Implementation research on registering cancer cases in primary health centres of Puducherry through community health workers.

Background & objectives Hospital-based cancer registry does not represent the true burden of cancer in the community. Initiating a Primary Health Centre (PHC)-based cancer registry may better estimate population-level data for cancer cases in an area. This study aimed to set up a system for facilitating a PHC-based cancer registry and to assess the registration status of cancer cases in various PHCs of Puducherry.

Effect of Community-Based Health Education on Misconceptions Related to Caregiving for Cancer among Elderly in a Rural Area of Puducherry: A Pre-Post-Intervention Study.

Background And Aim: Families are crucial in providing comprehensive support to cancer patients, including physical, psychological, spiritual, and financial assistance. Unfortunately, cancer-related myths and stigma can have detrimental effects on those affected and their caregivers. This study aims to remove the misconceptions prevailing in a rural population of Puducherry regarding caregiving for cancer among elderly through a health education campaign.

Mapping of Palliative Care Services and Challenges in Implementation of National Program for Palliative Care in Puducherry.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to map ongoing palliative care services and describe the characteristics of providers, recipients, level of care, and approach. Second, it seeks to investigate the difficulties encountered in implementing NPPC in the Puducherry district of UT Puducherry. This study aims to review the challenges in its implementation.

Correlation between Quality of Life and Burden in Caregivers of Advanced Stage Cancer Patients on Best Supportive Care.

Objectives: Patients with advanced cancer with incurable diseases are generally cared for by their families in India. There is a lack of data on the perceived caregiver burden, quality of life (QOL) of patients and caregivers in India, especially among cancer patients not on any oncologic management.

Material And Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 220 patients of advanced cancer on best supportive care and their respective 220 family caregivers.

Modified neoadjuvant clinicopathological risk stratification as a prognostic score in early and locally advanced triple-negative breast cancer.

Background: Triple-negative subtype is an aggressive breast cancer with inferior survival. Pathological complete remission (pCR) is a good surrogate endpoint for survival among patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT). We attempted to validate the clinical pathological score (CPS) with a modified risk grouping among Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients receiving NACT at our center.

Challenges in the Management of Lung Cancer: Real-World Experience from a Tertiary Center in South India.

Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers and an important cause of cancer-related mortality. Recent advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy have improved outcomes, but these have limited penetration in resource-constrained situations. We report the real-world experience in treating patients with lung cancer in India.

Treatment Seeking Behavior, Treatment Cost and Quality of Life of Head and Neck Cancer Patients: A Cross-Sectional Analytical Study from South India.

Background: Head and neck cancer constitute one-third of all cancers. Due to the complex nature of Head and Neck Cancer treatment, expenditure on cancer treatment are higher and the Quality of Life of patients is also compromised. The objectives of the study were to determine the time taken by patients for seeking care from registered medical practitioners, time to definitive diagnosis and treatment initiation, expenditure incurred, and Quality of Life.

Dosimetric comparison between interstitial brachytherapy and volumetric-modulated arc therapy for tumor bed boost in breast cancer.

Purpose: To dosimetrically compare high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDR-BT) with volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) for tumor bed boost, following breast conservative treatment.

Material And Methods: 50 patients with early-stage breast cancer who underwent breast conservation surgery, followed by either HDR-BT ( = 25) of 15 Gy in 6 fractions over a period of 3 days, or VMAT dose of 16 Gy in 8 fractions ( = 25) for tumor bed boost, were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received whole breast irradiation of 46 Gy in 23 fractions.

147 Pancreatoduodenectomies: a Single Center's Perspective into the Epidemiology and Surgical Outcomes of Periampullary and Pancreatic Cancers in South India.

Background: Pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) is the only curative procedure for resectable periampullary cancers. This study aims to survey the various outcome variables of the procedure at our institute, which is in the early process of evolving into a high-volume center for PDs.

Methods: Data of patients, who underwent PDs, was collected retrospectively from January 2010 to December 2017 and prospectively from January 2018 to December 2019.

Diagnostic delay for head and neck cancer in South India: A Mixed-methods Study.

Background: Early diagnosis is an important aspect of quality of cancer care.Analysis of the diagnostic delays and the reasons for delay helps to plan strategies to improve cancer care.

Objectives: To determine the primary, secondary, and total diagnostic delay of patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer and to explore the reasons for the delay from the patient perspective.

Dosimetric Comparison and Feasibility of Simultaneous Integrated Boost (SIB) in Treatment of Malignant Gliomas Using Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) or Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT).

Objective: To evaluate the dosimetric parameters of Simultaneous Integrated Boost in the treatment of malignant gliomas and compare the SIB plans of VMAT and IMRT. Methodology: CT and MRI of 28 patients were used for generating SIB plans with VMAT and IMRT. A dose of 2Gy per fraction was prescribed to the CPTV and 2.

Assessment of Psychological Distress and its Effect on Quality of Life and Social Functioning in Cancer Patients.

Purpose: The diagnosis of cancer and its treatment can make patients psychologically distressed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the level of psychological distress and social functioning in cancer patients and to assess the association of these parameters with the quality of life (QOL) experienced by the patient.

Patients And Methods: All cancer patients attending palliative care clinic who can understand and speak English or Tamil language were taken into the study.

Allele and genotype distributions of DNA repair gene polymorphisms in South Indian healthy population.

Various DNA repair pathways protect the structural and chemical integrity of the human genome from environmental and endogenous threats. Polymorphisms of genes encoding the proteins involved in DNA repair have been found to be associated with cancer risk and chemotherapeutic response. In this study, we aim to establish the normative frequencies of DNA repair genes in South Indian healthy population and compare with HapMap populations.

Frequency distribution of DNA repair genes ERCC1 and ERCC2 polymorphisms in South Indian healthy population.

DNA repair genes are crucial in maintaining the integrity of the whole genome. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes have been attributed to the development of various cancers. SNPs of DNA repair genes (ERCC1 and ERCC2) have been implicated in the causation of various cancers as well as inter-individual variability in the therapeutic outcomes of platinum based therapy.

Skeletal muscle metastasis from carcinoma cervix: a case report.

Cervical cancer is the most common malignancy in Indian women. Cervical cancer usually spread by local extension and through the lymphatics to the retroperitoneal lymph nodes. Direct invasion of muscles by primary growth is more common than by metastatic involvement.

Hemophilia of orbit.

Hemophilic pseudotumor is an uncommon complication of factor VIII and IX deficiencies in the coagulation cascade and occurs in a wide spectrum of bones and soft tissues. We present a six-year-old boy with hemophilic pseudotumor localized in the right orbit. He showed a favorable response to radiation therapy after unsuccessful treatment with factor VIII replacement therapy with no recurrence till eight months.