Radiation Oncology in India: Challenges and Opportunities.

Rising cancer incidence and mortality in India emphasize the need to address the increasing burden of this disease and the stark inequities in access to radiotherapy and other essential medical treatments. State-of-the-art technology is available within the private sector and a few hospitals in the public sector, but 75% of patients in the public sector in India do not have access to timely radiotherapy. This inequity in access to radiotherapy in the public sector is amplified in rural areas, where most of India׳s population lives.

Effect of tranexamic acid on intraoperative blood loss and transfusion requirements in patients undergoing excision of intracranial meningioma.

Surgical excision of meningioma is often complicated by significant blood loss requiring blood transfusion with its attendant risks. Although tranexamic acid is used to reduce perioperative blood loss, its blood conservation effect is uncertain in neurosurgery. Sixty adults undergoing elective craniotomy for meningioma excision were randomized to receive either tranexamic acid or placebo, initiated prior to skin incision.

Spray Dried Formulation of 5-Fluorouracil Embedded with Probiotic Biomass: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

The present study is utilizing the targeted therapeutic approach and antioxidant potential of selected probiotic biomass in mitigating toxic side effects of chemotherapeutic agents. Multicomponent carrier system consisting of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and selected probiotic strain with higher free radical scavenging activity was prepared using spray drying technique. Prepared spray dried microparticles were characterized for various physical, pharmaceutical, and biopharmaceutical properties including particle size, moisture content, entrapment efficiency, in vitro drug release, DSC, XRD, cell uptake, histopathology, and pharmacokinetic studies.

"Fusion and binding inhibition" key target for HIV-1 treatment and pre-exposure prophylaxis: targets, drug delivery and nanotechnology approaches.

More than 35 million people are living with HIV worldwide with approximately 2.3 million new infections per year. Cascade of events (cell entry, virus replication, assembly and release of newly formed virions) is involved in the HIV-1 transmission process.

Patterns of care of cervical cancer in the elderly: A qualitative literature review.

Introduction: Cancer of the uterine cervix is the fourth most common cancer worldwide among women. However, there is limited data about elderly patients with cervical cancer and gross underrepresentation of elderly patients in clinical trials. Hence, the optimal therapy of such patients is not well formulated.

Metabolic toxicities in patients undergoing treatment for nonhematological malignancy: A cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic toxicities in patients with different nonhematological malignancies admitted in oncology ward of a tertiary cancer care center while on treatment.

Methods: We did this cross-sectional study over a period of 7 months (January-July 2013) for all adult patients ( = 280) who, while undergoing anti-cancer therapy at our center, got admitted to our oncology inpatient ward with metabolic toxicity. Grading of toxicity was done using National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events Version 4.

Primary pediatric mid-brain lymphoma: Report of a rare pediatric tumor in a rare location.

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare disease in pediatric age group. A thirteen-year-old male child presented with complaints of headache for six months, vomiting and diplopia for three days. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed a single lesion of 1.

Systematic review and individual patient data analysis of pediatric head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: An analysis of 217 cases.

Introduction: Pediatric head and neck Squamous cell carcinoma (PHNSCC) is a rare disease. The optimum treatment and outcome remains poorly understood because of rarity.

Methods: We conducted an individual patient data analysis of PHNSCC.

Surviving Triple Trouble: Synchronous Breast and Cervical Cancer, HIV Infection and Myocardial Infarction.

Breast and cervical cancer are the two most common cancers in female. However, owing to the contrasting risk factors, synchronous breast and cervical cancer has very rarely been reported. However, noncommunicable disease like cardiovascular disease and different infections has tended to make situations complicated because of complex interaction.

Patterns of care and survival outcomes in patients with pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation: An individual patient data analysis.

Background/purpose: Pineal parenchymal tumor constitutes less than 1% of all CNS tumors. Pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation is a rare tumor arising from the pineal parenchyma lying between the spectrum of Pineocytoma and Pineoblastoma.

Methods And Materials: We performed PubMed search with the following MesH terms: "pineal parenchymal tumor, pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation, pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation AND treatment, and pineal parenchymal tumor of intermediate differentiation AND survival" to find all possible publications pertaining to PPTID.

Patterns of care and survival among small cell lung cancer patients: Experience from a tertiary center in India.

Background/purpose: Lung cancer is the commonest malignancy and the most common cause of cancer related mortality in males worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the commonest histology while small cell lung cancer (SCLC) contributes to only 15% of all cases of lung cancer. This report intended to present the patterns of care, survival outcomes and prognostic factors of SCLC treated in a tertiary care institute.

Augmented Activity of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Tissue and Serum of Patients With Cervical Cancer.

Background: Cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) is frequently overexpressed in cervical carcinoma, but little is known about its altered serum concentration. Hence, this study evaluates clinical utility of cellular and serum level of Cox-2 enzyme in cervical cancer.

Methods: The expression of Cox-2 was evaluated in cervical tissues and serum samples collected from normal controls (n = 100; n = 68), cervical intraepithelial neoplasia patients (CIN, n = 67; n = 12), and invasive squamous cell carcinoma patients (SCCs; n = 153; n = 127) by immunohistochemical and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) analyses.

Outcomes of thymoma treated with multimodality approach: a tertiary cancer center experience of 71 patients.

Aims: To explore the demographics and clinical outcome of patients with thymoma treated with a multimodality approach at our institute.

Methods: A total of 71 patients with thymoma (Masaoka stage II-IV and WHO subtype AB-B3) treated from 1999-2013 were included in this retrospective analysis. Age, stage, WHO subtypes, details of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy were noted.

"Gold nanoparticles composite-folic acid conjugated graphene oxide nanohybrids" for targeted chemo-thermal cancer ablation: In vitro screening and in vivo studies.

Nano-graphene oxide (GO) nanometal composite (specifically nanogold and nanosilver) have shown to be a promising material for anticancer therapeutics. Owing to their high drug loading capacity, photothermal and synergizing effects, it is very important to exploit them for targeted chemo-thermal cancer therapeutics. In this work, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were selected as the composite metal, folic acid (FA) was taken as GO surface functionalization moiety for active tumor targeting of model anticancer drug Doxorubicin (Dox).

Level of Awareness of Various Aspects of Lung Cancer Among College Teachers in India: Impact of Cancer Awareness Programmes in Prevention and Early Detection.

Lung cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer mortality among men in India and incidence is increasing, but actually, they are largely preventable diseases. In India, advanced stage at the time of presentation is responsible for high mortality and morbidity and early detection is the only way to reduce it. The purpose of this study is to know the level of awareness of various aspects of lung cancer among college teachers and impact of awareness programmes in its prevention and early detection.

Archaeosomes: an excellent carrier for drug and cell delivery.

Archaeosomes as liposomes made with one or more ether lipids that are unique to the domain of Archaeobacteria, found in Archaea constitute a novel family of liposome. Achaean-type lipids consist of archaeol (diether) and/or caldarchaeol (tetraether) core structures. Archaeosomes can be produced using standard procedures (hydrated film submitted to sonication, extrusion and detergent dialysis) at any temperature in the physiological range or lower, therefore making it possible to encapsulate thermally stable compounds.

Development, optimization and characterization of glycyrrhetinic acid-chitosan nanoparticles of atorvastatin for liver targeting.

Glycyrrhetinic acid-modified chitosan (mGA-suc-CTS) is used as liver-targeted carrier for drug delivery. In this study, nanoparticles were prepared by ionic gelation process, and glycyrrhetinic acid act as the targeting ligand. The structure of the product was confirmed by IR and NMR techniques.

Formulation, optimization and evaluation of curcumin-β-cyclodextrin-loaded sponge for effective drug delivery in thermal burns chemotherapy.

The present study was designed to determine the role of curcumin-β-cyclodextrin-loaded sponge on burn wound healing in rats. Curcumin-β-cyclodextrin complex was prepared by the solvent evaporation encapsulation method. Molecular inclusion complex of curcumin-β-cyclodextrin was incorporated into gelatin sponge.

Orbital medulloepithelioma in an adult patient: Radiation-induced second neoplasia?

Second cancers in survivors of hereditary retinoblastoma occur much more commonly than in the general population. This can be attributed both to the germline mutation of the RB gene and chemoradiation used for treatment of this paediatric cancer. Medulloepithelioma is an uncommon tumor of neuroectodermal origin, seen largely in the paediatric population and rarely reported in adults.

Change in Trend in Various Clinico-Pathological Factors and Treatment Profile of Breast Cancer Patients: a Tertiary Cancer Centre Experience.

Background: Breast cancer is by far the most frequent cancer of women (23% of all cancers), ranking second overall when both sexes are considered together. Since there has been change in clinico-pathological factors and treatment profiles for breast cancer patients over the years, the present study to evaluate the change trends in India.

Materials And Methods: A detailed analysis was carried out with respect to age, menopausal status, family history, disease stage, surgery performed, histopathology, hormone receptor status, and use of chemotherapy or hormonal therapy.

Re-irradiation for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Introduction: Local recurrences after curative treatment have a potential for cure with salvage surgery or with re-irradiation.

Methods: We reviewed the PubMed for articles published in English with key words squamous cell carcinoma, recurrent, re-irradiation, prognostic factors to find relevant articles describing prognostic factors, re-irradiation, and outcome for recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Results: Various factors including age, performance status, time for recurrence, previous radiation dose volume and site of recurrence, previous use of chemotherapy are all prognostic factors in recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Burden of preventable cancers in India: Time to strike the cancer epidemic.

India has a rapidly growing population inflicted with cancer diagnosis. From an estimated incidence of 1.45 million cases in 2016, the cancer incidence is expected to reach 1.

Quality of Life of Patients with Advanced Cervical Cancer before and after Chemoradiotherapy.

Background: Cervical cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in India. Understanding quality of life (QOL) in women undergoing chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer will help in introducing interventions for better care and outcomes in these women. This study assessed QOL before and after chemo radiotherapy in cervical cancer patients.