Music therapy proved to be a strong ally in the treatment of patients undergoing allo-HSCT, providing bio-psychosocial welfare.

This study indicates that social support is a critical factor associated with psychological well-being of CML patients treated with modern lifelong targeted therapies.

The aim of this study was to assess the physical performance (Karnofsky or Lansky's Performance Scale), as well as the social/familial, emotional, functional and cancer treatment by bone marrow transplant (FACT-BMT battery). Subjects were all adolescents (13 to 20 years of age) who underwent a transplant at the Bone Marrow

Resumo: O presente estudo, objetiva investigar a representação simbólica do câncer em profissionais da área de saúde, pacientes, familiares e população em geral. Investigou-se, as imagens simbólicas que permeiam a atitude de cada um perante a convivência com o câncer por meio de questionário. Os resultados indicaram informações ricas de subjetividade, independentemente das diferenças demográficas. A imagética interfere na percepção, na reação e na distribuição do tempo que cada um determina para a escuta da singularidade daquele que adoece com o câncer e/ou com a contaminação simbólica. Na medida em que o fantasma da morte acompanha o paciente em seus movimentos, espera-se que este estudo possa contribuir para que se busquem formas de aprimoramento do tratamento do paciente com câncer. No entanto, para ajudar o outro, é preciso, primeiramente, redimensionar a própria formação imagética; afinal, nós, profissionais da área de saúde, também somos semeadores das imagens que se reproduzem ao longo dos séculos, apesar de toda a evolução científica. Palavras-Chave: Câncer, representação simbólica, qualidade de vida.Abstract:The purpose of this study is to investigate the symbolic representation of cancer, in order to help health professionals, patients, relatives involved, and others who might have interest on this subject, through questionnaires. The research collected data to show the different reactions of people directly involved with cancer. The results show that, despite of the demographic differences, the answers were extremely taken as personal. The self image interferes on the perception, reactions, and time line organization of the patients and those affected by the symbolic contamination. As the death gets closer to the patients, this research might help to improve the existents methods of treatment. Not so ever, in order to help others, it is necessary to fortify own self image. After all, we, health professionals are the ones to reproduce those images along the centuries, despite of the scientific improvements.

No abstract

A dor apresenta-se como um dos principais sintomas de pacientes com câncer e quando se estende por longo período, pode gerar consequências negativas na qualidade de vida (QV) e estar associada a transtornos psíquicos. Sendo assim, este trabalho visa expor sobre a QV e prevalência de ansiedade e depressão em pacientes que apresentam dor crônica e são assistidos no Ambulatório de HematoOncologia e Quimioterapia do HC-UFPR. Foram abordados 52 pacientes, que responderam os seguintes instrumentos: Questionário Demográfico, Escala HAD e Questionário da WHOQOL-Bref. Observou-se que, na QV, 40% (n=21) obtiveram porcentagem menor que 50% no domínio físico, 13% (n=7) no psicológico e de relações sociais e 8% (n=4) no de meio ambiente. A prevalência de ansiedade e depressão foram, respectivamente, de 46% e 28%. Concluiu-se que a dor interfere na QV e na incidência de sintomas ansiosos e depressivos da população estudada, sendo necessário enfoque multidimensional para sua maior compreensão. Descritores ABSTRACTPain presents as one of the main symptoms of cancer patients and when it extends for a long or permanent period it can bring negative consequences in quality of life and also be associated to anxiety and depression disorders. Regarding this context, the present work had the objective to demonstrate the quality of life and prevalence of anxiety and depression in patients with chronic pain who clinically assisted in Hemato-Oncology and Chemotherapy Ambulatory from Clinical Hospital of Federal University of Parana (HC-UFPR). Were approached 52 patients who responded the following instruments: demographic questionnaire, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) questionnaire and the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL). In concerning quality of life, 40% (n=21) obtained result lower than 50% in physical domain; 13% (n=7) in psychological and social relations; and 8% (n=4) in environment. The prevalence of anxiety and depression were, respectively, 46% and 28%. In conclusion, pain interferes in quality of life and in the incidence of anxious and depressive symptoms. Biological aspects cannot be the only focus, it is necessary to consider a multidimensional approach.

No abstract

Cognitive function of patients on monotherapy specific for their epileptic syndrome has been studied infrequently. We evaluated 7 patients with symptomatic localised epilepsies (SEL) on phenytoin aged 30 +/- 12 (mean +/- standard deviation) years, 8 with idiopathic generalised epilepsies on sodium valproate aged 18 +/- 4 years, 16 with SEL on carbamazepine aged 28 +/- 11 years, and 35 healthy controls aged 27 +/- 11 years. All subjects were of normal intelligence, educated appropriately to age, and led productive lives in the community. Two of the patients on carbamazepine and one on valproate had less than five partial, absence or myoclonic seizures monthly, the remaining were controlled. Carbamazepine serum concentrations were 12 +/- 5 micrograms/ml, phenytoin were 23 +/- 7, and valproate were 62 +/- 23 (mean +/- sd). Tests included immediate recall and recognition for pictures, Stroop test, delayed recall and recognition of pictures. Patients on phenytoin and valproate performed significantly worse than controls on immediate recall, and patients on carbamazepine performed significantly worse than controls in Stroop test (p < 0.01). The results indicate relatively minor effects of the epileptic syndromes and of phenytoin, carbamazepine and valproate on cognition of patients with controlled epilepsy leading productive lives in the community. We conclude that the cognitive deficit found in chronic epileptic patients on poly-therapeutic drug regimen must be multifactorial, and that future studies need to control for all possible variables in order to achieve meaningful results.