FET PET to differentiate between post-treatment changes and recurrence in high-grade gliomas: a single center multidisciplinary clinic controlled study.

Purpose: The clinico-radiological dilemma in post-treatment high-grade gliomas, between disease recurrence (TR) and treatment-related changes (TRC), still persists. FET (Fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine) PET has been extensively used as problem-solving modality for cases where MR imaging is inconclusive. We incorporated a systematic imaging and clinical follow-up algorithm in a multi-disciplinary clinic (MDC) setting to analyse our cohort of FET PET in post-treatment gliomas.

Novel BRET combination for detection of rapamycin-induced protein dimerization using luciferase from fungus .

Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) is one of the most promising approaches used for noninvasive imaging of protein-protein interactions . Recently, our team has discovered a genetically encodable bioluminescent system from the fungus and identified a novel luciferase that represents an imaging tool orthogonal to other luciferin-luciferase systems. We demonstrated the possibility of using the fungal luciferase as a new BRET donor by creating fused pairs with acceptor red fluorescent proteins, of which tdTomato provided the highest BRET efficiency.

Blood components utilization in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Thirteen-year analysis from an apex oncology center of India.

Background: Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a potentially curative treatment modality for a range of hematological disorders including malignancies. The increasing volumes of HSCTs impact transfusion services and the requirement of blood products vary depending on the primary disease, type and phase of transplant, and the HSCT donor type.

Materials And Methods: This study analyzed the factors affecting blood component requirements in patients undergoing HSCT.

Structural implications of amyloidogenic rare variants Ser282Leu and Gln356Arg identified in h-BRCA1.

Preliminary studies have shown BRCA1 (170-1600) residues to be intrinsically disordered with unknown structural details. However, thousands of clinically reported variants have been identified in this central region of BRCA1. Therefore, we aimed to characterize h-BRCA1(260-553) to assess the structural basis for pathogenicity of two rare missense variants Ser282Leu, Gln356Arg identified from the Indian and Russian populations respectively.

Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) Using EQ-5D-5L: Value Set Derived for Indian Breast Cancer Cohort.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to report quality of life of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients from India in a large cohort using the EQ-5D-5L instrument.

Methods: The study used longitudinal data of 500 breast cancer and 200 non-cancer subjects registered at our centre, during June 2019 and March 2022. The EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS instruments were used to measure and compare utility scores among cancer and non-cancer subjects.

Nonsalivary Primary Adenocarcinomas of the Base of the Tongue: A Single Tertiary-Care Oncology Center Series of 6 Cases.

Context.—: Nonsalivary primary adenocarcinomas of the base of the tongue (PABOTs) are extremely rare and worth reporting.

Objective.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Towards COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding the corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic among patients and their attendants visiting the gynaecologic oncology outpatient department (OPD) and to assess the factors associated with a KAP score.

Methodology: A KAP cross-sectional survey was conducted over three months exploring KAP relevant to COVID-19. Mann-Whitney test and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to compare the differences in knowledge, attitude and practice by demographic characteristics.

In Vivo Tumorigenicity Assays Using Subcutaneous and Orthotopic Xenografts in Immunodeficient Mice.

Evaluation of tumorigenic potential of medulloblastoma cell lines in vivo has been the obvious and major next step following cell line driven research for last many years. Effect of changes in expression of gene/s or efficacy of anticancer drugs on tumor initiation and/or growth can be easily assessed by injecting genetically modified cell lines in vivo or by treating in vivo xenografts of established cell lines with newer inhibitors or anticancer drugs. These studies are easy to perform and to reproduce in comparison to patient derived xenografts owing to ease in propagating, maintaining, and modifying genetic makeup of cell lines.

Characterization of the novel HLA-B*52:01:01:18 allele in a West Indian individual.

The novel HLA-B*52:01:01:18 allele differs from HLA-B*52:01:01:02 by A→C nucleotide change at gDNA -155.

Characterization of the novel HLA-B*51:01:01:83 allele in three individuals from North India.

The novel HLA-B*51:01:01:83 allele differs from HLA-B*51:01:01:01 by A- > G nucleotide substitution at gDNA 2569.

Characterization of the novel HLA-B*13:02:01:18 allele in a North Indian individual.

The novel HLA-B*13:02:01:18 allele differs from HLA-B*13:02:01:01 by A->G nucleotide change at gDNA 2477.

Characterization of a novel HLA-C*04:01:01:102 allele in an individual from West Bengal.

The novel HLA-C*04:01:01:102 allele differs from HLA-C*04:01:01:01 by G → A nucleotide change at gDNA 2591.

Depth of invasion in early oral cancers- is it an independent prognostic factor?

Introduction: Depth of invasion (DOI) has been incorporated into oral cancer staging. Increasing DOI is known to be associated with an increased propensity to neck metastasis and adverse tumor factors and hence may not be an independent prognosticator but a surrogate for a biologically aggressive tumor.

Methods: 570 patients, median follow up 79.

Raman Spectroscopy: An Exploratory Study to Identify Post-Radiation Cell Survival.

Resistance to radiotherapy has been an impediment in the treatment of cancer, and the inability to detect it at an early stage further exacerbates the prognosis. We have assessed the feasibility of Raman spectroscopy as a rapid assay for predicting radiosensitivity of cancer cells in comparison to the conventional biological assays. Cell lines derived from breast adenocarcinoma (MCF7), gingivobuccal squamous cell carcinoma (ITOC-03), and human embryonic kidney (HEK293) were subjected to varying doses of ionizing radiation.

Effect of Glucosamine Conjugate-Functionalized Liposomes on Glioma Cell and Healthy Brain: An Insight for Future Application in Brain Infusion.

Conjugation of D-glucosamine with lipophilic moiety can ease its application in surface modification of liposomes. Interestingly, although D-glucosamine is safe, studies have shed light on "toxic effect" of its conjugates on cancer cells and highlighted its application in targeting glioma. However, understanding the safety of such conjugates for local delivery to the brain is unavailable.

Randomized phase 3 open label study of quality of life of patients on Pemetrexed versus Erlotinib as maintenance therapy for advanced non squamous non EGFR mutated non small cell lung cancer.

We planned to compare pemetrexed maintenance with erlotinib maintenance in non squamous non Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutated non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The null hypothesis for this study was that there would be no difference in quality of life (QOL) between pemetrexed and erlotinib maintenance. The QL2 scores at 3 months were 63.

A randomized phase 3 trial comparing nimotuzumab plus cisplatin chemoradiotherapy versus cisplatin chemoradiotherapy alone in locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Background: Because the addition of nimotuzumab to chemoradiation in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer improved outcomes in a phase 2 study, the authors conducted a phase 3 study to confirm these findings.

Methods: This open-label, investigator-initiated, phase 3, randomized trial was conducted from 2012 to 2018. Adult patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer who were fit for radical chemoradiation were randomized 1:1 to receive either radical radiotherapy (66-70 grays) with concurrent weekly cisplatin (30 mg/m ) (CRT) or the same schedule of CRT with weekly nimotuzumab (200 mg) (NCRT).

Cationic cholesterol derivative efficiently delivers the genes: in silico and in vitro studies.

The aims of the research work were to synthesize ethyl(cholesteryl carbamoyl)-L-arginate (ECCA), an arginine-conjugated cholesterol derivative, and to evaluate its application as a gene delivery vector. The interactions of ECCA with DNA duplex were studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. It was found that the guanidine group of ECCA could interact with the phosphate group of DNA through ionic interactions as well as hydrogen bonds.

Is long term storage of cryopreserved stem cells for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation a worthwhile exercise in developing countries?

Background: Stem cell units (SCUs) that are cryopreserved prior to both autologous and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants (for donor lymphocyte infusion) remain unused or partially used several times, and become an increased burden to blood banks/SCU repositories. Because of the scarcity of data regarding the duration for which the storage is useful, there is no general consensus regarding disposal of SCUs.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective audit of SCU utilization in 435 patients who planned to undergo either autologous stem cell transplantation (auto-SCT) (N=239) or allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) (N=196) at a tertiary cancer care center between November 2007 to January 2015.

Optical diagnostics in oral cancer: An update on Raman spectroscopic applications.

Raman spectroscopy (RS) is a sensitive vibrational spectroscopic method that can detect even subtle biochemical changes during the onset of disease. Consequently, RS has been extensively investigated for disease diagnosis, including cancers. Oral cancers are known to suffer from dismal survival rates, which have not improved for several decades.

Raman exfoliative cytology for oral precancer diagnosis.

Oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) such as leukoplakia, erythroplakia, and oral submucous fibrosis, often precede oral cancer. Screening and management of these premalignant conditions can improve prognosis. Raman spectroscopy has previously demonstrated potential in the diagnosis of oral premalignant conditions (in vivo), detected viral infection, and identified cancer in both oral and cervical exfoliated cells (ex vivo).

Carnosic acid attenuates RANKL-induced oxidative stress and osteoclastogenesis via induction of Nrf2 and suppression of NF-κB and MAPK signalling.

Unlabelled: Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a redox-sensitive transcription factor, which plays an important role in the cellular defense against oxidative stress by induction of anti-oxidant and cytoprotective enzymes. In the current study, we sought to investigate the osteoprotective effect of carnosic acid (CA), a phenolic (catecholic) diterpene. It is widely identified for its electrophilic nature under oxidative stress conditions and thus anticipated to counter osteoporosis by facilitation of Nrf2 signalling.

Tissue Proteome Analysis of Different Grades of Human Gliomas Provides Major Cues for Glioma Pathogenesis.

Gliomas are heterogeneous and most commonly occurring brain tumors. Blood-brain barrier restricts the entry of brain tumor proteins into blood stream thus limiting the usage of serum or plasma for proteomic analysis. Our study aimed at understanding the molecular basis of aggressiveness of various grades of brain tumors using isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) based mass spectrometry.