Severidade da mucosite bucal em pacientes com câncer de cabeça e pescoço submetidos à raditoerapia

Radioterapia é uma das modalidades terapêuticas mais utilizadas no tratamento de neoplasias de cabeça e pescoço. Contudo apresenta severos efeitos colaterais, dentre os quais a mucosite é uma das mais prevalentes e sérias, ocasionando áreas ulceradas com extremo desconforto para alimentação e possibilidades de infecções secundárias, muitas delas por microrganismos oportunistas. Esse estudo objetivou investigar a ocorrência e grau de severidade da mucosite oral em pacientes com lesões malignas de cabeça e pescoço submetidos à radioterapia, bem como relacionar com a interrupção do tratamento. 50 pacientes foram avaliados clinicamente e por meio de questionário, durante e após o tratamento, no Centro de Radioterapia de Megavoltagem em São José do Rio Preto-SP utilizando-se os critérios de mucosite da OMS. Pode-se verificar que a maioria dos pacientes apresentou algum grau de mucosite durante o tratamento e persiste em alguns pacientes mesmo após a interrupção da radioterapia. A má higiene bucal e tratamentos odontológicos prévios são fatores associados aos graus mais severos das lesões.

Biofilmes orais como um possível fator de risco ao câncer bucal

Introduction: much studies regarding risk factors associated with oral cancer. Factors such as smoking and alcohol and solar radiation are well established, but others, such as bacterial influence in the development or progression of a tumor still remain unexplained. Interest in the possible relationship between bacteria and different stages of cancer development has increased since the classification of H. pylori by the WHO as a definite carcinogen. Subsequently, links between infection and the onset of cancer in various sites in the body were discovered. Review of literature: this literature review attempts to show the influence of poor oral hygiene, with consequent bacterial accumulation as a possible important risk factor for the initiation and development of mouth cancer, and correlate the possible mechanisms by which bacteria can initiate or promote carcinogenesis. Conclusion: there is much evidence that bacteria in the oral cavity and periodontopathic are present in tumor tissue, however, still can not affirm that these bacteria initiate or promote carcinogenesis.

Estudo com familiares de pacientes com câncer de mama: abordando conhecimento sobre fatores de risco

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy in women worldwide, with one million new cases confirmed each year. This study aimed at identifying the knowledge of patients? relatives concerning the risk factors (RF) for BC. It is a descriptive quantitative study carried out in the Chemotherapy Technical Division of a University Hospital in São Paulo state, Brazil, from September to October 2006. Only female (30) relatives were included due to the fact that BC is more frequent in females. The major RF cited were family history for BC 33.3% (10), smoking 16.6% (5), alcoholic-drink consumption 10% (3), animal-fat-rich diet 3.3% (1). Other factors such as not breastfeeding, environmental factors, use of oral contraceptives and hormone-replacement therapy were mentioned by 10% (3) of the relatives. It was concluded that the relatives of patients undergoing chemotherapeutic treatment showed to have little knowledge concerning RF for BC. Hence, it is important to rethink the inclusion of the health education process in the family scenario. This issue reaches far beyond thesimple transmission of information. Healthcare professionals and nurses in particular, must focus on these individuals? social context, values, beliefs and needs.