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Information about several papers discussed at the annual meeting of the Swedish Oncology Society in Stockholm, Sweden is presented. Topics include studies of histamine and natural killer cells-activating cytokines, histamine and cytokines in experimental neoplasia and immunotherapy with histamine in human cancer.

This non-interventional, observational, longitudinal study describes treatment patterns of atopic dermatitis (AD) in Sweden. Data from 3 Swedish registries were merged, and included patients who received an AD diagnosis (during the period 1997 to 2019) and had AD treatment prescribed (during the period 2006 to 2020). Treatment persistence, treatment sequencing, time-to-event analysis, and 12-month prevalence were analysed. Overall, data for 99,885 patients with AD were included, of whom 4,086 (4.1%) received systemic treatments. Median persistence rates were 12.6 (95% CI 11.9, 13.4) months for methotrexate, 10.8 (9.1, 13.0) months for azathioprine, 5.6 (3.8, 6.2) months for mycophenolate, 5.1 (4.4, 5.7) months for alitretinoin and 3.4 (3.2, 3.7) months for cyclosporine. Median (Q1, Q3) time from first secondary care visit for AD to first systemic treatment was 5.8 (2.2, 11.0) years overall and 4.4 (1.3, 9.1) years in the Stockholm region. Methotrexate was a prominent first- and second-line treatment used during the period 2006 to 2020. Dupilumab was introduced during the study period and was increasingly used as first- or secondline therapy over time. The 12-month prevalence of AD generally remained steady, with a gradual increase observed over time for the overall population. A steep increase was observed in Stockholm from 2011. This study shows that a small proportion of patients with AD are offered systemic treatments in Sweden, with long periods in secondary care prior to systemic treatments and low persistence on systemic treatments. Regional differences highlight a need for national treatment guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to record and describe the oral condition of homeless adults in Stockholm, Sweden. There have been no clinical studies of the oral health of the homeless in Sweden since the 1970s. The study population comprised 147 homeless individuals (110 M, 37 F) in the age range 22-77 years. All underwent oral examination, including registration of periodontal status and caries data. The results show that homeless adults in Stockholm have fewer remaining teeth than the general population. Because conservative periodontal treatment is expensive and time-consuming, teeth with doubtful prognoses are usually extracted and only those with optimal periodontal health are retained. Another consequence of inadequate periodontal treatment, including insufficient oral hygiene instruction, is the high percentage of tooth surfaces with plaque accumulation. Heavy plaque accumulation will also have an effect on caries progression, expressed in this study as high DMFT values. Loss of teeth is likely to create dental and chewing problems, possibly resulting in increased dental and medical treatment needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Stockholm, population-based cervical cancer screening is offered free of charge to all women between 23 and 60 years of age. A survey to assess satisfaction with care using a previously validated questionnaire was conducted with 73 women receiving abnormal Pap smear results through the screening program. Thirty-seven women received results of screening within a feasibility project, in which they had extra contact with a midwife prior to receiving standard information and medical follow-up by a gynaecologist. The other 36 women were a matched sample receiving standard information. The results indicate generally high perceptions of quality of care, with particularly high ratings of perceived gynaecological knowledge and medical information provision. Low perceptions of quality were found regarding several aspects of psychosocial care. Higher levels of self-reported psychological well-being were found among the women who had extra midwifery contact. The results indicate that more attention to psychosocial aspects might optimize the screening program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the phenotype of families with atopic dermatitis in Stockholm, Sweden. Etiology of atopic dermatitis; Percent of patients with asthma and rhinitis; Increase in the risk of atopic dermatitis among patients born in early sibship.