Implementation of an Integrated Lung Cancer Prevention and Screening Program Using a Mobile Computed Tomography (CT) Unit in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer worldwide and in Brazil. Despite strong evidence, lung cancer screening by low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) in high-risk individuals is far from a reality in many countries, particularly in Brazil. Brazil has a universal public health system marked with important inequalities. One affordable strategy to increase the coverage of resources is to use mobile units. OBJECTIVES: To describe the implementation and results of an innovative lung cancer prevention program that integrates tobacco cessation and lung cancer screening using a mobile CT unit. METHODOLOGY: From May 2019 to Dec 2020, health professionals from 18 public primary health care units in Barretos, Brazil, were trained to offer smoking cessation counseling and treatment. Eligible high-risk participants of this program were also invited to perform lung cancer screening in a mobile LDCT unit that was specially conceived to be dispatched to the community. A detailed epidemiological questionnaire was administered to the LDCT participants. RESULTS: Among the 233 screened participants, the majority were women (54.9%), and the average age was 62 years old. A total of 52.8% of participants showed high or very high nicotine dependence. After 1 year, 27.8% of participants who were involved in smoking cessation groups had quit smoking. The first LDCT round revealed that the majority of participants (83.7%) exhibited lung-Rads 1 or 2; 7.3% exhibited lung-Rads 3; 7.7% exhibited lung-Rads 4a; and 3% exhibited lung-Rads 4b or 4x. The three participants with lung-Rads 4b were further confirmed, and their surgery led to the diagnosis of early-stage cancer (1 case of adenocarcinoma and two cases of squamous cell carcinoma), leading to a cancer diagnosis rate of 12.8/1000. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate promising outcomes for an onsite integrative program enrolling high-risk individuals in a middle-income country. Evidence barriers and challenges remain to be overcome.

Hemodialysis Catheters in Infants: A Retrospective Single-Center Cohort Study.

PURPOSE: Evaluate technical aspects and outcomes of insertion/maintenance of hemodialysis (HD) central venous catheter (CVC) during infancy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Single-center retrospective study of 29 infants who underwent 49 HD-CVC insertions between 2002 and 2016. Demographics, procedural, and post-procedural details, interventional radiology (IR) maintenance procedures, technical modifications, complications, and outcomes were evaluated. Technical adjustments during HD-CVC placement to adapt catheter length to patient size were labeled "modifications." CVCs requiring return visit to IR were called IR-maintenance procedures. Mean age and weight at HD-CVC insertion were 117 days and 4.9 kg. RESULTS: Of the 29 patients, 13 (45%) required renal-replacement-therapy (RRT) as neonates, 10 (34%) commenced RRT with peritoneal dialysis (PD), and 19 (66%) with HD. Fifteen nontunneled and 34 tunneled HD-CVCs were inserted while patients were ≤1 year. Technical modifications were required placing 25/49 (51%) HD-CVCs: 5/15 (33%) nontunneled and 20/34 (59%) tunneled catheters (P = .08). Patients underwent ≤6 dialysis-cycles/patient during infancy (mean 2.3), and a mean of 4.1 and 49 HD-sessions/catheter for nontunneled and tunneled HD-CVCs, respectively. Mean primary and secondary device service, and total access site intervals for tunneled HD-CVCs were 75, 115, and 201 days, respectively. A total of 26 of 49 (53%) patients required IR-maintenance procedures. Nontunneled lines had greater catheter-related bloodstream infections per 1,000 catheter-days than tunneled HD-CVCs (9.25 vs. 0.85/1,000 catheter days; P = .02). Nineteen patients (65%) survived over 1 year. At final evaluation (December 2017): 8/19 survived transplantation, 5/19 remained on RRT, 2/19 completely recovered, 1/19 lost to follow-up, and 3 died at 1.3, 2, and 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: Placement/maintenance of HD-CVCs in infants pose specific challenges, requiring insertion modifications, and IR-maintenance procedures to maintain function.

Neurólise de plexo celíaco por via anterior guiada por tomografia computadorizada: relato de caso / CT-guided anterior celiac plexus neurolysis: case report

JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A dor oncológica exige outras opções terapêuticas além do tratamento farmacológico para melhor controle e, portanto, deve-se sempre que possível utilizar técnicas e modalidades intervencionistas para controle da dor, pois assim pode--se oferecer aos pacientes melhor qualidade de vida e melhora da resposta terapêutica ao tratamento instituído.O objetivo deste estudo foi apresentar uma técnica intervencionista de simples execução, adequadamente tolerada pelo paciente, com ótimo resultado antálgico e isenta de maiores intercorrências.RELATO DO CASO: Paciente do sexo feminino,50 anos com quadro neoplásico decorrente de tumor de canal anal e dor refratária ao tratamento farmacológico multimodal com analgésicos. Submetida à neurólise de plexo celíaco por via anterior, guiado com tomografia computadorizada mediante punção única e injeção de álcool a 97%, obtendo controle efetivo do quadro álgico abdominal e retorno às tarefas da vida cotidiana.CONCLUSÃO: A neurólise do plexo celíaco por via anterior com punção única sob tomografia foi efetiva para o controle do quadro doloroso abdominal em paciente com tumor anal e metástase hepática irressecável.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cancer pain requires other therapeutic options in addition to pharmacological treatment for better control. So, whenever possible, one should use interventionist pain control techniques and modalities to offer better quality of life and improve therapeutic response to treatment. This study aimed at presenting a simple interventionist technique,adequately tolerated by patients, with excellent pain relief and free of major intercurrences.CASE REPORT: Female patient, 50 years old with neoplasia resulting from anal canal tumor and pain refractory to multimodal analgesic treatment. CT-guided anterior celiac plexus neurolysis by single puncture and 97% alcohol injection has provided effective abdominal pain control and return to daily activities.CONCLUSION: CT-guided celiac plexus neurolysis with single puncture was effective to control abdominal pain in a patient with anal tumor and unresectable liver metastasis.