O uso de metronidazol em feridas neoplásicas malignas de pacientes sob cuidados paliativos em uma instituição pública no Distrito Federal, Brasil

Palliative care (PC) is essential for oncology patients, especially those with malignant neoplastic wounds (MNW) that produce unpleasant odor, causing impacts such as vomiting and social isolation. Metronidazole is often used off-label to treat this symptom. This descriptive, cross-sectional study investigated the profile of patients who received metronidazole for odor control in MNW and evaluated the benefits of this treatment. Conducted from January 2018 to December 2022 at a CP reference hospital in the Federal District, with patients admitted to the oncology ward for palliative care, retrospective chart analysis revealed that 87.04% of patients benefited from the medication. Head and neck cancer was the predominant diagnosis among the 30 patients included, 17 of whorm were men (56.67%). The study demonstrates consistent improvements in odor control in MNW with the use of metronidazole, reinforcing its efficacy in this specific clinical context.