Research reveals that blood plasma is an alternative in the treatment of cancer

Health

Research presented during the 7th Pan-Amazonian Oncology Congress

Manaus (AM) – Blood plasma can be used as an alternative in monitoring the treatment of women with cervical cancer, according to research presented during the 7th Pan-Amazonian Oncology Congress, promoted by the Amazonas State Oncology Control Center Foundation (FCecon) , an entity linked to the State Department of Health (SES-AM). The event started on Thursday (23) and ended on Saturday (25), at the Hotel Intercity, located in the center-south area.

With the theme “Prevention, diagnosis, treatment, education and oncological management: a cultural issue”, the biennial event is supported by the Amazonas State Research Support Foundation (Fapeam), in addition to other partner institutions. The congress brings together 96 lectures, including experts from Amazonas, other states and three international ones, with three simultaneous rooms.

Best projects

The research called “Detection of free circulating HPV-16 and 18 DNA in women undergoing treatment for cervical cancer, in a reference center for cancer treatment in Amazonas” was carried out by the 10th period Pharmacy student at Federal University of Amazonas (Ufam), Layane da Silva Pinheiro, and guided by the employee of the Municipal Health Department (Semsa), Márcia Poinho Encarnação de Morais.

The project is one of the ten best works of the Scientific Initiation Support Program (Paic/FCecon) – 2022/2023 Edition. The best works were awarded free registration and presented in a special session during the 7th Pan-Amazonian Oncology.

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According to Morais, the study is an integral part of his doctoral project through the Postgraduate Program in Basic and Applied Immunology at the State University of Amazonas (UEA), and aimed to characterize the presence of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), types 16 and 18, in the blood of women treated at FCecon, in addition to describing the sociodemographic profile. For this, 57 patients undergoing treatment were interviewed.

“HPV types 16 and 18 are considered high risk for the development of cervical cancer. There are few studies that demonstrate that blood plasma can be used in monitoring during the treatment of women with this type of cancer, and we have demonstrated that it is possible”, explains Morais.

The detection of cell-free HPV-16 DNA in plasma, Pinheiro highlights, is feasible and could play an important role in monitoring response to cervical cancer treatment. However, according to her, there must be more studies with a longer follow-up period so that it is possible to correlate the presence of viral DNA in plasma with the return of the disease.

Socio-educational profile

According to Pinheiro, the women served by FCecon were aged between 26 and 45 years old – 42%; from 46 to 64 years old: 42%; and 64 years old – 14%. She explains that the majority were mixed race (84%), with incomplete primary education (36%), medical degree (29.82%) and illiterate (10%).

“The majority of women were from the interior of Amazonas (50.88%), which made treatment difficult. Soon after, women from the capital (26.32%) and from other states, which represented 22.81%”, had a family income less than or equal to the minimum wage (75.44%)”, concluded Pinheiro.

*With information from consultancy

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