RESUMO A criocirurgia tem se mostrado uma terapia de grande auxílio no tratamento de uma variedade de processos neoplásicos e não neoplásicos. Apesar disso, ainda é pouco descrita a utilização da criocirurgia como opção de tratamento de neoplasias cutâneas específicas, como o carcinoma de células escamosas. Objetivou-se com o presente estudo analisar a resposta clínica da criocirurgia para o tratamento do carcinoma de células escamosas em gatos. Para isso, foram selecionadas 13 lesões do tipo carcinoma de células escamosas em 11 gatos, diagnosticadas por meio de análise citopatológica e/ou histopatológica. As lesões foram congeladas por meio de nitrogênio líquido na forma de spray, e as avaliações realizadas no momento do congelamento e aproximadamente a cada 15 dias, até a completa cicatrização da ferida. A resposta da criocirurgia foi considerada completa, com remissão tumoral em 38,5% dos gatos e parcial em 46,1% destes. As principais complicações verificadas incluíram a formação de crostas e estenose de narina. Os resultados apresentados no presente estudo sugerem que a criocirurgia é efetiva e pode ser uma opção viável para o tratamento do carcinoma de células escamosas em gatos. O sucesso do tratamento, entretanto, depende da correta seleção dos candidatos à técnica quanto ao tamanho da lesão, e do atendimento a alguns critérios, como o tempo de congelamento e os cuidados pós-operatórios.

ABSTRACT The cryosurgery is a very useful therapy for the treatment of a variety of neoplastic and non-neoplastic processes. Nevertheless, it is still poorly described as an option for the treatment of specific cutaneous neoplasms, such as squamous cell carcinoma. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the clinical response of cryosurgery for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma in cats. For this 13 squamous cell carcinoma lesions were selected in 11 cats, diagnosed through citopathological and/or histopathological examinations. The lesions were frozen using liquid nitrogen spray, and the evaluations were performed in the moment of freeze and approximately every 15 days until the wound was completely healed. The response of cryosurgery was considered complete with tumoral remission on 38.5% of the cats, and partial on 46.1%. The main complications included crusting and nostril stenosis. The presented results suggested that cryosurgery is effective and may be a viable option for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma in cats. The effectiveness of the therapy; however, depends on the correct selection of the candidates for cryosurgery based on the lesion size, and the attendance to some criteria, such as the freezing time and post-operative care.

Injection of an Ascaris suum extract (Asc) affects both the humoral and cellular immune responses to unrelated antigens when it is co-administered with these antigens. In the present study we evaluated the effect of Asc on macrophage activation in the early phase of Mycobacterium bovis BCG (Pasteur strain TMCC 1173) infection in C57Bl/6 mice. C57Bl/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally (ip) with 0.1 mg BCG (BCG group) or BCG plus 1 mg Asc (BCG + Asc group). The peritoneal exudates were obtained at 2, 7 and 14 days after infection. The numbers of IFN-<FONT FACE="Symbol">g</FONT>-secreting cells were assessed by the ELISPOT assay. Nitric oxide (NO) production was measured by the Griess method and by the evaluation of NADPH diaphorase activity in the peritoneal exudates. The administration of Asc extract increased NADPH diaphorase activity (2 days: control = 0, BCG = 7%, BCG + Asc = 13%, and Asc = 4%; 7 days: control = 4, BCG = 13%, BCG + Asc = 21%, and Asc = 4.5%) and TNF-<FONT FACE="Symbol">a</FONT> levels (mean ± SD; 2 days: control = 0, BCG = 169 ± 13, BCG + Asc = 202 ± 37, and Asc = 0; 7 days: control = 0, BCG = 545 ± 15.5, BCG + Asc = 2206 ± 160.6, and Asc = 126 ± 26; 14 days: control = 10 ± 1.45, BCG = 9 ± 1.15, BCG + Asc = 126 ± 18, and Asc = 880 ± 47.67 pg/ml) in the early phase of BCG infection. Low levels of NO production were detected at 2 and 7 days after BCG infection, increasing at 14 days (mean ± SD; 2 days: control = 0, BCG = 3.7 ± 1.59, BCG + Asc = 0.82 ± 0.005, Asc = 0.48 ± 0.33; 7 days: control = 0, BCG = 2.78 ± 1.54, BCG + Asc = 3.07 ± 1.05, Asc = 0; 14 days: control = 0, BCG = 9.05 ± 0.53, BCG + Asc = 9.61 ± 0.81, Asc = 10.5 ± 0.2 (2 x 106) cells/ml). Furthermore, we also observed that Asc co-injection induced a decrease of BCG-colony-forming units (CFU) in the spleens of BCG-infected mice during the first week of infection (mean ± SD; 2 days: BCG = 1.13 ± 0.07 and BCG + Asc = 0.798 ± 0.305; 7 days: BCG = 1.375 ± 0.194 and BCG + Asc = 0.548 ± 0.0226; 14 days: BCG = 0.473 ± 0.184 and BCG + Asc = 0.675 ± 0.065 (x 102) CFU). The present data suggest that Asc induces the enhancement of the immune response in the early phase of BCG infection.