Public health strategy vs. golden standard for ocular cancer care in Brazil

Neto, Rubens Belfort

doi:10.5935/0004-2749.20200021

Cited by 3 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…The ocular oncology division at UNIFESP is one of the main centers specialized in ocular oncology treatment in Brazil through the national health insurance system SUS [ 24 ]. About 30% of patients referred to our service with an initial diagnostic hypothesis of choroidal melanoma were confirmed as not having the disease which reflects the challenges faced by general ophthalmologists due to the rarity of melanoma.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Choroidal melanoma tumor profile and treatment pattern for newly diagnosed patients at a reference public hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil

et al. 2022

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Background Choroid, ciliary body, and iris melanomas are often grouped as uveal melanoma, the most common intraocular primary malignancy. The purpose of the current study was to analyze the tumor profile of newly diagnosed cases of choroidal melanoma at a reference center in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and to investigate the frequency of eyes treated by enucleation that could have been treated with brachytherapy if available in the service. Methods Medical records of patients referred to our service with initial diagnostic hypothesis of choroidal melanoma from July 2014 to June 2020 were analysed on demographics, diagnosis confirmation, tumor measurement by ultrasonography and established treatment. Data were evaluated on clinical and demographic characteristics as age, sex, affected eye, ultrasound parameters, and treatment management of patients with clinically diagnosed choroidal melanoma. Among the patients submitted to enucleation, we investigated how many could have been selected to receive brachytherapy. Results From the 102 patients referred with the choroidal melanoma diagnosis hypothesis, 70 (68.62%) were confirmed. Mean measurements from the tumors in millimetres were: 9.19 ± 3.69 at height and 12.97 ± 3.09 by 13.30 ± 3.30 at basal. A total of 48 cases (68.57%) were enucleated, 8 (11.43%) were treated by brachytherapy in a different service, and 14 patients (20.00%) returned for enucleation at their original referral center. Out of the 48 patients enucleated, 26 (54.17%) could have been selected to brachytherapy treatment. Conclusions The results indicate a late diagnosis of choroidal melanoma cases referred to our service. Most enucleated cases could have been treated with brachytherapy if it was broadly available at the national public health insurance. Further public health political efforts should focus on early diagnosis and better quality of life post-treatment for oncologic patients.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Choroidal melanoma tumor profile and treatment pattern for newly diagnosed patients at a reference public hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil

et al. 2022

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“…Our flagship service is called 'Oncophone', 3 in which we provide free consultation exclusive to ophthalmologists and other medical professionals. Typically, the doctor sends clinical information, supporting clinical pictures and ancillary investigations of patients suspected of ocular cancer through the messaging service WhatsApp ® .…”

Section: Using Social Media In Ocular Oncologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Using social media in ocular oncology

Filho

Fernandes²,

Belfort

2022

Clinical Exper Ophthalmology

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“…Our flagship service is called Oncophone, (18) in which we provide free consultation exclusive to general ophthalmologists and other medical professionals but not direct to patients. Typically, the doctor sends clinical information, supporting clinical pictures, and ancillary exams of patients with a suspicion of ocular cancer through the WhatsApp messaging service.…”

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confidence: 99%

Social media as a tool against eye cancer

Filho¹,

Fernandes²,

Belfort³

2023

Revista Brasileira De Oftalmologia

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The constant evolution of technology is changing the way we live. With the advent of highly developed and robust telecommunication networks, we can instantly communicate and send high-definition images and videos across the globe. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), almost 85% of the world's population is covered by a 4G network, (1) and phones have become considerably more affordable. These information and communication technologies can play a significant role in providing cost-effective and high-quality dissemination of health information and medical care. Moreover, the way people search for health information has also changed. Nowadays, three out of four Americans are estimated to have turned to internet sources for medical information, with similar rates among Europeans. (2)(3)(4) This environment is particularly fertile for the advance of telemedicine, defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "the delivery of health care services, where distance is a critical factor, by all health care professionals using information and communication technologies for the exchange of valid information for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease and injuries, research and evaluation." (5) The development of these technologies and their application in telemedicine were already on their way, but the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic accelerated the process.Social media, a form of electronic communication through which users create internet-based communities to share information, is particularly important due to its astounding reach. Facebook, for example, has 2.85 billion active monthly users. (4) When other platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are considered, the number of active users of social media is estimated at 4.2 billion. (6) These platforms allow health professionals, organizations, and patients to interact easily despite geographical barriers, and are already used as valuable medical education tools. Already in 2012, 60% of the State Health Departments in the United States reported using at least one social media channel: 86.7% had Twitter accounts, 56% had Facebook profiles, and 43% had YouTube channels. (7) Health institutions mainly use social media for infoveillance, disseminating health information, and combating misinformation, health intervention, and social mobilization. Social media use by health researchers includes facilitating health-related research, professional development, doctor-patient communication, and offline services. Lastly, the public uses social media to seek and share health-related information, exchange social support in online communities, and track and share health status or activities. (8) Ophthalmology is a primarily visual medical specialty, and it is intrinsically related to technology. That makes it especially suitable for social media, particularly image-based platforms such as Instagram, which 40% of the adult US population uses. (9) Even large organizations such as the American Academy of Ophthalmology ...

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Public health strategy vs. golden standard for ocular cancer care in Brazil

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Choroidal melanoma tumor profile and treatment pattern for newly diagnosed patients at a reference public hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Choroidal melanoma tumor profile and treatment pattern for newly diagnosed patients at a reference public hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Using social media in ocular oncology

Social media as a tool against eye cancer

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