Priscila Feliciano de Oliveira
Sergipe Federal University, Brazil
Title: Hearing loss as a symptom of cancer treatment
Biography
Biography: Priscila Feliciano de Oliveira
Abstract
In Brazil, the estimation of cancer for 2015 was 576 thousands of new cases. In the Northeast of Brazil, Aracaju (Sergipe), the numbers have been increasing significantly, once Brazilian National Cancer Institute had notified 3.610 cases in 2010 and in 2015, 4.755 cases. Treatment methods have been widely used given their increase in the successful outcomes and cure of some cancers, but they lead to collateral effects. One of them is the hearing loss, which can affect the middle or inner ear. Generally, hearing loss is sensorineural, bilateral and irreversible, tends to be permanent and can come with tinnitus. The major damage occurs in the basal turn of the cochlea and hits the outer hair cells before some days or weeks after the treatment. In this perspective, a research project was set up in a public hospital in Sergipe, which is reference in cancer ward for the state. In 2012, 30.3% of 43 subjects were identified with some damage in hearing organ. In 2013, were evaluated 63 patients, and 11 of them were followed up monthly. We diagnosed 32.3% with hearing loss and 45.5% had worsening of hearing thresholds. In 2014 and 2015, our hearing assessment was extended for children and elderly, and sensorioneural cases were diagnosed. Furthermore, most of them reported tinnitus (62.2%) and it was identified that poorer quality of life was associated with late diagnosis. To sum up hearing loss cases were referred to use a hearing aid and all cases were discussed with the medical team.