Salivary Parameters as Predictive Markers for Radiation-induced Treatment Response in Head and Neck Cancers: An Investigational Study

Background: This study evaluates the predictive significance of salivary amylase, glutathione, lipid peroxides, and lactate dehydrogenase in the treatment of head and neck cancer patients who undergo curative radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy. Methods: The volunteers for the study included head and neck cancer patients that required curative radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy. Patients provided saliva and blood samples before the start of radiation treatment and 24 h after the first radiation fraction of 2 Gy (before the start of the second fraction). Samples were assessed for the levels of blood and salivary amylase, glutathione, lipid peroxides, and lactate dehydrogenase by standard laboratory methods. Clinical tumor radioresponse was assessed one month after the completion of treatment as complete responders, partial responders, and nonresponders. Results: The results indicated a significant increase in the levels of amylase, lactate dehydrogenase, and lipid peroxides; and a concomitant decrease in the levels of glutathione P<0.05 - P<0.0001 in saliva and blood. The correlation between the differences in each biochemical parameter with that of the treatment response showed a significant correlation only for the salivary lactate dehydrogenase (R2=0.25; P<0.02). Conclusion: The results indicate that salivary lactate dehydrogenase can be a useful predictive marker to ascertain radiation-induced tumor regression in head and neck cancers

Sandalwood Oil and Turmeric-Based Cream Prevents Ionizing Radiation-Induced Dermatitis in Breast Cancer Patients: Clinical Study

Background: The primary objective of this study was to ascertain the benefit of Vicco turmeric Ayurvedic cream (VTC; Vicco Laboratories, Mumbai, India) sandalwood oil and turmeric-based cream in preventing radiodermatitis in women undergoing curative radiotherapy for their breast cancer. Methods and Materials: The study was an investigator-blinded randomized study with Johnsons Baby Oil (JBO; Johnson &amp; Johnson Ltd., Baddi, India) as a comparator, administered daily from the start of radiation therapy for 5 weeks in women receiving breast radiation therapy, 50 Gy in 2 Gy fractions daily for 5 weeks. The endpoints were to ascertain the delay in the appearance and the degree of severity of dermatitis throughout the study period in accordance to the Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) score. Results: The results indicated that the topical application of VTC delayed and mitigated the radiodermatitis. When compared to the Johnson’s Baby Oil, a significant decrease (p = 0.025) in the incidence of grade 1 was seen at week two, and also in grade 2 and 3 at week 3 (p = 0.003) and week 4 (p = 0.02), respectively, in the VTC cohort. A concomitant decrease in the average severity was also observed at week 2 (p = 0.02), week 3 (p = 0.05) and week 4 (p = 0.03). Conclusions: The results indicate that VTC cream significantly reduces radiation dermatitis when applied to the breast during and after radiation therapy. The result of this study indicates the beneficial effects. Double blind randomized control studies are required to further confirm the beneficial effects of VTC in mitigating radiodermatitis is people undergoing radiation treatment for their cancer

Financial benefit of antidiabetic drugs available at jan aushadhi (people's drug) stores to geriatric pensioners: A pilot study from India

Background: For the elderly, affected with Type II diabetes the costs for medications can be immense and forms a substantial part of their savings and pensions. Aims and Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a major health issue in India and the treatment costs severely affect the elderly who are dependent on their family or on their pensions. In this study, we evaluated the economic cost of branded versus Jan Aushadhi drugs for geriatric pensioners. Materials and Methods: This was an observational, cross-sectional study and was conducted at the outpatient department of General medicine and Endocrinology at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Ernakulam, Kerala, India. The prescriptions of patients attending the clinic for the care of type II diabetes and associated co-morbidities were analysed. The age, sex, and the number of medications were noted. The price of the costliest, cheapest, and most prescribed branded drugs were noted from the CIMS index 2020, while that for Jan Aushadhi drug was observed from the price catalogue. The financial cost burden on retired aged citizens was calculated by considering INR 8000 as the pension amount. Results: The average cost of the drugs when bought from the costliest brands amounted to 2592.52, of which 750.31 amounted for antidiabetics, while when purchased from Jan Aushadhi was 542.3 and 350.46, respectively. The percentages of the cost required for monthly treatment for an individual with 8000 INR pension for the branded drug was 32.4% and 6.77% for all medications and antidiabetic drugs, while when bought from Jan Aushadhi was 9.37 and 4.38, respectively. Conclusions: A significant difference between cost for Jan Aushadhi and branded drugs and this can be of benefit to the geriatric pensioners. As far as the authors are aware of this is the first study that addresses the beneficial effect of Jan Aushadhi antidiabetic drugs in the geriatric pensioners and has high relevance and use in public health

Dietary Agents and Phytochemicals in the Prevention and Treatment of Experimental Ulcerative Colitis

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), consisting mainly of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), are important immune-mediated diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The etiology of the disease includes environmental and genetic factors. Its management presents a constant challenge for gastroenterologists and conventional surgeon. 5-Amninosalicylates, antibiotics, steroids, and immune modulators have been used to reduce the symptoms and for maintenance of remission. Unfortunately, long-term usage of these agents has been found to lead to severe toxicities, which are deterrent to the users. Pre-clinical studies carried out in the recent past have shown that certain dietary agents, spices, oils, and dietary phytochemicals that are consumed regularly possess beneficial effects in preventing/ameliorating UC. For the first time, this review addresses the use of these dietary agents and spices in the treatment and prevention of IBD and also emphasizes on the mechanisms responsible for their effects

Incidence of Hyperglycemia/Secondary Diabetes in Women who have Undergone Curative Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer: First Study from India

Purpose Development of cancer chemotherapy treatment-induced hyperglycemia/ diabetes (secondary diabetes) is a major problem and has never been reported from India. The present study was planned to ascertain this in women undergoing curative chemotherapy for their breast cancer. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective chart-based study and was conducted in a cancer specialty hospital. The information on women who were nondiabetic at the start of the treatment was collected from the files. Details on cancer diagnosis, domicile, body mass index (BMI), type of diet, marital status, number of children, and previous history of diabetes if any were considered. The blood glucose levels before surgery and after the completion of radiotherapy were considered. World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for diabetes were considered. The data were subjected to frequency and percentage and analyzed using Chi-square test. Association between the demographic details and development of Hyperglycemia or secondary diabetes or prediabetes was done using the Pearson’s correlation analysis. p < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. Results A total of 474 cases were included in accordance with the inclusion criteria. The results indicated that by the end of the radiation treatment, 24.89% were prediabetic, 10.97% were diabetic after being in prediabetic stage, 8.22% became diabetic without going through a prediabetic stage, and that 55.91% did not develop either prediabetic or diabetic condition. Analysis of development of secondary diabetes and prediabetes with BMI (p < 0.0001) and age (p < 0.024) showed a strong correlation and was significant. Conclusion To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study from India, and the results indicate that the development of secondary diabetes in women undergoing curative chemotherapy is high. Attempts are underway to ascertain the cause for the development and how it can be mitigated

Correlation of Clinicohaematological Parameters in Paediatric Dengue: A Retrospective Study

Dengue is one of the arthropod-borne (arbo) viral diseases transmitted by female mosquito Aedes aegypti. Dengue fever has a wide spectrum of clinical presentation ranging from flu-like illness to severe complicated stage of dengue hemorrhagic fever leading to mortality. This was a retrospective study conducted in a tertiary care hospital in Coastal Karnataka, South India, to know the correlation between the clinical presentation and haematological parameters in the paediatric cases presented with dengue symptoms. A total of 163 paediatric cases who presented fever and dengue-like illness were included in the study. Of which, 69 were confirmed dengue patients. Critical analysis showed that there was a significant difference in the haematological parameters like total leucocyte count, percent differential leucocyte count, and platelets count, in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (P<0.05 to 0.0001). Additionally, when compared to nondengue patients, even the liver function and renal function parameters were significantly deranged (P<0.05 to 0.0001). Stratification based on NS1, IgG, and IgM showed significant alterations in the haematological, hepatic, and renal parameters. With respect to the treatment a small percentage of patients, that is, 8% (4 patients), required platelet transfusion as their counts went below 20,000/μL. Two patients succumbed to their illness while three required ICU stay