Publications by authors named "R R Gama"

We describe the utility of 'folic and folinic acid load tests' in the investigation of a 26-year-old woman with persistently low serum folate and moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia unresponsive to folic acid supplements. Serum folate, plasma 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF), red cell 5-MTHF and plasma total homocysteine at baseline, 2-h, 4-h and 2- or 4-days (if applicable) post administration of a large dose of oral folic acid, or oral or parenteral folinic acid were measured. The tests confirmed non-compliance but also suggested an unsuspected possible defect in the folate pathway based on differential response to folic versus folinic acid supplements.

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Background: Neoplasms in the head and neck often lead to peripheral facial paralysis (PFP), impacting facial expression and causing psychological distress. Standard treatments involve physiotherapy, but botulinum toxin type A (BTA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections have shown promise in promoting facial symmetry.

Aim: To assess the effectiveness of combined BTA and HA intervention in PFP patients, comparing it to conventional treatment (physiotherapy).

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In this multi-ancestry genome-wide association study (GWAS) and fine mapping study of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) subsites, we analysed 19,073 cases and 38,857 controls and identified 29 independent novel loci. We provide robust evidence that a 3' UTR variant in (rs78378222, T>G) confers a 40% reduction in odds of developing overall HNSCC. We further examine the gene-environment relationship of and variants demonstrating their effects act through both smoking and alcohol use.

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Health economic appraisals often rely on the assessment of health utilities using preference-based measures (PBM). The cancer-specific PBM, European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Utility - Core 10 Dimensions (EORTC QLU-C10D), was developed recently, and now needs to be validated in various clinical populations. In a multicenter, multinational prospective cohort study, we longitudinally collected EORTC QLQ-C30 and EQ-5D-5L data from patients with thyroid cancer.

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Background: The role of microbiome, particularly Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn), in periodontal disease and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has been recently explored. This study aimed to evaluate the Fn presence and its levels in oral rinse samples from Brazilian OSCC patients and healthy individuals and its association with sociodemographic, clinical, and oral health features.

Methods: In this case-control study, 80 participants were included, 31 OSCC patients and 49 individuals without a cancer history.

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