PRIMARY CARE IN THE TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS OF ESOPHAGUS IN ADULT PATIENTS IN BRAZIL FROM 2017 TO 2022

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Esophageal malignancy is a cancerous tumor resulting from uncontrolled and abnormal growth of cells that internally line the esophageal cavity. The most common types are adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Primary care plays an important role in the screening, prevention and early diagnosis of esophageal malignancy, however, it faces difficulties that limit early detection and the reduction of esophageal cancer mortality. OBJECTIVE: To describe the role of Primary Care in the treatment of this pathology and the epidemiological profile of Esophageal Neoplasia between 2017 and 2022 in Brazil. METHODOLOGY: Descriptive cross-sectional study with a quantitative and qualitative approach, based on the collection of data present in the Hospital Information System, hosted at DATASUS on Malignant Neoplasia of the Esophagus, reported in Brazil between the periods of January 2017 and December 2022. The indicators used were: number of hospitalizations; gender; age group; ethnicity; evolution of the case and region of occurrence. For the literature review, the keywords and the main subject about Esophageal Cancer were relevant using the SciELO, PubMed and LILACS database platforms. Articles published between 2017 and 2022 were selected that focused on describing the cause of the main forms of proliferation and defining the problems that increase the occurrence of this pathology in the Brazilian population. RESULTS: The tumor is highly invasive and has a high mortality rate. This rate is higher in the North region (18.45) - higher than the national average (16.06) - while the Southeast region has the highest number of hospitalizations and deaths (50.1%). In this sense, it can be analyzed that the Southeast has greater access to primary care (PHC) and early detection of the disease. The role of PHC in cancer prevention and control is to ensure early diagnosis and improve patients' quality of life. However, obstacles to maintaining care persist. The risk factors are: men, white, obese, smokers, alcoholics, individuals with hypovitaminosis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and Barrett's esophagus. CONCLUSION: It is essential, therefore, to understand the incidence of esophageal cancer in the population, from youth to senility, so that the participation of primary care becomes valid, from prevention, guiding the population on the importance of habits healthy lifestyles, up to the early screening of this neoplasm, through programs providing access to diagnostic tests, such as upper digestive endoscopy, thus aiming to reduce the incidence and mortality caused by it.