Limitations of workers diagnosed with cancer evaluated with Work Role Functioning Questionnaire-Br.

The main subject of the current study is to look into the limitations found in individuals diagnosed with cancer, considered a public health problem, especially in developing countries where the impact of this disease is expected to account for 80% of 20 million new cases estimated worldwide by 2025. For some patients undergoing treatment, continuing to be professionally active is challenging especially considering that work fosters a purpose in life, a sense of contribution, distraction, and self-esteem, which aids in physical, cognitive, emotional, and interpersonal recovery. Within this context, the aim is to describe the limitations found in individuals with cancer, who have maintained their work activities in private service during radiotherapy treatment, through a descriptive study and a quantitative approach. The final sample of 51 participants was defined by non-probability convenience sampling, based on information from all patients admitted in that period, with a research protocol approved by the Research Ethics Committee. The assessment using the Brazilian version of the Work Role Functioning Questionnaire showed higher average work functioning indexes for social demand, with an average score of 94.33 (11.47). In turn, the worst indexes were registered in physical demand. No significant differences were observed between groups of treatment protocols in terms of WRFQ-Br scores. The work functioning assessment of workers diagnosed with cancer in radiotherapy using the WRFQ-Br showed higher scores for social demands and lower for physical demands. The preserved social performance may be linked to individual work functioning within the family, at work and, consequently, within society, given that the study included patients who maintained their work activities during the proposed treatment period, highlighting the social role of work for patients with cancer.

Braquiterapia de alta taxa de dose / High dose rate brachytherapy

A braquiterapia de alta taxa de dose utiliza fonte unica de '192 ANT. IND Ir' com atividade nominal inicial de 10Ci em equipamento com controle remoto. Esta tecnica permite que o tratamento seja realizado em regime ambulatorial, sem os inconvenientes da braquiterapia classica, como anestesia geral ou raquidiana, imobilizacao prolongada no leito e exposicao de pessoa a irradiacao. O servico de radioterapia possui cinco protocolos de tratamento em estudo: carcinoma de colo uterino, endometrio, pulmao, esofago e tumores do sistema nervoso central. Desde a instalacao do Micro Selectron HDR foram tratados 90 pacientes, com um total de 257 procedimentos. As aplicacoes sao semanais, perfazendo tres a quatro fracoes. Devido ao pouco tempo de atividade, os resultados sao preliminares, mas perfeitamente comparaveis aos primeiros meses dos tratamenos classicos. Nao tivemos nenhuma complicacao durante os procedimentos ou imediatamente apos. Muitos estudos devem ser realizados para se estabelecer criterios de dose, fracionamento e associacao ideais, a fim de se alcancar um alto nivel de taxa terapeutica.