Retrospective analysis of breast cancer prognosis among young and older women in a Brazilian cohort of 738 patients, 1985-2002

Invasive breast cancer (BC) is infrequent among women aged.5.40 years, however, the disease outlook in these younger patients is generally worse than among older women. The present study aimed to compare socio-demographic, clinical and pathological characteristics, and their association with long-term survival, between two random cohorts of young (<= 40 years) and older (50-69 years) Brazilian patients with BC. The cohort comprised of 738 randomly selected women who were diagnosed with BC at Barretos Cancer Hospital, Pio XII Foundation (Barretos, Brazil) between January 1985 and December 2002; the patients included young women (n=376) and older women (n=362). The current analysis suggested that BC in young women is associated with numerous pathological features of aggressiveness. Second cancer and bilateral BC were independent predictors of a poor outcome in the younger group. Furthermore, C-erB-2 was positively correlated with poor outcome in the older group, whereas estrogen receptor status and TNM stage were associated with disease prognosis in both groups. The overall survival rates of the two age groups were similar except when analyzed according the treatment period (1997-2002). Although patients aged <= 40 years harbored tumors with more aggressive clinicopathological characteristics, these characteristics were not independent predictors of overall survival. The present study indicates that medical advances associated with prevention of breast cancer may improve screening programs, which may therefore increase early diagnosis and subsequently lower mortality rates.The authors thank the Public Ministry of Labor (Research, Prevention and Education of Occupational Cancer) in Campinas, Brazil, and the Lions Club of Brazil for partial financial support of the present study and Dr. Vinicius de Lima Vazquez (Department of Skin cancer and Melanoma, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Pio XII Foundation, Barretos, Brazil) for assistance with the statistical analysis. The abstract was previously published in The Breast 23 (Suppl): S11, 2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mammography-based screening program: preliminary results from a first 2-year round in a Brazilian region using mobile and fixed units

RLH, TBS and ALF made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the article, the acquisition, analysis and interpretation of the data, and drafting of the article. ECM, JSCM and NB made substantial contributions to the conception and design of the study.Background: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths among women worldwide. The use of mobile mammography units to offer screening to women living in remote areas is a rational strategy to increase the number of women examined. This study aimed to evaluate results from the first 2 years of a government-organized mammography screening program implemented with a mobile unit (MU) and a fixed unit (FU) in a rural county in Brazil. The program offered breast cancer screening to women living in Barretos and the surrounding area. Methods: Based on epidemiologic data, 54 238 women, aged 40 to 69 years, were eligible for breast cancer screening. The study included women examined from April 1, 2003 to March 31, 2005. The chi-square test and Bonferroni correction analyses were used to evaluate the frequencies of tumors and the importance of clinical parameters and tumor characteristics. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Overall, 17 964 women underwent mammography. This represented 33.1% of eligible women in the area. A mean of 18.6 and 26.3 women per day were examined in the FU and MU, respectively. Seventy six patients were diagnosed with breast cancer (41 (54%) in the MU). This represented 4.2 cases of breast cancer per 1000 examinations. The number of cancers detected was significantly higher in women aged 60 to 69 years than in those aged 50 to 59 years (p < 0.001) or 40 to 49 years (p < 0.001). No difference was observed between women aged 40 to 49 years and those aged 50 to 59 years (p = 0.164). The proportion of tumors in the early (EC 0 and EC I) and advanced (CS III and CS IV) stages of development were 43.4% and 15.8%, respectively. Conclusions: Preliminary results indicate that this mammography screening program is feasible for implementation in a rural Brazilian territory and favor program continuation

Development and validation of a nomogram to estimate risk for prostate cancer in the Brazilian population

INTRODUÇÃO: O câncer de próstata é a segunda causa de morte relacionada ao câncer nos Estados Unidos e no Brasil. Sua incidência tem aumentado significativamente após a década de 90 devido a implantação de programas de rastreamento pelo PSA, que embora seja considerado um método sensível para identificar os pacientes com risco para o câncer de próstata, sua especificidade é considerada baixa. O objetivo foi desenvolver e validar nomogramas para estimar a probabilidade de câncer de próstata e câncer de próstata indolente em pacientes submetidos a um rastreamento oportunístico. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo observacional transversal baseado em uma coorte de pacientes atendidos pela Unidade Móvel de Prevenção e biopsiados no Departamento de Radiologia do Hospital de Câncer de Barretos entre janeiro de 2004 e dezembro de 2007. Os dados clínicos e patológicos foram coletados dos prontuários dos pacientes, seguindo uma ficha de coleta padronizada previamente elaborada e digitada em banco de dados no Software IBM® SPSS® Statistics 20.0.1 for Windows para posterior análise. Análises de regressão logística binária foram realizadas para avaliar o modo como cada um dos fatores em combinação permitiria supor a presença de câncer de próstata. RESULTADOS: Dos 1.639 pacientes que foram encaminhados para o Hospital de Câncer de Barretos para a realização da biópsia prostática, 553 (42,1%) tiveram confirmação histopatológica de adenocarcinoma prostático. Os tumores indolentes foram encontrados em 66 (5,0%) dos casos positivos. As análises de regressão logística forneceram uma área sob a curva ROC de 0,737 (IC 95% = 0,678 a 0,796) para predição do câncer de próstata e de 0,696 (IC 95% = 0,591 a 0,802) para predição de câncer de próstata indolente. CONCLUSÃO: Os modelos construídos apresentaram poder de predição razoável considerando-se os eventos estudadosBACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancerrelated death in the United States and in Brazil. Its incidence has increased significantly after the 90\'s due to the implementation of PSA screening programs, despite being considered a sensitive method to identify patients at risk of prostate cancer, its specificity is considered low. The aim was to develop and validate nomograms to estimate the probability of prostate cancer and indolent prostate cancer in patients undergoing opportunistic screening. METHODS: This was a cross sectional observational study based on a cohort of patients seen at the Prevention Mobile Unit and biopsied in the Radiology Department of the Barretos Cancer Hospital between January 2004 and December 2007. The clinical and pathological data were collected from patient charts, following a standardized collection form previously completed and entered into the database in IBM® SPSS® Software Statistics 20.0.1 for Windows for further analysis. Binary logistic regression analyses were performed in order to assess how each factor in combination would predict the presence of prostate cancer. RESULTS: Out of the 1,639 patients who were referred to the Barretos Cancer Hospital for prostate biopsy, 553 (42.1%) had histopathological confirmation of prostatic adenocarcinoma. Indolent tumors were found in 66 (5.0%) of the positive cases. The logistic regression analyses provided an area under the ROC curve of 0.737 (95% CI = 0.678 to 0.796) for prediction of prostate cancer and 0.696 (95% CI = 0.591 to 0.802) for the prediction of indolent prostate cancer. CONCLUSION: The constructed models showed a reasonable predictive power, considering the events studie

Caracterização populacional em camarões marinhos Rimapenaeus constrictus (Stimpson, 1874), utilizando marcadores microssatélites e análises morfométricas

Shrimp capture is one of the most important fishing activities and has been growing in the last years due to an increment in the fishing effort and the larger number and enhanced fishing power of the shrimp boats. Thus, most of the penaeid stocks are being threatened by overexploitation. For our object of study we used the marine shrimp species Rimapenaeus constrictus, captured off the coast of Guarapari, Espírito Santo and the coast of Ubatuba, São Paulo. These points were strategically chosen since they are located above and below the Cabo Frio upwelling, a potential geographic barrier for the dispersion of marine organisms. Genetic studies, through the development and analysis of molecular microsatellite markers, and morphometric studies were performed in order to determine if there is any structure in the populations of this region. The HE and HO values of the four developed polymorphic microsatellite loci were 0.502 and 0.283 for Ubatuba and 0.473 and 0.374 for Guarapari. The FST estimate between the populations (0.0012; p = 0.1500) and probability (Bayesian method; p = 0.993) indicate that these populations behave as a single one, contrasting with the results of the multivariate analyses of the morphometric data. The gene flow rate between the populations may be attributed to the pronounced larval dispersion led by the surface current system of the Brazilian coast. Different patterns of growth and weight gain may have been responsible for the structure based on the morphometric data. Although a raise in the sample and microsatellite numbers are necessary, this study was valuable as it produced knowledge that is useful for the conservation of this species.Financiadora de Estudos e ProjetosA captura de camarões é uma das atividades pesqueiras de maior importância e que vem aumentando nos últimos anos em decorrência de um incremento do esforço de pesca e de um maior número e poder de pesca das embarcações. Desta forma, a maioria dos estoques de peneídeos está sendo ameaçada por uma superexploração. Utilizamos como objeto desse estudo a espécie de camarão marinho Rimapenaeus constrictus, capturada no litoral de Guarapari, Espírito Santo e no litoral de Ubatuba, São Paulo. Esses pontos foram estrategicamente escolhidos por situarem-se ao norte e ao sul da Ressurgência de Cabo Frio, uma possível barreira geográfica para dispersão de organismos marinhos. Estudos morfométricos e genéticos, por meio de desenvolvimento e análise de marcadores moleculares microssatélites, foram realizados a fim de desvendar se há estruturação nas populações dessa região. Os valores de HE e HO, para os quatro locos microssatélites polimórficos desenvolvidos, foram de 0,502 e 0,283 em Ubatuba e de 0,473 e 0,374 em Guarapari. Os valores da estimativa FST entre as populações (0,0012; p=0,1500) e de probabilidade (método Bayesiano) (p=0,993) indicaram que essas populações se comportam como uma metapopulação, contrastando com resultados das análises multivariadas dos dados morfométricos. Estes resultados podem ser reflexos do fluxo gênico existente entre estas populações, devido à grande dispersão larval provocada pelo sistema de correntes de superfície da costa brasileira e no caso da estruturação apontada pelos dados morfométricos, devido à padrões de crescimento e ganho de peso diferenciado

Preliminary data on the feeding habits of the freshwater stingrays Potamotrygon falkneri and Potamotrygon motoro (Potamotrygonidae) from the Upper Paran\ue1 River basin, Brazil

Stingrays of the Potamotrygonidae family are a singular group of Neotropical ichthyofauna. Although ancient reports exist about the group, there are still many questions that need to be clarified, such as the biology of the species that occur in the Paraná-Paraguay River system. In the present work, the diet of Potamotrygon falkneri and Potamotrygon motoro, captured in the Upper Paraná River, downstream from the Engenheiro Souza Dias Hydroelectric Power Station (UHE Jupiá), was analyzed. Both species showed a diversified diet, consisting of 14 food items, including Mollusca, Crustacea, Insecta and fish, with the predominance in diversity and abundance of aquatic insects. Only one individual of each species ingested fish. Potamotrygon motoro consumed mainly Ephemeroptera, while P. falkneri consumed mainly Mollusca, Hemiptera and Trichoptera. The data apparently indicate a more specialized diet for P. motoro, consuming more Ephemeroptera (Baetidae), and a more generalized diet for P. falkneri. The analysis of individuals captured in three microhabitats that differ in function of the substrate type and presence of marginal vegetation, suggests differences in the food items consumed

In silico analysis of polymorphic microsatellites in penaeid shrimp and construction of a free-access database

We performed an in silico analysis of all microsatellites so far described for penaeid shrimp and for which the polymorphic behavior has previously been analyzed. The objective of the study was to evaluate the structural characteristics of these microsatellites and identifying patterns which allow the characterization of the nature of these sequences in the penaeid genome. All data were compiled in a free-access database specially constructed for this study. Three hundred non-mononucleotide polymorphic microsatellite loci described for 12 shrimp species belonging to the family Penaeidae were analyzed and simple and compound microsatellites with di-, tri-, tetra-, penta- and hexanucleotide motifs were found. Dinucleotides and trinucleotides were the most frequent motifs among both the simple and the compound microsatellites. Although a certain bias related to different microsatellite isolation methodology could not be discarded, it is possible that part of this microsatellite abundance reflects some degree of conservation of microsatellite motifs among the different species. There was a pronounced motif variability within and between species, indicating high differentiation dynamism of these repetitions in this animal group. This study not only sheds light on the structure of the microsatellites present in the penaeid shrimp genome but also resulted in the free-access Penaeid Shrimp Microsatellite Database (available at http://www.shrimp.ufscar.br) which may be very useful for optimizing the use of these microsatellites

Barriers related to non-adherence in a mammography breast-screening program during the implementation period in the interior of São Paulo State, Brazil

Mammography is the best exam for early diagnosis of breast cancer. Developing countries frequently have a low income of mammography and absence of organized screening. The knowledge of vulnerable population and strategies to increase adherence are important to improve the implementation of an organized breast-screening program. A mammography regional-screening program was implemented in a place around 54.238 women, aged 40-69 years old. It was proposed to perform biannual mammography free of cost for the women. We analyze the first 2 years of the implementation of the project. Mammography was realized in 17.964 women. 42.1% of the women hadn't done de mammography in their lives and these women were principally from low socio-economic status (OR=2.99), low education (OR=3.00). The best strategies to include these women were mobile unit (OR=1.43) and Family Health Program (OR=1.79). The incidence of early breast tumors before the project was 14.5%, a fact that changed to 43.2% in this phase. Multivariate analysis showed that the association of illiterate and the mobile unit achieve more women who had not performed mammography in their lives. The strategies to increase adherence to mammography must be multiple and a large organization is necessary to overpass the barriers related to system health and education

The impact of breast cancer screening among younger women in the Barretos Region, Brazil

To verify the impact of breast cancer screening in women aged 40-49 years in one region of Brazil