AYURVEDA A ray of hope for cancer patients
How herbs could be useful in a disease like cancer?
I believe
cancer which is a worldwide terror is simpler to manage than common cold & cough provided it is managed at right time. The eight herbs, I use in a mixture are very effective in fighting cancer and I have used this
herbal formulation in the management of brain cancer, breast cancer, colon & rectal cancer, abdominal cancer, urinary bladder and gall bladder tumor, liver cancer, lung cancer, bone cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer, etc. This therapy which I discovered 30 years back is now being accepted by countries like the US where it has been confirmed that these herbs are anti-cancer agents. The prestigious institutes like TATA Memorial Cancer Hospital----Mumbai, the AIMS Delhi & other prestigious hospitals from India as well as the US & UK have referred their terminal stage patients to me who have been successfully managed. I have been successfully managed. I have been to countries like England, Germany, Belgium and Durban etc. several times for management of cancer patients. A social organization from London has shot a film on my therapy. Also a half-an-hour live interview of mine has been telecast by Asia TV.
How did you know that the drug prepare by you is effective in the management of cancer?
When a patient suffering from tongue cancer approached me who was upset with the pain? I gave him this drug and after a few days he had recovered completely. One of my patient’s, Mr. Shinde who was working as postmaster at Aknlug (Maharashtra) came to me since he was suffering from cancer and the probability of his survival was zero. I undertook to manage his condition and he recovered completely after a few days therapy. This is how patients started approaching me for the management of cancer.
Is the drug prepared by you is absolutely safe for human consumption?
All medicine used by me are tested by the pharmacology department of All-India institute of Medical Sciences, new Delhi and Lyne, Martin & Radford, London, England, UK to be safe, toxic-free and without any side-effects. I now have patent and copyrights for these medicines in 180 countries.
Does your herbal therapy help reducing side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy?
Many cancer consultants (oncologists) too have used
herbal drug to reduce side-effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. Dr. Sunil Chakoo from Canada says, “I used herbal therapy along with chemotherapy and was amazed that patients had no side-effects at all “Dr. Suresh Regmi, Senior Oncologists, Government Hospital, Nepal also tried my herbal therapy along with chemotherapy on some of his patients and says,” I was overwhelmed to see that most of my patients had no side-effects of chemotherapy and their lifestyle has improved.” Dr. Regmi is now regularly using herbal drug on most of his cancer patients.
What is success rate of your herbal therapy in cancer patients?
To my experience of 30+years, 40% to 50% patients respond to my therapy where-in, the success rate ranges between 80% to 100%.
What is your mission?
I wish that no one should die of cancer and the
herbal drug for management of cancer discovered by me should reach every section of society and mass suffering because of this disease should be benefited by its positive effects. And to accomplish my mission, I plan to establish branches of Dr. Nandlal Tiwari Cancer Research Centre (DNTRC) in all the states of India and overseas. I am also training other doctors to help me achieve my aim. Till now, I have trained Dr. Rosy Daniel, former director, Bristol Cancer Hospital – UK, Dr. Suresh Regmi, Senior Oncologist, Government Hospital—Nepal, Dr. Humaira Aziz Khan—Pakistan, Dr. Kiran Regmi—Nepal, Dr. Narayan Acharya, Medical Director in Nepal and Dr. Sunil Chakoo of Canada.
Soon , a virus that can treat cancer?
Trials Of Targeted Therapy To Begin in India in 2 Mnths
New Delhi: Trials will soon begin in India to treat cancer differently and selectively. This could eventually see a breakthrough in treatment of the dreaded C word and give hope to many. Called oncolytic virus, it’ II see certain live viruses being injected intravenously. These will then home into cancer cells, colonize and kill them.
This is the first time such trials will take place in India and the second time in the world where success is anticipated. Early trials in the UK have shown promising results.
The Indians trials will be in conjunction with Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York. Cancer, incidentally, is the biggest killer in India after heart disease and it’s estimated there are 1.5-2 million cases at any given point in time. In the US, one million new cases crop up annually.
Oncolytic virus, says DR Kushagra Katariya, CEO of Artemis, is a targeted therapy and can be used to treat all types of cancer. Unlike chemotherapy and radiation, conventional forms of treatment which kill healthy cells too, oncolytic virus doesn’t do this. “We hope the side effects of the former two—nausea, hair now, says Katariya. Doctors are also hoping that the after-effects on the body when a tumour brakes down, will be used in these trials, is called Vaccina, he says.
Trials will start in two months on some 20-25 patients who suffer from cervical, head neck and lung cancer, he says. While
lung cancer is the number one cancer killer in the world, neck and cervical cancer are more prevalent in India.
In Indian women, cervical cancer cases are ahead of even
breast cancer. Incidentally, a conference, ASK’10 at Artemis between March 6-7 on head, neck and thoracic cancer, will also discuss these trials.
Early trials on nude mice, i.e. those whose conducted over the last three years by the University of California and Sloan-Kettering, to see if this virus works.
With no immunity, it was easy for researchers to inject cancer cells in the mice and see tumours growing in their thighs.
The virus was then injected into them and in a surprising and euphoric development, the tumours disappeared within four to eight weeks, says Katariya.
Dr kumar Prabhash, medical oncologist, Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, Mumbai, says
oncolytic virus is a promising therapy for treating cancer.
Obese women at greater cancer risk
Being Overwieght Accounts For Up To 8% Of Disease: Experts
New Delhi: Two separate medical findings simultaneously released on Friday have sounded the tocsin for Indian women. In the first study, nearly 6 crore women in India above the age of 15 have been found to be overwieght, bordering on obesity. Shockingly, a separate study found obesity to be the leading
cause of cancer these days, specially in women, with about one in 12 new cases of the disease due to excess weight. European researchers say obesity now accounts for up to 8% of cancers on the continent.
The first study, published inthe Journal of Nutrition, examined how many women in the reproductive age group in three south Asian countries -India, Nepal and Bangladesh-have become overweight/obese in a decade long period between 1996-2006. The prevalence of obesity in this age group of women increased by almost 6% in Bangaladesh, 8.5% in Nepal and 4% in India. Though India reported the lowest percentage increase, in absolute numbers of obese women, it is far higher than both Bangladesh and Nepal.
After reserching national data from eight demographic and health surveys that studied 19,211 women in Bangladesh, 19,354 in Nepal and 1.6 lakh women in India, experts found that the prevalence of overweight-obesity increased from 2.7% to 8.9% in Bangladesh, 1.6% to 10.1% in Nepal and 10.6% to 14.8% in India. These increases were observed in both rural and urban areas and were greater in rural areas.
Anoop Misra, director of
Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases at Fortis Hospital, said the prevalence of overweight women had increased substantially in Bangladesh, Nepal, and India. India has around 39.42 crore women above age of 15, which means around 5.8 crore of these women are overweight and obese.This goes to show that women in India are at higher risk of developing
diabetes and
heart disease, primarily due to sedentary lifestyle.
Meanwhile, another, study has clearly said shedding some extra pounds could greatly protect women against cancer. Scientists say being overweight accounts for up to 14% of cancer deaths in men and 20% of cancer deaths in women. Some 20% to 30% of common cancers such as colon, postmenopausal breast, uterine and esophageal may be related to being overweight and to a lack of physical activity. Though scientists don't know why obesity increases cancer risk, they think it may be linked to hormones. Fat people produce more hormones, such as estroge, that help tumours thrive.
Chemotherapy no more a bar for motherhood
New Delhi:For thousands of young
women cancer patients in India, the dream of becoming a mother remains what it essentially is - a dream. Their ovarian function is completely destroyed as they are immediately put on chemotherapy or radiotherapy. But doctors at Army Research and Referral Hospital have found a way to safeguard their desire to have children by cryopreserving their ovaries while they receive treatment.
Pioneering the technique in India, doctors are cryopreserving the ovarian cortex of young cancer patients before they are put on treatment."Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have a very negative effect on the ovaries. It destroys the health cells and primordial follicles in the ovaries. As a result, women are unable to conceive after treatment. We are protecting their ovaries from the dangerous side-effects of
cancer treatment. When the patient turns disease-free, we implant these cortex back in their body," said Lt.General Dr.Naresh Kumar, commandant, Army Hospital.
Through this technique, ovaries of a patient are retrieved and cut into small pieces. Each piece of cortex is then gradually cryopreserved at-196°C. "The cprtex, which contains all primitive eggs, is cut into nearly 30-40 small pieces and cyropreserved. We send two samples for checking the density of follicles and to rule out presence of cancer cells. These pieces can be stored for decades," said Lt Col Dr Pankaj Talwar, IVF specialist, Army, Hospital. So far, the hospital has cryopreserved the ovaries of five female cancer patients who are in the age group of 15-35.
Doctors say that in most cases
cancer treatment has to be started immediately. Thus, one can't wait for the patient's menstrual cycle to collect the eggs."Cancer cells multiply very fast and chances of metastasis are very high. That is why, patients are put on treatment immediately," added Dr.Talwar.
Explaining the process, he said,"Once the patient is disease-free and wants to conceive, we will implant one of the ovarian cortex pieces either in the forearm or abdominal wall under local anaesthesia. The graft can also be implanted at the ovarian fossa in pelvic cavity under general anaesthesia. It takes 2-3 months for the graft to become active and for the estrogen levels in the blood to rise. We then stimulate the graft with hormones to help follicles mature. Once eggs are mature, we take then out and achieve pregnancy through in-vitro fertilisation. The implant has a life of 6-9 months and can be left inside the body."Though doctors at Army Hospital are yet to implant a cryopreserved cortex piece in the patient, they are confident that the result would be positive.
Conceive After Cancer
In an attempt to help young women suffering from
cancer conceive after treatment, doctors at Army Resear and Referral Hospital are cryopreserving the ovaries of these patients.
The Process
1. Ovaries are surgically removed and divided into two parts and the cortex, which has primordial follicles are cut into 13 to 40 small pieces.
2. The cryopreserved cortex is tested for cancer and also for density of oocytes.
TheThawing Process
3. These small pieces are then put in a special solution and cryopreserved at -196° C
4. When the patient is disease-free and wants to conceive, the cryopreserved cortex is thawed.
5. The cortex is implanted either in the forearm, lower abdominal wall or at the original site.
6. The patient is given hormones to help the primordial follicles mature.
7. The eggs are extracted and through IVF pregnancy is achieved.
- *Unlike other body cells, which multiply after chemotherapy is over,follicles in the ovaries can't grow again.
- *Size of primordial follicles: 70-80 microns
- *Once implanted the cryopreserved cortex have a life of 6-9 months
- *Cryopreserved cortexes can be preserved for decadesSize of mature follicles close to 2 cm
- *Countries which have successfully used this technique:France, Sweden, Belgium and Israel.
- *Only five live births have been achieved through this technique.
Deadly Statistics
7 million people die each year, from
cancer, and 11 million new cases are diagnosed worldwide.
25 million people, worldwide are living with caner. Cancer claims more than twice as many lives as AIDS.
10 million people will die in 2020, if current trends contine.
80% -90% of cancer patients already suffer from advanced and incurable cancers at the time of diagnosis in developing countries.
3 of every five new cancer ases will occur in the developing world by 2020.
40% of the 11 million cancer cases that occur each year can be prevented by applying existing evidence based knowledge.
1/3 of all cancer cases could be cured, given early diagnosis and effective treatment
5 million people are killed by tobacco each year
1/4 of all cancer deaths are due to tobacco use
150 million premature deaths would be averted by tobacco consumption.
1,60,000 cases of childhood cancer are diagnosed each year.
90,000 children die of cancer.
80% of
children with cancer live in developing countries where effective treatment is not available.
Pelvic disorders afflict a third of women
Women who had vaginal births had double the rate of pelvic disorders
One third of all women suffer from one or more
pelvic disorders, including the tendency to urinate frequently, dropped pelvic organcs and incontinence,says a new study. It also found that women who have had vaginal births had double the rate of pelvic floor disorders compared t those who had Caesarean deliveries. Based on a study of 4,000 women aged between 25 and 80, the bulk of whom had given birth, the survey found a fourth of them suffered from anal incontinence, 15 per cent from stress urinary incontinence, 13 per cent from an overactive bladder and six per cent experienced dropping of pelvic organs.
"Many women think this is something they have to deal with as they age and that there isn't anything they can do about it, but that's not tue," said co-uthor Jean M Lawrence, of Kaiser Permanente's Department of Research and Evaluation in Southern California, where the study was conducted."One of the myths surrounding pelvic floor disorder is that it affects only older women, but the truth is these conditions are extremely prevalent."
Infusing ozone offers better result in cancer treatment: Docs
Mumbai:Ali Amman from Byculla has possibly never heard of ozone, the gas that was passed between his ears through a catheter for threee munutes. A telltale silicone tube dangles from his throat, making it evident that cancer has ravaged his voice box. Ali obviously cannot explain in words how the ozone infusion felt, but his unlettered son Abbas manages, "Doctors say this will help his cancer treatment."
Ozone- the unstable gas that causes three atoms of oxygen and is usally associated with environmental disasters and smog-is slowly flowing into the world of medicine. Ali's ozone-infusion bout was followed by a session of radiation therapy at the clinic of an NGO, Indian Cancer Society, at the Lady Ratan Tata Medical Centre in Cooperage.
"We believe that ozone infusion just 30 minutes before radiation gets better results," says radiation cancer specialist Dr.Arvind Kulkarni of the NGO. He uses ozone at the NGO's Pune centre as well.
Even as ozone's ability to oxygenate diseased cells is tested every day in a handful of centres across the country, most allopathic doctors remain sceptical. "Where is the published data to support the claim?"asks a well-known oncologist.
Practitioners like Dr.Kulkarni and Dr.Mili Shah are, however, firm believers. "It is known that
cancers are caused due to lack of oxygen in the tissues concerned," says Dr.Kulkarni, quoting a German scientist's Nobel-winning research. Infusing ozone treatment. But after three 20 minute sessions of ozone infusion, he managed to take the train to reach my clinic,"says Dr.Shah, who started the therapy about a year ago.
A look at the registry maintained at the Indian Cancer Society reveals the medical progress of many patients.Nalini's
cancer treatment, which included a complete breast removal, had left her with complaints of numbness and constipation. "All compaints are better," reads her entry. Khalida, suffering from cervical cancer and heavy bleeding, walked in wearing a bedsheet instead of a sanitary napking."After four sessions of ozone infusions, her discharge stopped," says Dr.Shah.
It is not just cancer patients, patients with disorders like
skin infections, sinusitis and arthritis can also benefit, said Dr Parul Saheba, who is in charge of the Ozone Promotion Cell operated by tycoon Ramesh Chauhan's company, as its corporate social responsibility.
"Over the last five years, we have been promoting the cause of ozone. It is only now that the message seems to be precolating," says Dr.Saheba, who has trained 100 doctors across the country so far.'Ozone bars' are now available in 10 major cities such as New Delhi and Kolkata, with 16 centres in Mumbai itself.
Cancer specialist Dr.Rakesh Jalili from Tata Memorial Hospital says,"There was a lot of interest in Ozone therapy in the late seventies and eighties, but there never was a comprehensive study to prove its efficacy. There is now a renewed interest in it."
He points out that as cancer is a necrotising disease in which cells don't receive oxygen, theoretically there seems to be a possibility that Ozone could help. However, another cancer surgeon who didn't want to be identified says,"These are at best supportive therapies that ma or may not have a role in the actual cure."
THE THERAPY
Ozone is active oxygen(three particles of oxygen) present in nature in small amounts. However, it must not be inhaled. It's given as insuflations (introduction of gas by a small catheter) in rectum/vagina or ear; can be injected in saline drip; can be injected in and around joints, below the skin and applied as ozonated oil.
HOW DOES THE GAS HELP IN TREATING CANCER?
- *All living cells need oxygen. The cause of all cancers is the lack of oxygen at tissue level. In other words, by keeping optimum oxygen levels, cancer can be destroyed.
- *Ozone floods cancer cells with oxygen by making red bllod cells carry more oxygen to the tissues.
- *It improves blood circulation.
- *It induces white blood cells to produce lyphokines that boost immunity.
- *It's a germicidal.
OTHER USES
Ozone is also used to treat ailments such as open leg ulcers burns bedsors, arterial circulatory disorders, diseases of small and large intestines, age-related diseases, rheumatism, arthritis, cancer, chronic eczema, psoriasis, viral diseases like herpes, hepatitis, flu.
OZONE IS NO-NO FOR...
Persons with G6PD (protein) deficiency, active bleeding, ozone allergy.
BREAST CANCER ON RISE , but so is awareness
It is a scary statistic: one in every 30 Mumbai women stands the risk of developing
breast cancer in her lifetime. It is only three better in other metro cities. But in October, which is breast cancer awareness month, there is heartening news-more patients are coming earlier for treatment, resulting in better survival rates-say doctors.
Says Dr. Rajan Badwe, director of Tata Memorial Hospital and a renowned cancer surgeon,"When I joined the profession in 1982, the average size of the tumour was 6.5 cm. Now it is 2.5 cm." He says this is the result of better awareness about the disease as well as self-breat examination Dr. S.H.Advani, one of the country's best-known medical oncologists, points out that until a few years back 80% of the women coming for treatment were in state III or IV of the diseases in this has come down 60% with more women coming to us early," he adds.
Breat cancer, which has replaced
cervical cancer as the leading cancer among women living in urban centres, is increasingly being viewed as a lifestyle disease. "Its incidence is increasing because of late marriages, later age of bearing children, fewer children, shorter lactation period and lack of physical exercise,"says Dr.Advani. While genetics do play a role in breast cancer, experts feel lifestyle contributes more.
Dr.B.B.Yeole of the Indian Cancer Society who is associated with the Indian Cancer Registry project says,"The 20 year-odd data from urban centres such as Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai shows incidence has more than doubled in this period. In rural centres such as Barshi near Sangli, however, it is still low." But the five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients in India has increased.
A Survivor's Story
Minu (name chnged) is a busy businesswoman. But four years back, it was different."At 33, with two miscarriages behind me, I learnt I had breast cancer,"she says. Seven months of
chemotherapy and a breast conserving surgery later, she is cancer-free for three years. "I now work out and do pranayam for 45 minutes daily," she adds.
"This figure is now 50% in many cities which is good," he says.
Pointing to superior surgical and chemotherapy options now available, Dr Advani says, "Availability of
gene-based therapy has been the biggest change in the field of breast cancer." He says thanks to drugs such as trastuzumab, there is no need for the age-old "lumpusum drug treatment.Tests show who will respond to which drug. This saves cost as well as time for the patient resulting in better outcomes, says Advani.
But doctors don't see the surge coming down soon."In the next 10 years the incidence in Mumbai will rise to 60 women in every 1,00,000 population getting the disease every year," says Dr. Badwe. The advice is standard: cutting down on obesity, early motherhood and breat-feeding for a year.
Ribbon Of Hope
About Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells that occurs due to mutations, or abnormal changes in genes responsible for regulating to mutations, or abnormal changes in genes responsible for regulating growth of cells. Onely 5-10% of cacers are due to an abnormality inherited from parents. About 90% of breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities as a result of aging and the war and tear of life.
Who is at risk?
All women are at risk, the risk factor increases with age Mumbai statistics suggest that about 1 out of every 30 women will get breast cancer in her lifetime.
Ways to reduce risk
*One should eat a balanced diet, not smoke, limit alcohol and
exercise regularly.
*It is advisable to undergo regualr screeing such as an annual mammogram and a breast examination.
Incidence Has Grown
The Indian Council of Medical Research brough out the 'Time Trends in Cancer Incidence Rates (1982-2005),' an analysis of cancer cases in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore, which shows that breast cancer incidence has doubled in some cases.
Cancerous like its name...
In the second article in our four-part series on cancer, we focus on common cancers that affect men, their detection and prevention.
Cancer is indeed like a crab. It catches hold of anybody who is unfortunate enough to be near its sharp unforgiving claws. Though cancer affects both men and women equally, there are some cancers that affect more men than women.
The cancers that most frequently affect men are lung, oral, colon, prostate and skin cancers. Knowing about these cancers and how they can be prevented can save your life.
Lung cancer
People who smoke are at the greatest risk of getting
lung cancer and many other tobacco-related illnesses such as heart disease, stroke etc. Smoking and tobacco chewing is responssible for more than 80 percent of all lung cancers. Other risk factors include exposure to radon and asbestos.
Lung cancers is one of the few cancers that can often be prevented, because it is usually self-inflicted. If you are a smoker; quit now. If you don't smoke, don't ever start. If your friends and loved ones are smokers, help them to quit.
Prostate cancer
The chance of getting prostate cancer goes up as a man gets older. About two out of every three prostate cancers are found in men over the age of 65, having one or more close relatives with prostate cancer also increases a man's risk of developing this disease, as does eating a diet high in animal fat.
Prostate cancer can usually be found in its early stages by having prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test and a digital rectal exam (DRE). Talk to your doctor.
Get a PSA blood test and DRE every year starting when you are 50.
Colon Cancer :-
Most
colorectal cancers (cancers of the colon and rectum) are found in people over age 50. People with personal or family history of the disease, or who have polyps in the colon or rectum or inflammatory bowel disease, are at greater risk than the rest, Eating a diet of mostly high-fat foods, being inactive also increase a person’s risk.
Colon cancer almost always starts with a
polyp. Testing can fore they become cancerous. If precancerous polyps are removed, colon cancer can be prevented. Eating a low-fat diet rich in fruits and vegetables may also lower the risk of colon cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends one of these five testing options for all people beginning at age 50.
- *Yearly faecal occult blood test (FOBT)
- *Double contrast barium enema every five years.
- *Colonoscopy every 10 years.
There are some cancers that affect men and women equally. Two of the most common are oral cancer and skin cancer.
Skin Cancer
People with fair have a greater risk of
skin cancer than people with darker coloring, although anyone who spends a lot of time in the sun without protection is at risk. People who have had close family members with a melanoma and those who had severe sunburns occurring early in life are at higher risk for this type of skin cancer.
You can help prevent most skin cancers by avoiding long periods in the sun between 10 am and 4pm. Wear hats, long-sleeved shirts, sunglasses and use sunscreen with a SPF ( Sun Protection Factor) of 15 or higher. Examine your skin regularly and have a skin exam during regular health check-ups.
Oral cancer
People who use tobacco are at the greatest risk for oral cancer. All types of tobacco use increases your risk for
oral cancer, including smoking beedi or cigarettes, and chewing raw tobacco, gutka, paan and paan masala (with or without betel nut.) Oral cancer is one of the most common cancers in India, Women have been shown to be at higher risk than men.
Oral cancer can be detected in the early stages with an oral exam b your doctor. quitting all types of tobacco use greatly reduces your risk for oral cancer. The best prevention is to avoid tobacco altogether. Consult your doctor for ways and means to quit.
Blood tests may soon replace painful biopsy in India.
Removing Pain from cancer
Cancer therapy can be without pain, althought it will still need some blood-letting.
Haematologist and oncologist Dr.Maher Arbitar from California has devised a family of blood tests that can replace the painful biopsy procedure, which helps monitor the progress of therapy in cancer patients.
Leumeta has been a successful tool in the US for diagnosis and treatment since 2006.Now, Dr Arbitar plans to introduce it in India.
Dr. Arbitar, who started research and clinical trials 10 years ago, met the city's leading years ago, met the city's leading oncologists and haematopathologists on Tuesday to discuss his research on cancer with the help of Leumeta.
Traditionally, a bone-marrow biopsy is used to diagnose certain forms of cancer and decide upon the therapy to treat them. "A bone-marrow biopsy is not only extremely painful but also expensive as well as risky, especially for children," Dr. Arbitar said. A large needle is used to pierce the bone to get to the bone marrow and extract cells for testing. Adults need just local anaesthesia for the procedure, but children have to be put under general anaesthesia, he said.
A biopsy may be required once every week. But since it is a very painful procedure, many patients sometimes go for the procedure once in three months, city oncologists said.
Leumeta can be a substitute for the painful biopsy procedure and can help treat acute and chronic leukemia, lymphomas, myelodysplastic syndrome and various other forms of cancer, he said.
Proteins and other"debris" specific to tumour cells get into the blood stream when the cells die. The blood tests determine their presence and help physicians to more efficiently manage the therapy, he said.
"In layman's terms, blood plasma has a 'fingerprint' of the tumour, which can be detected with the tests,' Dr Arbitar, director, Hematology and Oncology, Nichols Institute, California, said.
Currently, the tests require about 5 cc bllod. However, clinical trials are on to see if this equirement can be reduced to a drop of blood drawn from the finger."These tests may, in the near future, even be used to diagnose solid tumours in breat cancer, ovarian cancer, colon and prostrate cancer, etc,"Dr. Arbitar said.
"The cost for the tests may vary from Rs.3,000 to Rs.20,000 depending on the nature of the tests," said Ravi Desai, exective director, Quest Diagnostics India Pvt Ltd.
Qust Diagnostics, with it headquarters in the US, has the patent for Leumeta.
VITAL STATS
In the US, where about 100 in 100,000 people suffer from leukemia or lymphoma, Leumeta has been in use since 2006.
In India, more than six per cent of all cancers cases are lymphoma. Of the 20,000 fresh cases diagnosed at Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, every year, about 8% are leukemia/lymphoma.
Cancer gene code cracked
London:Two common forms of cancer have been genetically mapped for the first time, British Scientists said Wednesday, in a major breakthrough in understanding the diseases.
The maps have exposed the DNA mutations that lead to
skin and lung cancers, in a discovery scientists said could transform the way these diseases are diagnosed and treated in coming years.
All cancers are caused by damage togenes-mutations in DNA that can be triggered by environmental factors such as tobacco smoke, harmful chemicals or ultraviolet radiaton, and causes cells to grow out of control.
Scientists from Britain's Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and their collaborators have mapped this genetic damage from the tumours of two patients suffereing from lung cancer and malignant melanoma, a deadly skin cancer.
"This is a fundamental moment in cancer research. From here on we will think about cancers in a very different ways," said Professor Mike Stratton who led the institute's cancer genome project."Today for the first time, in two individual cancers-a melanoma and a lung cancer-we have provided the complete list of abnormalities in DNA in each of them," he told the BBC.
"We now see uncovered all the forces that have generated that cancer and we now see all the genes that are responsible for driving those two cancers,"he said.
The scientists'research, published in the journal Nature, also gained deeper insights into the way the body tries to repair the damage caused by the cancers and stop the disease spreading.
Stratton said the research could in future change the way cancers are treated-by using genetic maps to find the defects that caused them."We will be able to see how each cancer developed, what were the exposures, what were the enviornmental factors and that's going to be key for out understanding of how cancers develop," he said."And for out individual patients, we will see all the genes that are abnorml and are driving each cancer and that's really critical, because that will tell us which drugs are likely to have an effect on that particular cancer and which are not."
Peter Campbell, a cancer-genomics expert involved in the research, said the number of mutations discovered-33,345 for melanoma and 22,910 for lung cancer-was remarkable."It is amazing what you can see in these genomes," he said.
MAPPING MUTATIONS
WHAT SCIENTISTS DID
*They Compared the DNA sequence of tumour tissues with healthy ones to identify all changes (mutations)that occur in the cells of two deadly cancers-melanoma skin and lung
WHAT THEY FOUND
*The lung tumour carried more than 23,000 mutations and the melanoma had more than 33,000.
*A smoker develops one mutation for every 15 cigarettes smoked.
NEXT STEP
*Scientists now have to track specific mutations that lead to cancer.This would help in producing drugs to suppress these mutations.
*By about 2020, cancer patients could have their tumours analysed to find the genetic defects that drive them.
The big FAT truth about CANCER
Here's a fact: Obesity can lead to different types of cancer. Read on to know how you can reduce the risk before things go out of hand.
Doctors have long feared that being fact can give you cancer. But medical studies have confirmed it. Nearly a quarter of women in the world are obese and a third overweight. And the number increases as you get older, with 68 per cent of women aged between 55-64, overweight or obese. Women defined as overweight have a body mass index between 25 and 29.9, while a BMI of 30 or more is considered obese. The relationship between BMI and cancer risk depends on age-the older you get, the more damaging the effects of being overweight.
HOW MUCH TOO MUCH?
The bad news is you don't have to be obese to be at an increased risk of cancer. Just being overweight with a BMI of 25-29 is dangerous.
WHAT HAPPENS?
Obesity causes the body to produce more of the hormone oestrogen-an excess of which is linked to breast and ovarian cancer. Being fat also leads to an increase in insulin and this hormone also seems to encourage the growth of cancers.
WHICH CANCERS ARE TRIGGERED BY IT?
BREAST
Weight gain any time after 35 is linked to
breast cancer in postmenopausal women. This is because when a woman's ovaries shut down after the menopause, fat cells become the main source of oestrogen production. So, heavier women are exposed to more oestrogen than before, which can fuel the growth of abnormal breast cells.
OVERIAN
Obese women have a two to four times greater risk of developing ovaian cancer than women of a healthy weight. Those who are obese get more aggressive cancers and are likely to die from the disease.
CERVICAL
Survival rates from cervical cancer are much lower among obese women than among their thinner counterparts.
COLON
Apple-shaped women, who store fat around their tummies, are more likely to have problems than the pear-shaped, who store fat on their hips and bottoms.
OESOPHAGEAL
Excess weight is a major risk factor in
oesophageal cancer, with half of all cases caused by excess body fat. If your BMI is over 30 you have twice the risk.
KIDNEY
Doctors attribute more than a quarter of all
kidney cancers to excess body weight. Obese women have two to four times the risk of slim women.
GALL BLADDER
An increased danger of gall bladder cancer has been found in obese women. This may be due to the higher frequency of gallstones in overweight women. They are considered a strong factor for developing cancer.
LUNG
Although smoking is by far the biggest risk factor, women whose BMI is in excess of 30 are twice as likely to develop the disease as those below 30.
LIVER CANCER
If you have a BMI of 30 or more, you have an increased likelihood of liver cirrhosis(a pre-cancerous condition) and you're four times more likely to develop liver cancer.
THYROID
This cancer occurs three times more often in women than men-specifically younger women of child-bearing age. Although its causes are uncertain, scientists believe high body fat may be a risk factor.
HOW CAN REDUCE CANCER RISK?
By losing weight, women can dramatically reduce their cancer risk. These seven simple changes will help shift excess kilos and boost your health, with minimal hassle...
CUT DOWN ON BOOZE
Zero alcohol is best for cancer prevention but, as moderate amounts can benefit the heart, women should limit their intake to one drink per day.
DOWNSIZE PORTIONS
Large portions are the biggest culprit when it comes to weight gain. You can lose half a stone in six weeks simply by reducing the amount you put on your plate.
SNACK ON SUPERFOODS
Eating six portions of plant-based cancer-fighting foods per day can reduce your risk. Good choices include blue berries, broccoli, green tea, dark chocolate, kiwis and red peppers.
SNEAK IN SOME EXERCISE
If you walk 10,000 steps each day you'll reduce your cancer risk by up to 30 per cent. Buy a pedometer to help count the steps and remember-you can break up your walking throughout the day. Short spurts are fine-10 minutes here, 20 minutes there.
THINK PROGRESS
Don't have an " all-or-nothing" attitude to weight loss. Studies show its "B grade" students that are the dieting success stories-people who lead a healthy lifestyle 80 per cent of the time-and leave themselves the other 20 to have fun and indulge.
CUT YOUR STRESS LEVELS
Identify what led to your weight gain and address it. Many women overeat because of stress and anxiety, so try to worry less. Take up youga, have regular massages or a scented bath. Set aside an hour per day of "me time".
DON'T GET ANY BIGGER!
You won't get slim overnight but you can stop gaining more weight. It's the extra halfstone the average woman adds each year that puts her in danger. Resolve not to put one extra inch on your waistline or a pond on the scales this year.
Head And Neck Cancers(Source -Times of India, 29-12-2009)
They encompasses a wide range of tumours that occur in the head and neck region, including the nasal passages, sinuses, mouth, throat, larynx, swallowing passages, salivary glands and the thyroid glad. People who use tobacco or drink alcohol excessively are much more likely than others to develop the disease.
Oral Cancer arises in the mouth. It includes the lips, the gums ad the area behind the wisdom teeth, the inside of the lips and cheeks, the floor and roof of the mouth, and the front two-thirds of the tongue.
Laryngeak Cancer begins in the laryx or the voice box. It sits at the top of the trachea, the tract that leads to the lungs.
Nasal Cavity & Paranasal Sinus are found in the tissues that line these hollow structures. The paranasal sinuses are hollow areas in the bones of the fae near the nose that produce mucus.
Nasopharyngeal Cancer is found in the nasopharynx, the uppermost portion of the throat.
Oropharyngeal Cancer is found in the section of the throat (oropharynx) located just beyond the mouth. The region includes the base of the tongue, the soft palate (the soft area just beyond the roof of the mouth), and the area around the tonsils.
Hypopharyngeal Cancer is found in the hypopharynx, the uppermost portion of the oesophagus (the tube through which food travels to the stomach)
Salivary Gland Cancer is found in the salivary glands, the structures the produce saliva to keep the mouth from drying, and aid in digestion of food
SYMPTOMS
* A Sore in the mouth that won't heal or bleeds easily.
*Frequent nosebleeds,ongoing nasal congestion, or chronic sinus infections that don't respond to treatment.
*Persistent sore throat, hoarseness or a change in the voice.
*Pain in the neck, throat or ears that won't go away.
*Blood in the sputum.
* Difficulty chewing, swallowing, or moving jaws or tongue.
*Loosing of teeth.
Treatment
It may include surgery, radiation therapy, or
chemotherapy. When Surgery is extensive, reonstruction of the area is often possible. For example, in case where the jaw bone is removed, a surgeon can fashion a new jaw using bone from the patient's own leg. Dental implants can be used to replace teeth.
Death Clock
According to Smokefree Mumbai Campaign, an endeavour of the BMC along with NGOs. Since Thursday, January 01,'98.
15,668 Mumbaikars have died due to smoking relate causes.
Raising Numbers
The excess number of deaths among adult somkers in 2010 will be about 930,000
That includes 580,000deaths among men and 90,000deaths among women between the ages of 30 and 69 years.
-Projection Based on Study in India and Canada.
Bidi Menace
6,00,000 lives are lost in India every year due to the bidi habit says the Bidi Monograph entitled, Bidi Smoking and Public health,released by the government of India in May 2008.
Battling to snuff out the growing gutka addiction
Mumbai: By banning smoking at public places on October 2,2008, health experts concede that awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco has certainly increased even if the habit hasn't actually dipped. But gutka, the desi avatar of tobacco, completely slipped out of the ban.
"It is most unfortunate but gutka is not getting tackled at all by the ban," says Dr.P.C. Gupta of Healis, an NGO that works with the Brihan mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on a smoke-free campaign for Mumbai.
Worse, it is easily among the fastest growing pan-India phenomenon."A survey of schoolchildren in a coastal village of Kerala showed a 29% prevalence of tobacco chewing while another survey in Mizoram showed the incidence at 56.5%," says Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Memorial Hospital.
"The age for initiation for gutka consumption has been reported between 8 and 14 years in India. A survey done by the Indian Dental Association found that 10% -40% of school students and 70% of students in colleges in Mumbai chewgutka and paan masala," he adds.
According to Dr.Gupta, the abuse will only grow further if unchecked."While we don't have studies to directly establish the link, there is information coming in from clinics, hospitals and doctors about the increase in incidece of mouth cancer among the young. And this can be subjectively linked to the increase in tobacco chewing," he says.
Doctors feel that becausegutka is projected as a harmless mouth freshener, youngsters consume it in larger amounts and keep it in the mouth for a longer period of time.
At a recent press conference, the president of the Indian Hotel and Restaurant Association, N. Alva, and Dr. Surendra Shastri of Tata Memorial Hospital spoke about how when family elders asked the young to pick up gutka, bidis or cigarettes, it indirectly set the tone for future abuse. India's cancer graph certainly looks daunting due to tobacco. According to estimates from a long-running study that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine last year, there will be about 1 million tobacco deaths a year in India and about 70% of these deaths will be before old age.
"Currently, tobacco is responsible for one in five of all male deaths in middle age. Men who are cigarette smokers lose ten years of their lives, mainly as a result of tuberculosis, respiratory and heart diseases, and cancer," says Dr.Chaturvedi.
India sitting on a cancer bomb
By 2020, Country Likely To See 87,000 Additional Cases In Men Every Year
New Delhi:India's projection for cancer among men in 2020 is now out and it isn't looking very good. The country will see a 20% overall increase-87,000 additional cases of cancer every year in men by 2020.
According to Indian Council of Medical Research's latest report, fresh case of cancer annually among men will increase from 4.47 lakh in 2008 to 5.34 lakh by 2020. Cancers in almost all sites will see an increase, except that of the oesophagus which will actually see a dip from 23,573 fresh cases in 2008 to 20,642 cases in 2020.
The report on cancer trends, that tracks the deadly disease over 24 years and is yet to be made public, says that incidence of mouth cancer will see the highest increase by almost 66% from 28,066 fresh cases per year to 46,785 in 2020. However, in absolute numbers,
lung cancer will top the list with 51,194 new cases annually be 2020 as against 42,863 in 2008.
"Around 30% of all cancers in India are due to smoking and chewing tobacco and it will be the main cause for this increase in both lung nd mouth cancers.
Therefore, it is vital that India takes its present ban on smoking in public and pictorial warnings on tabacco packets seriously," said Dr.Vinod Raina, head of medical oncolgy at AIIMS.
Dr.Raina added, "However, the increase in the absolute number of cancer cases will be due to India's aging population. It is called age migration.Peak incidents of cancer is in 60s".
ICMR director general Dr VMKatoch told TOI"cancer becoming a huge burden in India and will require increased attention. With industrialisation in India increasing and the population ageing, it is but natural that numbers will increase." Cancer of the prostate and
brain/nervous systems will see almost an equal amount of increase by around 19% in the next 12 years. Cases of prostate cancer will increase to 30,185 by 2020 as against 25,273 cases in 2008. Cancer of the brain/nervous system which recorded 18,238 cases in 2008 would increase to 21,782 during the same time.
Cancer of the tongue, larynx and stomach will all see an increase of around 16%. The number of liver cancers will increase from 14,062 cases in 2008 to 16,795 in 2020. A senior ICMR official told TOI,"This new data will help in reorienting the country's cancer control programme. We now know which cancers will require urgent attention. Cancer of the colon(11,236 cases in 2008-14,019 new cases in 2020) is following the parttern of the West due to low fibre diet."
Talking about what the government was doing to combat cancer, a health ministry official said it was ready with a National Cancer Fund-the first such financial pool for a single disease that will cover all costs incurred by below poverty line(BPL) patients affect by cancer. The Rs 100 crore fund was cleared by the finance ministry recently.
The Centre has also sanctioned Rs.2,500 crore under the 11 th five-year plan for the National Cancer Control Programme- a 10-fold increase compared to the 10th plan allocation of Rs. 250 crore.
Runaway Threat
