Geila Ribeiro Nuñez

Conhecimento e interesse em ética médica e bioética na graduação médica

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the interest and knowledge about Medical Ethics and Bioethics in medical graduation. METHODS: Transversal and descriptive study. Two different questionnaires were applied with questions about the interest in Medical Ethics and Bioethics and the knowledge about the Brazilian Code of Medical Ethics (CME), one to professors and the other to students. RESULTS: One hundred and one professors and 331 students answered the questionnaires. The Brazilian CME had been read by 86.2% of the teachers and by 100% of the students. The importance given to the discipline Medical Ethics, on a scale from 1 to 5, was similar among teachers and students (4.7 ± 0.7 vs. 4.5 ± 0.8; p = 0.086); however the self-evaluation on knowledge about this subject was higher in the first group (3.4 ± 0.9 vs. 3.2 ± 0.7; p = 0.017). In a block with 9 questions, the right answer was given by 5,0 ± 1.9 of teachers and 5.9 ± 1.5 of students (p < 0,001); the mean of correct answers were related to the reading of the CME. CONCLUSIONS: The present study presents unpublished data about the perception of medical teachers and students about medical ethics and bioethics and can be useful for improving the teaching of these disciplines in our medical schools.

Increased serum CA-125 levels in patients with lung cancer post thoracotomy.

Cancer antigen (CA)-125 is a useful tumor marker for the follow up of ovarian and lung cancer. It is a sensitive, but not specific, tumor marker. Increased serum CA-125 levels have already been described in a number of benign and malignant diseases. We report two cases of increased serum CA-125 levels status post thoracotomy for resection of an early stage lung tumor that regressed spontaneously 3 and 8 months following surgery. Serum CA-125 levels may increase after thoracotomy, unrelated to tumor recurrence. Therefore, CA-125 levels obtained postoperatively should be interpreted with caution.

Bupropion improves sexual function in women diagnosed with breast cancer? A pilot study in this population

8058 Background: Sexual morbidity after chemotherapy and hormonal therapy for breast cancer is an important problem that can negatively affect women’s quality of life. Bupropion is an antidepressant that appears to increase libido. Methods: We performed a pilot study using Bupropion in breast cancer patients that received adjuvant chemotherapy and were currently in use of hormonal therapy diagnosed with sexual dysfunction using the Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX), validated in Portuguese. This scale contains five questions that evaluate sexual function in the following areas: libido, excitability and hability to reach orgasm. The scale is coded, for each item as 1 (normal) to 6 (totally absent). Women received oral Bupropion 150mg/ daily for eight weeks and the ASEX, Beck’s Depression and the EORTC Q30 scales were applied prior to initiation of the study and on weeks 4 and 8. Results: Eight pacients were included in the study. The mean age was 49,75 +/- 3,95. Seventy five percent were married and 2...