Practical Consensus Guidelines for the Use of S-1 in GI Malignancies.

Purvish M ParikhS-1 (5-fluorouracil prodrug [tegafur] in combination with 5-chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine [CDHP] and potassium oxonate [OXO]) was first approved in 1999. In order to make it easy for community oncologists, we decided to put together this expert consensus guideline for its use in gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies. A total of 15 subject matter experts used modified Delphi method to discuss, analyze, and vote on key aspects regarding practical approach to use of S-1 in GI cancers, a process involving 6 months of work.

Neuralink and Brain-Computer Interface-Exciting Times for Artificial Intelligence.

Purvish Mahendra ParikhBrain-computer interfaces are becoming a tangible reality, capable of significantly aiding patients in real-world scenarios. The recent approval by the U.S.

Ayurvedic Doctors Cannot Prescribe Allopathic Medicines-National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission Judgement.

Purvish M. ParikhWe describe the facts of the matter and the court's decision in a case of an Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy (AYUSH) doctor being found guilty of deficiency of service by prescribing allopathic medicines that were associated with known complications. The case details include the allegation, the defense, and the court's judgement.

Unmet Needs in Geriatric Oncology.

Nikhil PathiIndia's population is aging, with the number of people aged 60 and over projected to reach 340 million by 2050. This is expected to lead to an increase in the number of older adults with cancer. Geriatric oncology is a rapidly growing field in India that is facing several challenges.

Practical Clinical Consensus Guidelines for the Management of Cancer Associated Anemia in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Purvish M. ParikhCancer-associated anemia (CAA) remains a major unmet need that compromises overall survival (OS) and quality of life (QoL). Currently, available guidelines do not take into consideration the unique challenges in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

Cervical Cancer in SAARC Countries.

Purvish M. ParikhIn the year 2020, a total of 342 000 women were estimated to die of cervical cancer, of which 90%) were expected amongst low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Globally incidence of cervical cancer has reduced as a result of improved personal hygiene, better living conditions and higher application of opportunistic screening programs.

Diagnosis of Intrauterine Pregnancy Despite the Presence of Etonogestrel Implant.

While contraception is an important method to avoid pregnancy, it is not always effective. Our case details a 33-year-old-female with an etonogestrel implant who presented to the emergency department (ED) with a two-week history of vomiting and abdominal pain. Pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound confirmed a single, live intrauterine pregnancy.

Capnocytophaga canimorsus meningitis in a 38-year-old immunocompetent woman from household pet exposure.

A 38-year-old otherwise healthy woman with no history of immunocompromise, recent travel, or concerning exposures presented to the ED with several days of nonspecific cold-like symptoms with associated generalized headache. After the patient was symptomatically treated and discharged, she returned several hours later with worsening of symptoms and new vomiting, confusion, and sensorineural hearing loss. Blood and cerebrospinal fluid cultures eventually returned positive for a Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection, a bacterial pathogen found in the saliva of dogs and cats.

Practical Consensus Recommendations for Optimizing Risk versus Benefit of Chemotherapy in Patients with HR Positive Her2 Negative Early Breast Cancer in India.

Breast cancer is a public health challenge globally as well as in India. Improving outcome and cure requires appropriate biomarker testing to assign risk and plan treatment. Because it is documented that significant ethnic and geographical variations in biological and genetic features exist worldwide, such biomarkers need to be validated and approved by authorities in the region where these are intended to be used.

Cardiovascular safety profile of taxanes and vinca alkaloids: 30 years FDA registry experience.

Objective: Antimicrotubular agents are among the most commonly used classes of chemotherapeutic agents, but the risk of cardiovascular adverse events (CVAEs) remains unclear. Our objective was to study the CVAEs associated with antimicrotubular agents.

Methods: The Food and Drug Administration's Adverse Event Reporting System was used to study CVAEs in adults from 1990 to 2020.

Has Convalescent Plasma Therapy Hesitancy Increased COVID-19 Mortality?

We bring to you our viewpoint and a snapshot of the journey of convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) in the management of ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We also discuss how best to use the updated data on this important treatment option and maximize benefit for our patients, thereby saving lives, especially in resource constraint settings.

Robust Protective Effect of COVID-19 Vaccination in India-Results of Survey in the Midst of Pandemic's Second Wave.

 Our objective was to document the incidence of COVID-19 in vaccinated health care professionals and related personnel.  We conducted an online survey to ascertain the incidence of COVID-19 symptoms, reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) positivity, effect on normal activity, need for anti-COVID-19 medication, hospitalization, and death among individuals who had completed both doses of COVID vaccination at least 2 weeks earlier.  A total of 351 unique valid responses were received.

South Asian Declaration-Consensus Guidelines for COVID-19 Vaccination in Cancer Patients.

We provide the South Asian Declaration, containing the consensus guidelines for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination in cancer patients.

Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation presenting as acute torticollis after mild trauma.

Atlantoaxial rotatory subluxation (AARS) is a rare outcome of trauma in adults. We present a case of a 38-year-old female who presented with neck pain and stiffness after a mild trauma. On exam the patient had a "cock-robin" position, comparable to acute torticollis.

Misplaced outrage on India's new citizenship laws: Opinions of healthcare professionals.

Historically India, that is Bharat, has shown its acceptance for refugees and the prosecuted minorities. As a civilization, India has given shelter, unbiased protection and habitation to the Christians from Syria, Zoroastrians (Parsis) from Iran, and Jews since ancient times from the Kingdom of Judah. More recently, Jews also arrived in India from Poland during the holocaust.

Sex-specific Outcomes in a Substance Use Intervention Program.

Purpose: We performed an emergency department (ED)-based substance use screening, motivational interview-based intervention, and treatment referral program with the goal of determining sex-specific outcomes. Specifically, in this quality improvement project, we aimed to determine whether there was a difference among sexes in the type of substances used; the frequency of positive screening results for substance use disorder; agreeing to an intervention; the type of follow-up evaluation, participation, and referral; and attempts to change substance use after intervention.

Methods: We prospectively studied a convenience sample of patients at 3 hospitals in Northeastern Pennsylvania from May 2017 through February 2018.

Role of Cresp in the management of chemotherapy-induced anemia in cancer patients: A real-world clinical practice audit.

Introduction: Anemia is a common, underestimated problem in cancer patients receiving myelosuppressive chemotherapy and has significant adverse effect on the quality of life and outcome. Darbepoetin has been shown to be effective in this setting, but controversy surrounds it actual use.

Methods: We analyzed prospectively collected clinical practice data of patients receiving darbepoetin in a real-world setting for this retrospective audit.

First-line management of metastatic non-small cell lung cancer: An Indian perspective.

Lung cancer has been the most common cancer in the world for several decades. The non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constitutes approximately about 80% of the total cases of lung cancer. Therapeutic interventions in NSCLC have shifted to the target-based approach from histology-based approach, and this has completely changed the face of the management of NSCLC.

Patterns of epidermal growth factor receptor testing across 111 tertiary care centers in India: Result of a questionnaire-based survey.

Background: We conducted a survey of 111 medical oncologists across India to understand the current pattern of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation testing at their respective centers.

Methods: Medical oncologists from 111 institutes across India were interviewed face to face using a structured questionnaire. They were divided into two groups - Group 1 with in-house EGFR testing and Group 2 who send samples to central/commercial laboratories outside their institutions.

Practical consensus recommendations for neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer.

This manuscript provides a practical and easy to use consensus recommendation to community oncologists on how to use neoadjuvant chemotherapy in triple negative breast cancer patients.