Clinical outcome and morbidity in pediatric patients with nasopharyngeal cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcome and treatment-related morbidity in pediatric patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with chemoradiotherapy.

Methods: We did a retrospective review of 41 pediatric patients diagnosed with NPC between 2000 and 2013. The majority of the patients were treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by concurrent chemoradiation with the dose of 70 Gy in 35 fractions.

Malignant and borderline phyllodes tumor of breast treated with a multi-modality approach in a tertiary cancer care centre in North India.

Background: Phyllodes tumor (PT) of the breast can be categorized into benign, borderline and malignant subgroups depending on various histopathological factors. Although malignant PTs may be indolent and controlled by local excision, they frequently show local and distant relapses. Literature reveals local recurrence to be the predominant pattern of failure and thus emphasizes the importance of adjuvant radiation in these tumors.

Prevalence and Nature of Spiritual Distress Among Palliative Care Patients in India.

In palliative care research, little attention has been paid to the empirical study of spirituality in patients in non-Western countries. This study describes the prevalence and nature of spiritual distress among Indian palliative care patients. Data from 300 adult cancer patients who had completed a questionnaire with 36 spirituality items were analyzed.

Development and Psychometric Assessment of a Spirituality Questionnaire for Indian Palliative Care Patients.

Introduction: There are only a few studies on spirituality among palliative care patients in India. This gap in research may be caused by the absence of relevant questionnaires and scales specifically designed for Indian palliative care populations. In this study, we describe the development of such a questionnaire and explain its psychometric characteristics.

Efficacy of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography as a predictor of response in locally advanced non-small-cell carcinoma of the lung.

Objective: The study assessed the role of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) Positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) in evaluating the prognostic value of metabolic response for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Patients And Methods: Thirty patients with locally advanced NSCLC were enrolled in this prospective study and randomly allocated to one of two treatment arms. Arm A (n=15) received two cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy [paclitaxel (200 mg/m(2)) and carboplatin (AUC5)] and external beam radiotherapy (60 Gy/30 fractions/6 weeks).

Six-year analysis of compliance to weekly concurrent chemoradiotherapy in head and neck carcinomas.

Objectives: To evaluate treatment compliance to weekly concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

Study Design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: Tertiary care hospital.

Spirituality as an ethical challenge in Indian palliative care: A systematic review.

Objective: Spiritual care is recognized as an essential component of palliative care (PC). However, patients' experience of spirituality is heavily context dependent. In addition, Western definitions and findings regarding spirituality may not be applicable to patients of non-Western origin, such as Indian PC patients.

Level of awareness of lung cancer risk factors, signs, symptoms and safe practices among college teachers of different states in India: Do awareness programmes have an impact on adoption of safe practices?

Unlabelled: Lung cancer is the one of the most common cause of cancer mortality among men in India where incidence rates are increasing although they are largely preventable diseases. In India, late presentation is generally responsible for high mortality and morbidity rates and early detection is one of the best ways to control it. The purpose of this study is to measure the level of awareness on lung cancer among women represented by a sample of college teachers in India and the impact of awareness programs in changing or adopting safer practices and the prevention and early detection of the disease.

Aromatase Inhibition and Capecitabine Combination as 1st or 2nd Line Treatment for Metastatic Breast Cancer - a Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Preclinical studies have shown that the combination of an aromatase inhibitor (AI) and capecitabine in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive cell lines enhance antitumor efficacy. This retrospective analysis of a group of patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) evaluated the efficacy and safety of combined AI with capecitabine.

Materials And Methods: Patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer treated between 1st January 2005 and 31st December 2010 with a combination of capecitabine and AI were evaluated and outcomes were compared with those of women treated with capecitabine in conventional dose or AI as a monotherapy.

Prevention of Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting in Cancer Patients.

The supportive care of patients receiving antineoplastic treatment has dramatically improved over the past few years and development of effective measures to prevent nausea and vomiting after chemotherapy serves as one of the most important examples of this progress. A patient who starts cancer treatment with chemotherapy lists chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting as among their greatest fears. Inadequately controlled emesis impairs functional activity and quality of life, increases the use of health care resources, and may occasionally compromise adherence to treatment.

Short course palliative radiotherapy in the management of choroidal metastasis: An effective technique since ages.

Purpose: Uveal tract is the most common site of intra-ocular metastasis. Overall, the reported prevalence of clinically evident uveal metastases in patients with cancer ranges from 2% to 9%, with the majority of the cases being due to breast cancer. We aimed at evaluating the role of palliative radiotherapy in the management of choroidal metastasis from carcinoma breast.

Treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of external auditory canal: A tertiary cancer centre experience.

Objective: Carcinoma of external auditory canal (EAC) is a rare disease with variable management strategies and prognosis. We aimed to analyze treatment modalities, prognostic factors and survival outcomes in patients of squamous cell carcinoma of EAC treated at our institution.

Methods: Forty-three patients of squamous cell carcinoma of EAC were analyzed for clinical presentation, stage, surgical procedures and radiotherapy (RT) modalities employed.

Chronic myeloid leukaemia: A paradigm shift in management.

In early 2000, a better understanding of the molecular biology of chronic myeloid leukaemia established a central role for enhanced tyrosine kinase activity leading to targeted therapy with imatinib mesylate. This paradigm shift in the management of this disease has improved the median survival from 8-9 years before 2000 to an estimated 25 years. Rapid research in this area along with well-designed multicentric clinical trials have resulted in the development of second- and third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors, which are more effective for patients who develop resistance to imatinib.

Extra skeletal osteosarcoma of gall bladder: A case report.

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma is a rare malignant soft tissue tumor. At open cholecystectomy performed for gallstones, a 45-year-old woman was found to have extraskeletal osteosarcoma on histopathological examination. 1 year after surgery, the patient is symptom free and all imaging studies are normal.

Genome-wide small noncoding RNA profiling of pediatric high-grade gliomas reveals deregulation of several miRNAs, identifies downregulation of snoRNA cluster HBII-52 and delineates H3F3A and TP53 mutant-specific miRNAs and snoRNAs.

Pediatric high-grade gliomas (HGGs) are highly malignant tumors that remain incurable and relatively understudied. The crucial role of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) has been reported in various cancers. However, the study on miRNAs in pediatric HGGs is scant and there is no report till date on the status of other small ncRNAs.

Medullomyoblastoma treated with craniospinal radiation and adjuvant chemotherapy: Report of 4 cases and review of the literature.

Medullomyoblastoma (MMB) is a rare primitive neuro-epithelial tumor and seen in mainly pediatric age group1. There have been about 50 cases reported so far in the literature. In this report, we describe the clinical features and treatment of 4 cases of MMB.

Expression of Cathepsin L in tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages in patients with Ewing sarcoma family of tumors: a pilot study.

Background: Cysteine protease Cathepsin L is involved in bone remodeling and expressed in activated macrophages. It is highly expressed in metastatic tumor tissue, especially with bone metastases.

Aims: We evaluated immunohistochemical expression of Cathepsin L in tumor cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in chemo-naive Ewing sarcoma.

Level of awareness of cervical and breast cancer risk factors and safe practices among college teachers of different states in india: do awareness programmes have an impact on adoption of safe practices?

Background: Breast and cervical cancers are the most common causes of cancer mortality among women in India, but actually they are largely preventable diseases. Although early detection is the only way to reduce morbidity and mortality, there are limited data on breast and cervical cancer knowledge, safe practices and attitudes of teachers in India. The purpose of this study is to assess the level of awareness and impact of awareness programs in adoption of safe practices in prevention and early detection.

Developing a prognostic model for localized Ewing sarcoma family of tumors: A single institutional experience of 224 cases treated with uniform chemotherapy protocol.

Background: Data on patients with localized Ewing sarcoma family of tumors (ESFT) who have received a uniform chemotherapy protocol are minimal.

Methods: This is a single institutional review of patients with ESFT treated between June 2003 and November 2011.

Results: 224/374 (60%) patients with ESFT presented with localized disease; median age was 15 years (range: 0.

Effect of anaesthesia on the perioperative outcomes of pelvi-acetabular fracture surgeries in the apex trauma centre of a developing country-a retrospective analysis.

Background: Regional anaesthesia has been proposed to reduce intraoperative blood loss, duration of hospital stay and in-hospital complications with improved postoperative pain control. General anaesthesia is advantageous for prolonged surgeries. We hypothesized that combined regional and general anaesthesia would offer advantages of both in pelvi-acetabular fracture surgeries.

Acceptance criteria for flattening filter-free photon beam from standard medical electron linear accelerator: AERB task group recommendations.

Medical electron linear accelerators with the capability of generating unflat photon (flattening filter-free, FFF) beams are also available commercially for clinical applications in radiotherapy. However, the beam characteristics evaluation criteria and parameters are not yet available for such photon beams. Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) of India constituted a Task Group comprising experts from regulatory agency, advisory body/research and technical institutions, and clinical radiotherapy centers in the country to evolve and recommend the acceptance criteria for the flattening filter-free (FFF) photon beams.