SUMMARY OBJECTIVE To evaluate the knowledge about risk factors for cancer in patients treated at the ABC Medical School (FMABC). METHODS Cross-sectional observational study conducted in 2019. The American Cancer Institute’s Cancer Risk Awareness Survey questionnaire was used with 29 cancer risk factors, 14 of which were proven to cause cancer and 15 without consensus or scientific evidence of causality with cancer but that are often reminded by most of the population. Qualitative variables were described by frequency and percentage, and quantitative variables by mean and standard deviation or median and range depending on normality, assessed by the Shapiro-Wilk test. The study was conducted in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration for Research and approved by the Research Ethics Committee. RESULTS 191 patients were included. Median age 54 (20 to 90), 64% female. 35.6% reported current or previous smoking. 3.1% consumed alcohol more than 5 drinks/week. 56% reported sedentary lifestyle. 44% had at least 1 case of cancer in relatives up to 2nd degree. The average of correct answers in the analyzed population was 12.83 ± 3.06. A weak positive correlation was observed between income and number of cases (rho = 0.177, p = 0.02). No relationship was observed between the number of correct answers and level of education, age, sex, marital status, race or patients with a positive family history for cancer. CONCLUSION The knowledge about risk factors for cancer in the ABC population is low, which may contribute to the adoption of risk behaviors for the disease.

Introduction: Economic burden of cancer treatment does not fall only on the Brazilian National Health System (“SUS”) but also on patients. Nonreimbursed indirect costs include noncovered oral medications, food, transportation, and others. Our study compares out-of-pocket costs of cancer treatment between patients from the SUS and patients enrolled in research protocols. Methods Observational, cross-sectional and analytical study conducted in 2021. Patients undergoing chemotherapy were divided into 2 groups: patients from a tertiary hospital affiliated with the SUS and patients enrolled in research protocols at a research center. The primary outcome was the evaluation of out-of-pocket costs using a socioeconomic questionnaire to identify the cost and time spent by patients during treatment. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Results 195 patients were included, of whom 165 (84.6%) were treated by the SUS and 30 (15.4%) by research protocols. Of the total, 61% were female, and the mean age of the patients was 57 years. The median total out-of-pocket costs of SUS patients was Brazilian reais (R$) 453.80 (US$ 78.92), and that of patients who were enrolled in research protocols was R$ 448.00 (US$ 77.91) (P = 0.317). A comparison of the groups by multivariate analysis showed that only the time spent by patients on chemotherapy and radiotherapy was significantly different, being higher in the SUS group (OR 2.58, 95% CI 1.03–6.50). Conclusion Total out-of-pocket spending by SUS patients is similar in magnitude to that by patients in research protocols, although the reasons for the spending are different.

Introdução: Um terço das crianças e adolescentes com epilepsia possuem crises refratárias ao tratamento farmacológico habitual. Estudos mostram potencial eficácia no tratamento dos casos refratários com o uso de cannabis. Objetivo: Avaliar a eficácia e os efeitos adversos do uso de cannabis em crianças e adolescentes com epilepsia, especialmente nos refratários aos tratamentos convencionais. Método: Revisão narrativa de literatura de artigos da base de dados PubMed com os descritores "cannabis", "child" e "seizure", combinados com o operador booleano "AND". Foram analisados artigos que avaliaram a faixa etária pediátrica, publicados entre abril de 2010 e abril de 2020 nos idiomas inglês, espanhol e português. Resultados: Foram encontrados 30 artigos dos quais nove

Introduction: Anxiety and depression are prevalent comorbidities in cancer patients. Although cancer treatment is funded by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), economic burden is also borne by patients through out-of-pocket costs. Our study sought to evaluate the impact of out-of-pocket costs of cancer treatment on depression, anxiety and stress levels in cancer patients.Methods: Observational, cross-sectional and analytical study conducted in 2021. Patients undergoing chemotherapy were being treated at tertiary hospital affiliated with the SUS and enrolled in research protocols at research center. To evaluate out-of-pocket costs, we used a socioeconomic questionnaire to identify costs and time spent by patients. Primary outcomes were prevalence of depression and anxiety, as determined by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and prevalence of stress, as determined using a stress thermometer.Results: 195 patients were included. Among included patients, 61% were female, and mean age was 57 years. Patients' median overall out-of-pocket costs was R$ 453.80 (US$ 78.92). Based on the HADS, 62.1% of patients had possible or probable depression/anxiety. There was no correlation between overall out-of-pocket spending and levels of depression/anxiety. However, when stratified by cost-time variables, there was a negative correlation between spending on telephones and HADS (rho = -0.140; P = 0.049) and positive correlations between spending on medications (rho = 0.140; P = 0.05) and time spent purchasing medications (rho = 0.157; P = 0.029) with HADS.Conclusion: Although overall spending was not directly correlated with mental health, specific costs impacted levels of anxiety, depression and stress.