Dysphagia, Voice Problems and Health Related Quality of Life Among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors.

Introduction: Head and neck cancer (HNC) and its treatment can cause significant side effects like dysphagia, voice problems which can affect health related quality of life (HRQOL). Examining quality of life among these patients are helpful in streamlining cancer treatment protocols. The present study aimed to find out the relationship between dysphagia, voice problems, and HRQOL among HNC survivors.

A prospective study on the effect of tumor shrinkage on exit fluence gamma pass rate in high precision radiotherapy and influence of phantom setup error in patient-specific quality assurance.

Purpose: Objective parameters for decision on adaptive radiotherapy depend on patient, tumor and treatment related factors. Present study reports geometric uncertainties occurring during high precision radiotherapy, beam fluence analysis and serial exit dose measurement as a patient-specific tool for adaptive radiotherapy.

Materials And Methods: Serial exit dose fluence of 24 patients (at baseline and mid-treatment) undergoing IMRT/VMAT treatment were measured.

Weekly assessment of volumetric and dosimetric changes during volumetric modulated arc therapy of locally advanced head and neck carcinoma: Implications for adaptive radiation therapy-A prospective study.

Background: Chemoradiation in head and neck carcinoma (HNC) shows significant anatomical resulting in erroneous dose deposition in the target or the organ at risk (OAR). Adaptive radiotherapy (ART) can overcome this. Timing of significant target and OAR changes with dosimetric impact; thus, most suitable time and frequency of ART is unclear.

Psychosocial well-being and quality of life in women with breast cancer in foothills of North India.

Introduction: Breast cancer remains a leading cause of unintended death among Indian women. Cancer treatment-induced pain, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, body image, and sexual problems could affect the patient psychosocial well-being and quality of life (QOL). The study aims to determine the QOL and psychosocial well-being among women with breast cancer.

Dosimetric Comparison of Hypofractionated Regimen in Breast Cancer Using Two Different Techniques: Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) and Volumetric-Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT).

Introduction: Breast cancer treated with adjuvant hypofractionation radiotherapy with two different techniques, i.e., volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and their effects in terms of loco-regional control and adverse effects in terms of cutaneous, pulmonary, and cardiac outcomes are compared.

Nanotechnology in Lung Cancer Therapeutics: A Narrative Review.

To date, cancer continues to be one of the biggest challenges for medical science. Nanotechnology has enabled us to overcome some of the limitations of conventional treatment in lung cancer therapeutics. Recently, US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved certain nanomedicines for clinical administration against lung cancer.

Dosimetric Study Comparing 3D Conformal Radiotherapy (3D-CRT), Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) in Hypofractionated One-Week Radiotherapy Regimen in Breast Cancer.

Introduction Recently, the one-week hypofractionated radiotherapy regimen (26 Gy in 5 fractions) for adjuvant breast radiotherapy has been shown to be non-inferior to other hypofractionated regimens (15-16 fractions). The aim of the present dosimetric study is to compare Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) and 3D Conformal Radiotherapy (3D-CRT) for a one-week hypofractionated radiotherapy regimen (26 Gy in 5 fractions) for adjuvant breast radiotherapy. Methods A total of 30 patients with histologically proven invasive carcinoma of the breast after breast conservation surgery (BCS) or modified radical mastectomy (MRM) were considered for planning study.

Gamma Index Analysis as a Patient-Specific Quality Assurance Tool for High-Precision Radiotherapy: A Clinical Perspective of Single Institute Experience.

Purpose Patient-specific quality assurance (QA) by gamma (γ) analysis is an important component of high-precision radiotherapy. It is important to standardize institute-specific protocol. In this study, we describe our institutional experience of patient-specific QA for high-precision radiotherapy from a clinical perspective.

Comparison of CT and MRI for contouring active bone marrow in bone marrow sparing IMRT of carcinoma cervix and its effects on functional outcomes.

Objective: Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) has been used to reduce dose to bone marrow (BM) irradiation during pelvic conformal radiotherapy by contouring bone marrow and sparing it during radiotherapy planning. The present study was done to compare CT & MRI for contouring bone marrow to spare functional bone marrow for Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in carcinoma cervix and to assess its effect on functional outcome.

Material & Methods: This prospective, observational study included newly diagnosed carcinoma cervix patients treated by radical chemoradiation.

Small-cell carcinoma of the gall bladder: Report of three cases and review of the literature.

Gallbladder (GB) Small Cell Carcinoma (SCC) is an uncommon entity with very poor prognosis. There is a paucity of literature regarding its natural history and management, with only 73 prior cases reported in the world literature. In this case report, we present three cases of SCC of the GB with varied presentations, clinical course, management, and outcomes along with a brief review of the available literature on this subject.

Investigation of tube voltage dependence on CT number and its effect on dose calculation algorithms using thorax phantom in Monaco treatment planning system for external beam radiation therapy.

Introduction: The accuracy of dose calculation algorithms depends on the electron density and computed tomography (CT) number of medium scanned. Our study aimed to verify the impact of different CT scanning protocols on Hounsfield unit (HU) and effect on dose calculation algorithms.

Materials And Methods: CIRS thorax phantom with different density material plugs was scanned at varying tube voltages from CT scanner and HU values were measured in treatment planning system (TPS).

A Prospective Randomized Study of Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy Versus Three-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy With Concurrent Chemotherapy in Locally Advanced Carcinoma Cervix.

Background: External Beam Radiotherapy is the treatment of choice of locally advanced carcinoma cervix (LACC). The two techniques, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT), have been compared previously in terms of outcomes and toxicities. IMRT has still not shown any benefit over 3DCRT in terms of local control and survival.

Identification of suitable reference genes in blood samples of carcinoma lung patients using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Introduction: Lung cancer (LC), among all other cancers, is the leading cause of death worldwide, while the third most common cancer-causing mortality in India. Several techniques of the assay for early detection of cancer that improve survival rates have been employed in tissues and cell lines. Reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR) is one of the most common techniques employed for gene expression studies for the normalization of a target gene using a reference gene (RG).

Use of complementary and alternative medicine among patients with cancer in a sub-Himalayan state in India: An exploratory study.

Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widespread among cancer patients in India.

Objective: The present study elucidated usage patterns of CAM and the factors responsible for its adoption among the patients with cancer, and the therapeutic impact of CAM.

Materials And Methods: This was a questionnaire-based study, conducted among patients with cancer in a tertiary care hospital in a sub-Himalayan city.

Prevalence, severity, and nature of risk factors associated with drug-drug interactions in geriatric patients receiving cancer chemotherapy: A prospective study in a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Introduction: Polypharmacy increases hazard of drug-drug interactions(DDIs), hospitalization, treatment toxicity, and mortality in elderly individuals with cancer. The present study explores and analyzes prevalence and severity of DDIs in geriatric cancer patients subjected to anticancer chemotherapy, their mechanisms, stratification of severity, and correlation between DDI risk and number of medications taken.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between January-July 2019 at the Medical Oncology/Hematology and Radiation-Oncology Departments, All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS) Rishikesh.

Quality of life and factors affecting it in adult cancer patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy in a tertiary care hospital.

Background: Cancer is the second most common cause of deaths worldwide. Likewise, in India, it is a major health problem, and disease burden is escalating every year. Cancer chemotherapy produces unfavorable effects on the well-being of an individual.

Primary synovial sarcoma of the lung: a rare presentation, diagnostic dilemma and review of literature.

Primary synovial sarcoma of the lung (PSSL) is a rare tumour with only 0.5% incidence among other primary malignant lung tumours. Published medical literature regarding the natural history treatment protocol and clinical outcomes of PSSL remains limited.

Frequency, nature, severity and preventability of adverse drug reactions arising from cancer chemotherapy in a teaching hospital.

Background: An adverse drug reaction (ADR) is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as "Any response to a drug which is noxious, unintended and occurs at doses used in man for prophylaxis, diagnosis or therapy". Cancer chemotherapy is associated with the occurrence of ADRs, which is a worldwide problem. Monitoring and reporting of these ADRs are essential to safeguard the patient and to manage it accordingly.

Running of high patient volume radiation oncology department during COVID-19 crisis in India: our institutional strategy.

Purpose: Due to COVID 19 pandemic, the treatment of cancer patients has become a dilemma for every oncologist. Cancer patients are at an increased risk of immunosuppression and have a higher risk to acquire any infection. There are individual experiences from some centers regarding the management of cancer patients during such a crisis.

Fungating Growth of Squamous Cell Carcinoma in Long-Standing Meningocele.

Squamous cell carcinoma is known to occur as a serious complication of chronic burns, scars, and ulcers, but very rarely has it been reported to occur in a long-neglected meningocele. The authors wish to present the case of a 21-year-old man who presented to us when a previously asymptomatic meningocele developed a squamous cell carcinoma on the meningocele sac. The squamous cell carcinoma was excised in toto, followed by excision of the redundant meningocele sac.

Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of Gall Bladder: A Rare Presentation with Review of Literature.

Neuroendocrine tumors are the rarest tumors of gallbladder. The most aggressive variant is neuroendocrine carcinoma which presents in about 0.5% of all gallbladder carcinomas and 0.