Evaluating the presence of Mycoplasma hyorhinis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Helicobacter pylori in biopsies of patients with gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide and has been associated with infections that may promote tumour progression. Accordingly, we analysed the presence of Mollicutes, Mycoplasma hyorhinis, Fusobacterium nucleatum and Helicobacter pylori in gastric cancer tissues and evaluated their correlation with clinicopathological factors. METHODS: Using a commercial kit, DNA were extracted from 120 gastric samples embedded in paraffin: 80 from patients with gastric cancer and 40 from cancer free patients, dating from 2006 to 2016. Mollicutes and H. pylori were detected by PCR; F. nucleatum and M. hyorhinis were detected by qPCR, together with immunohistochemistry for the latter bacteria. RESULTS: Mollicutes were detected in the case and control groups (12% and 2.5%) and correlated with the papillary histologic pattern (P = 0.003), likely due to cell transformation promoted by Mollicutes. M. hyorhinis was detected in the case and control group but was not considered a cancer risk factor. H. pylori was detected at higher loads in the case compared to the control group (8% and 22%, P = 0.008) and correlated with metastasis (P = 0.024), lymphatic invasion (P = 0.033), tumour of diffused type (P = 0.028), and histopathological grading G1/G2 (P = 0.008). F. nucleatum was the most abundant bacteria in the case group, but was also detected in the control group (26% and 2.5%). It increased the cancer risk factor (P = 0.045, OR = 10.562, CI95% = 1.057-105.521), and correlated with old age (P = 0.030) and tumour size (P = 0.053). Bacterial abundance was significantly different between groups (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our findings could improve the control and promote our understanding of opportunistic bacteria and their relevance to malignant phenotypes.

Conhecimento e prática acerca da prevenção do câncer de pele: um estudo com adolescentes / Knowledge and practice on the prevention of skin cancer: a study with teenagers

A adolescência é a fase na qual a pessoa mais se expõe ao sol, o que pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento do câncer de pele por causa do efeito cumulativo da radiação ultravioleta. O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever o conhecimento e a prática da prevenção do câncer de pele em adolescentes. Foi realizada uma pesquisa exploratória, transversal, com coleta de dados primários na qual foram entrevistados 300 adolescentes de 15 a 19 anos. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria dos adolescentes conhece as principais formas de proteção solar, porém não as utilizam conjuntamente com a finalidade de prevenir a referida patologia; expõem-se ao sol durante as horas em que a radiação ultravioleta é mais intensa e prejudicial à pele e não receberam informações dos profissionais de saúde das USFs sobre a prevenção da doença. O autoexame da pele é pouco conhecido e praticado. Diante desses resultados se sugere a realização de outros estudos que incentivem políticas públicas de prevenção do câncer de pele em crianças e adolescentes.