methods: a cross-sectional study, developed with university students in the health area of a public institution from May to June 2022. In the analysis, multiple linear regression was used using SPSS software.

Advanced renal cell carcinoma management: the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group (LARCG) consensus update.

Purpose: Renal cell carcinoma is an aggressive disease with a high mortality rate. Management has drastically changed with the new era of immunotherapy, and novel strategies are being developed; however, identifying systemic treatments is still challenging. This paper presents an update of the expert panel consensus from the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group on advanced renal cell carcinoma management in Brazil.

"Non-metastatic, Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer: Diagnostic and Treatment Recommendations by an Expert Panel from Brazil".

Introduction: Non-metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer (nmCRPC) is an important clinical stage of prostate cancer, prior to morbidity and mortality from clinical metastases. In particular, the introduction of novel androgen-receptor signaling inhibitors (ARSi) has changed the therapeutic landscape in nmCRPC. Given recent developments in this field, we update our recommendations for the management of nmCRPC.

Consensus on Treatment and Follow-Up for Biochemical Recurrence in Castration-Sensitive Prostate Cancer: A Report From the First Global Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference for Developing Countries.

Purpose: To present a summary of the treatment and follow-up recommendations for the biochemical recurrence in castration-sensitive prostate cancer (PCa) acquired through a questionnaire administered to 99 PCa experts from developing countries during the Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference for Developing Countries.

Methods: A total of 27 questions were identified as related to this topic from more than 300 questions. The clinician's responses were tallied and presented in a percentage format.

Consensus on the Treatment and Follow-Up for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Report From the First Global Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference for Developing Countries (PCCCDC).

Purpose: To present a summary of the recommendations for the treatment and follow-up for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) as acquired through a questionnaire administered to 99 physicians working in the field of prostate cancer in developing countries who attended the Prostate Cancer Consensus Conference for Developing Countries.

Methods: A total of 106 questions out of more than 300 questions addressed the use of imaging in staging mCRPC, treatment recommendations across availability and response to prior drug treatments, appropriate drug treatments, and follow-up, and those same scenarios when limited resources needed to be considered. Responses were compiled and the percentages were presented by clinicians to support each response.

Stool Microbiome Profiling of Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Receiving Anti-PD-1 Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors.

Preclinical models and early clinical data suggest an interplay between the gut microbiome and response to immunotherapy in solid tumors including metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). We sought to characterize the stool microbiome of mRCC patients receiving a checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) and to assess treatment-related changes in microbiome composition over the course of CPI therapy. Stool was collected from 31 patients before initiation of nivolumab (77%) or nivolumab plus ipilimumab (23%) therapy, of whom 58% experienced clinical benefit.

Advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) management: an expert panel recommendation from the Latin American Cooperative Oncology Group (LACOG) and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group (LARCG).

Purpose: The outcome of RCC has improved considerably in the last few years, and the treatment options have increased. LACOG-GU and LARCG held a consensus meeting to develop guidelines to support the clinical decisions of physicians and other health professionals involved in the care of RCC patients.

Methods: Eighty questions addressing relevant advanced RCC treatments were previously formulated by a panel of experts.

RESPIRATORY AND SYMPTOMATIC IMPACT OF ASCITES RELIEF BY PARACENTESIS IN PATIENTS WITH HEPATIC CIRRHOSIS.

Background: Liver cirrhosis is a highly prevalent disease that, at an advanced stage, usually causes ascites and associated respiratory changes. However, there are few studies evaluating and quantifying the impact of ascites and its relief through paracentesis on lung function and symptoms such as fatigue and dyspnea in cirrhotic patients.

Objective: To assess and quantify the impact of acute reduction of ascitic volume on respiratory parameters, fatigue and dyspnea symptoms in patients with hepatic cirrhosis, as well as to investigate possible correlations between these parameters.

Harnessing cell-free DNA: plasma circulating tumour DNA for liquid biopsy in genitourinary cancers.

In the era of precision oncology, liquid biopsy techniques, especially the use of plasma circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) analysis, represent a paradigm shift in the use of genomic biomarkers with considerable implications for clinical practice. Compared with tissue-based tumour DNA analysis, plasma ctDNA is more convenient to test, more readily accessible, faster to obtain and less invasive, minimizing procedure-related risks and offering the opportunity to perform serial monitoring. Additionally, genomic profiles of ctDNA have been shown to reflect tumour heterogeneity, which has important implications for the identification of resistant clones and selection of targeted therapy well before clinical and radiographic changes occur.

Renal cell cancer treatment: an expert panel recommendation from the Latin American cooperative group-genitourinary and the Latin American renal cancer group: focus on surgery.

Background: Renal cell cancer (RCC) is one of the 10 most common cancers in the world, and its incidence is increasing, whereas mortality is declining only in developed countries. Therefore, two collaborative groups, The Latin American Oncology Cooperative Group-Genitourinary Section (LACOG-GU) and the Latin American Renal Cancer Group (LARCG), held a consensus meeting to develop this guideline.

Methods: Issues (134) related to the treatment of RCC were previously formulated by a panel of experts.

Cytoreductive Nephrectomy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma: How to Apply New Evidence in Clinical Practice.

Cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) followed by systemic therapy had been considered the standard of care for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) patients since two clinical trials established its role during the cytokines era. With introduction of new and effective drugs, such as vascular endothelial growth factor-targeted therapies, the role of CN started to be challenged. Retrospective studies conducted during the targeted therapy era pointed to better outcomes when CN was associated with systemic treatment, although certain patients with poor risk features did not seem to benefit.

Bilateral but not unilateral tubal obstruction is associated with positive chlamydia serology.

Objective: To assess the association between positive Chlamydia trachomatis (C. trachomatis) serology and unilateral or bilateral tubal obstruction.

Methods: This was a cross sectional study that evaluated the association of positive C.

Biomarkers in Non-Schistosomiasis-related squamous cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder: A review.

Non-urothelial (NU) histologies represent less than 10% of bladder cancers, with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) being the most common subtype (approximately 5%). Bladder SCCs are subdivided into Schistosoma-related or non-Schistosoma-related tumors, with the latter being the most frequent subtype in the western world. Typically, these patients have been excluded or under-represented in clinical trials and thus little is known about treatment efficacy in bladder SCC.

Is cervical length evaluated by transvaginal ultrasonography helpful in detecting true preterm labor?

To investigate whether sonographic cervical markers can identify women in true preterm labor and predict delivery within 7 d and before 34 or 37 gestational weeks. This was a prospective observational study of women with singleton pregnancies and intact membranes given a diagnosis of preterm labor between 25 and 34 weeks and 6 d of gestation and who underwent transvaginal evaluation of the following characteristics: cervical length (CL), CL zeta score, absence of endocervical glandular echo, presence of cervical funneling, and presence of amniotic fluid sludge. The outcomes of interest were spontaneous delivery within 7 d of preterm labor and spontaneous delivery before 34 or 37 gestational weeks.

Ovulatory status of overweight women without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Objective: Obesity is one of the extra hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis factors that can influence ovulation. The isolated impact of obesity on ovulation without other comorbidities needs to be further studied. Our goal is to evaluate the association between the anovulation in the ultrasonographic monitoring of the ovulation cycle and the body mass increase of infertile patients without polycystic ovaries of a university service.

Efficacy and Safety of Docetaxel in Elderly Patients With Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

Purpose: Limited data are available about the tolerability and clinical outcomes of elderly patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) who are treated with docetaxel. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of docetaxel as first-line chemotherapy for patients with mCRPC who were treated in our institution.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively identified patients with mCRPC and a Karnosfky performance status of 60% or greater treated with docetaxel on any schedule as first-line chemotherapy between 2008 and 2013.

Assessment of Treatment Patterns for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma in Brazil.

Background: Although multiple therapies have emerged for the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC), it is unclear whether application of these agents is consistent in developed and developing countries. We sought to determine patterns of care for mRCC in Brazil as a representative developing country.

Material And Methods: A commercial database was used to acquire information pertaining to patients with mRCC receiving treatment at private or public hospitals in Brazil between March 2013 and October 2016.

Current systemic therapies for metastatic renal cell carcinoma in older adults: A comprehensive review.

Physiological changes that occur during the aging process may impact drug metabolism and availability, consequently affecting treatment efficacy and tolerability. Despite being a disease of older adults, there is little data to guide treatment decisions for older patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). The recent approval of many new agents for this disease poses a clinical challenge: how to best utilize these drugs in a population (older adults) who has been generally under-represented in clinical studies.

Cytoreductive nephrectomy: A medical oncologist's perspective.

The role of cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) was firmly established in the cytokine era on the basis of 2 randomized studies employing adjunctive interferon therapy. However, systemic therapy for metastatic renal cell carcinoma has evolved markedly over the past decade, with targeted therapies representing the standard of care in the front-line setting. The preponderance of retrospective data generated to date appears to suggest that the benefit of CN is maintained in the targeted therapy era.