Background: Breast cancer poses a significant public health concern owing to its high prevalence and the risk of mortality associated with delayed diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of women with non-metastatic breast cancer and to identify factors associated with it. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted at a High Complexity Oncology Assistance Center in the southeast region of Brazil, with the aim of assessing the nutritional status in women undergoing treatment for stage I, II, or III breast cancer. Patients in palliative care or undergoing reconstructive surgery were excluded. Data collection took place between June 2022 and March 2023 and included questionnaires, physical examinations, laboratory tests, and anthropometric assessments. Nutritional status was assessed using measures such as BMI and skinfold thickness, while nutritional risk was assessed using the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002) tool. Results: Significant associations were found between nutritional risk and educational level (p = 0.03) and BMI (p = 0.01). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between educational level and nutritional risk, indicating that lower educational level was associated with higher odds of nutritional risk (OR = 4.59; 95% CI = 1.01–21.04; p = 0.049). In addition, regarding BMI, it was observed that a BMI above 20.5 kg/m² was associated with a higher likelihood of nutritional risk (OR = 0.09; 95% CI = 0.01–0.89; p = 0.039). Conclusions: It is crucial to consider the nutritional status of breast cancer patients, alongside clinical factors, to offer comprehensive and personalized care. Gaining insight into the sociodemographic variables linked to nutritional risk can significantly contribute to our understanding of breast cancer. This knowledge, in turn, can aid in identifying effective strategies for public policy, health promotion, and prevention efforts aimed at tackling this condition.

Patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy may have different cancer symptom clusters (CSC) that negatively impact their quality of life (QoL). These symptoms can sometimes arise from the disease itself or as a result of their cancer treatment. This study aimed to: examine the feasibility of longitudinal testing of CSC pattern and QoL in a sample of adult cancer patients undergoing outpatient chemotherapy; to identify the cardiovascular risk of patients with cancer undergoing outpatient chemotherapy; and to investigate the most prevalent CSC and their impact on the QoL of these patients. A longitudinal pilot study was conducted with eleven participants with a mean age of 56.09 years (range: 27–79) diagnosed with malignant neoplasm and undergoing outpatient chemotherapy treatment were evaluated during 6 cycles of chemotherapy. The CSC, cardiovascular risk, and QoL were assessed using the MSAS, FRS, and EQ-5D-3L™, respectively. Descriptive statistical and non-parametric bivariate analyses were performed. Patients who started chemotherapy treatment generally had a low to moderate cardiovascular risk and were likely to have a family history of hypertension, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke. Cardiovascular risk was found to be correlated with patient age (Rho _s  = 0.64; P = .033). In addition, the results showed a reduction in the QoL scoring over the 6 chemotherapy sessions. Regarding the most prevalent CSC, 2 clusters were identified: the neuropsychological symptom cluster (difficulty concentrating-sadness-worry) and the fatigue-difficulty sleeping cluster. Between the first and sixth chemotherapy sessions, there was a decrease in the perception of “mild” severity (P = .004) and an increase in the perception of “severe” and “very severe” (P = .003) for all symptoms. Adequate attention to CSC should be the basis for the accurate planning of effective interventions to manage the symptoms experienced by cancer patients.

Background/Objectives: Cancer, a leading cause of mortality globally and in Brazil, is influenced by environmental and behavioral factors, often linked to nutritional deficiencies such as low body mass index and muscle wasting, exacerbating prognostic outcomes and mortality rates. Timely nutritional interventions during chemotherapy are pivotal, necessitating continuous nutritional assessment for effective patient care management. This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of non-metastatic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and identify factors influencing their nutritional status. Patient evaluation involved sociodemographic data, clinical profiles, anthropometric measurements, blood biochemical analyses, and nutritional status classification employing the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) criteria. Statistical analysis was performed using R software. Results: Suspected malnutrition was identified in 5.81% of patients, with a significant association observed with gender, indicating a higher prevalence among men. Cancer stages II and III, along with a positive family history, correlated with heightened risk of malnutrition. Patients with suspected malnutrition exhibited older age, lower weight, body mass index (BMI), and reduced circumferences, underscoring the necessity of comprehensive nutritional assessment for optimized patient management during treatment. Conclusions: This study underscores a notable prevalence of malnutrition, particularly among patients with lower weight and BMI, affirming the reliability of PG-SGA criteria.

Background: Breast cancer survival varies widely across middle‐income settings and may be influenced by clinical stage at diagnosis and access pathways within oncology care networks. In Brazil, evidence from statewide cohorts using linked registry and mortality data remains limited. Aim: To investigate the association between clinical factors and breast cancer–specific survival among women treated in all hospitals comprising the Oncology Care Network of a state in Southeastern Brazil. Methods and Results: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from the Hospital Cancer Registry linked to the state Mortality Information System. Women aged ≥ 18 years diagnosed with primary breast cancer (ICD‐10: C50.x) between 2000 and 2016 were included and followed until December 31, 2021. Five‐year breast cancer–specific survival was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and factors associated with mortality were assessed using cause‐specific Cox proportional hazards models with complete‐case analysis. A total of 12,096 women were included, of whom 7,191 had complete data for multivariable analysis. The mean age at diagnosis was 54.7 years. Five‐year breast cancer–specific survival ranged from 97% (95% CI: 96−97%) in stage I to 32% (95% CI: 31−37%) in stage IV. Women referred from the private healthcare system had a significantly lower risk of breast cancer mortality than those referred from the public system (HR: 0.83; 95% CI: 0.75−0.93; p = 0.001). Advanced clinical stage remained the strongest predictor of mortality, and the presence of distant metastasis at diagnosis increased the risk of breast cancer death by 49% (HR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.14−1.94; p = 0.003). Conclusion: Breast cancer–specific survival in Espírito Santo is strongly determined by stage at diagnosis and by differential access pathways within the oncology care network. Strengthening early diagnostic strategies, improving referral coordination, and ensuring equitable access to timely treatment are essential to reduce survival disparities in this setting.

Objectives: to describe and analyze the most prevalent cancer symptom clusters as well as their intensity, discomfort and clustering in hospitalized women with non-metastatic malignant breast cancer.

Introduction: The modern lifestyle, marked by an intense routine and inadequate diet, contributes to the increase in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), especially obesity, which can be influenced by stress. The relationship between stress, nutritional status and NCDs lacks comprehensive studies, especially when it concerns public security professionals. Objective: To evaluate the abdominal obesity and its association with stress symptoms in military personnel in the metropolitan region of a Brazilian capital. Methods: The study is part of the "SOMA-SI" program, which investigated the health of public security agents in Espírito Santo between April and December 2022. The sample included police officers, firefighters and municipal guards (n=213). Healthy adult military personnel were included and those on leave or under psychiatric treatment were excluded. Among the variables measured were blood pressure measurements, anthropometric assessment and Lipp Stress Symptom Inventory. The Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) v. 25 for Windows® was used for statistical analyses. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests were performed at 5% significance, exploring associations between categorical variables and differences in median stress scores. Results: The sample consisted of 216 participants, predominantly men (75.5%) and non-white (63.7%), revealing 61.6% with more than 15 years of work, 81.1% with income above six salaries minimum and 77.3% with completed higher education. Military police officers represented the majority (67.6%), with 72.2% being parents, 57.9% alcohol consumers and 9.3% smokers. The majority had excess body fat (70.8%) and weight (77.3%). Statistical associations were observed between waist perimeter and stress symptoms (p = 0.004). Conclusion: The study revealed an association between abdominal adiposity and stress in military personnel, highlighting the high incidence of stress symptoms and excess weight in the sample. Associations were also identified between blood glucose, blood pressure and demographic factors. However, it highlights the importance of more comprehensive studies to understand the impact of stress on the health of security agents.