Role of systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in delayed debulking surgery after six neoadjuvant chemotherapy cycles for high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

Introduction: We analyzed the role of systematic pelvic and para-aortic lymphadenectomy in delayed debulking surgery after six neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) cycles for advanced high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma who underwent NACT with carboplatin-paclitaxel between 2008 and 2016. Patients were included only if they had FIGO IIIC-IVB high-grade serous carcinoma with clinically negative lymph nodes after six NACT cycles (carboplatin-paclitaxel) and underwent complete or near complete cytoreduction.

Management of Para-aortic Lymph Node Disease in Patients With Cervical Cancer: What Is the Best Approach?

Cervical cancer remains a prevalent and deadly disease in low-income countries, especially among young and otherwise healthy women. Multimodality treatment has led to a significant improvement in outcomes for patients with locally advanced disease, and this is mainly because of the incorporation of platinum-based chemoradiotherapy in current treatment protocols. However, locally advanced tumors are associated with a greater risk for para-aortic lymph node (PALN) involvement, which is an important adverse prognostic factor.

Carboplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in advanced cervical cancer: an alternative to cisplatin-based regimen?

Objective: To evaluate the results of treatment with cisplatin or carboplatin concomitant with radiotherapy (RT) in cases of locally advanced cervical cancer (CC).

Methods: This study is a retrospective analysis of medical records of 184 patients with cervical cancer stage IIB-IVA who were treated at Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo from May 2008 to December 2012. All patients received complete pelvic region external-beam RT with weekly cisplatin (cis-RT, 40mg/m(2); n=159) or carboplatin (carbo-RT, AUC 2; n=25), followed by high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy (HDR-ICBT).

Oncologic Concerns regarding Laparoscopic Cytoreductive Surgery in Patients with Advanced Ovarian Cancer Submitted to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy.

Background: Presently, the use of laparoscopy in advanced ovarian cancer (AOC) is extremely controversial. In the era of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT), endoscopic debulking surgery could be a reasonable alternative for selected patients with primarily unresectable disease.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility as well as the operative and oncologic safety of laparoscopic debulking surgery in patients with AOC submitted to NACT.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy with six cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel in advanced ovarian cancer patients unsuitable for primary surgery: Safety and effectiveness.

Objective: Three cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) followed by interval debulking (ID) surgery is an alternative for patients with advanced ovarian cancer unresectable disease. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of six cycles of NACT followed by cytoreduction.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of all patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer, tubal carcinoma, or primary peritoneal carcinoma treated with platinum based NACT between January 2008 and February 2012.

ERCC1 in advanced biliary tract cancer patients treated with chemotherapy: prognostic and predictive roles.

Background: In oncology, we tend to look for factors that reflect better prognosis or predict response to treatments in order to make a selection from which patients will derive the benefit, avoiding futile therapies and/or toxicities. Definitive prognostic and predictive factors in advanced biliary cancer remain unknown.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed all consecutive patients in our institution with advanced biliary tract cancer treated with palliative cisplatin plus gemcitabine.

[How to consent without understanding?].

Background: The Consent Form (CF) is an important document that informs patients about benefits and risks of a study, it assures patients the right to accept or reject participation in a procedure related to their health. Some authors believe that Consent Forms are complex and difficult to read for most people.

Objective: Correlate the difficulty of understanding CF, through the Flesch Index (FI) and Flesch-Kincaid Index (FKI), used in our oncology outpatient clinic, with the profile of our patient's education.

Effectiveness of guaraná (Paullinia cupana) for postradiation fatigue and depression: results of a pilot double-blind randomized study.

Context And Objective: Guaraná (Paullinia cupana) has been used medicinally for centuries. The aim of this study is evaluate the effectiveness of guaraná in the treatment of postradiation depression and fatigue.

Design And Setting: This study had a double-blind randomized design with crossover between experimental arms, at Faculdade de Medicina da Fundação do ABC.

[Analysis of delays in diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer patients at a public hospital].

Background: To identify potential delays in the management of patients with breast cancer examined at a public hospital, from time of suspicion until diagnosis and beginning of treatment.

Methods: Retrospective study which analyzed data related to time elapsed in different intervals between suspicion, diagnosis and onset of systemic cancer-directed treatments, of consecutive breast cancer patients cared for at the medical oncology clinic of the Mario Covas Hospital during 2006.

Results: Sixty-eight women, with a mean age of 56.

[Positive/total dissected lymph nodes ratio as a prognostic factor in colon cancer].

Background: To evaluate the prognostic value of the ratio between positive and total dissected lymph nodes in patients with colon cancer who underwent primary tumor surgical resection.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of consecutive patients with colon cancer treated at hospitals affiliated to the ABC Foundation School of Medicine, Santo André. Demographic data were collected as well as information on colon cancer, treatment and clinical outcomes.

Prevalence of the burnout syndrome among Brazilian medical oncologists.

Introduction: Burnout syndrome which is prevalent among oncologists is characterized by three aspects: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and low personal accomplishment. The purpose was to evaluate prevalence of the burnout syndrome among Brazilian medical oncologists and the variables that correlate with its presence.

Methods: A survey was conducted with members of the Brazilian Society of Medical Oncology (SBOC) who received three questionnaires (general, Maslach burnout questionnaire and an opinion survey) mailed to all 458 members.

[Awareness of cancer diagnosis does not lead to depression in palliative care patients].

Objective: Characterize the profile of patients under palliative care at this institution and evaluate the prevalence of depression in these patients.

Methods: Sixty two cancer patients under palliative care, who had answered three questionnaires: one regarding their demographic characteristics, another to evaluate their quality of life and the Beck's depression inventory were surveyed.

Results: Of these patients, 68% presented with some degree of depression.