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Research holds promise in prostate cancer treatment CHANDIGARH In a research paper on the subject, they point out that at some time in their lives, approximately one in 22 males in India will also be struck by prostate cancer. Its incidence, rising 3.5 per cent a year, will keep growing as better nutrition and health care extend average male longevity past the 60s. However, in India about 84 per cent of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer already have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis and are thus essentially untreatable. Aging population and decreasing number of deaths due to cardiovascular and lung diseases make prostate cancer one of the top killer cancers. Prostate cancer occurs when some of the cells of the prostate gland lose their normal ability to control their growth and start to divide and spread. The prostate is a reddish-brown gland of soft tissue, averaging only 0.7 ounces in weight, found in the lower abdomen below the bladder. It encircles the urethra that channels urine from the bladder and, during intercourse, male ejaculate, to the penis. The prostate contributes enzymes, proteins, sugars and fats to the semen to maintain millions of sperms from testicles. As men approach middle age, the prostate usually becomes enlarged, in nearly 20 per cent of the men by the age 50 and eventually to some extent in nearly all men. The enlarged gland presses against the urethra and can slow urination to a dribble and cause burning and infection. These symptoms usually denote a common non-cancerous condition known as benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). However, urinary irregularities that arise from BPH may also be symptoms of prostate cancer. The main current cancer screening methods are digital rectal examination and the determination of the level of antigen (PSA) in the blood serum. PSA is a protein produced by prostate cells to help maintain semen in a liquid form and was first identified in seminal fluid in 1971. It is presently identified and measured through a very sensitive interaction with an antibody to the antigenic protein. PSA is produced in both normal and cancerous prostatic cells, but production in malignant cells is generally higher. In general normal PSA levels are below 4 ng/ml. A reading between 4 and 10 ng/ml indicates about a 20 per cent chance that cancer is present and a measurement above 10 ng/ml is considered a strong indication of prostate cancer. The research paper says that elevated or reduced levels of PSA are only rough guidelines and are not an absolute indicator for the presence or absence of cancer. The PSA test misses about 25 per cent of all tumors. On the other hand, 2/3 of men with marginally increased PSA show no cancer on biopsy. The test is therefore usually combined with digital rectal examination of the prostate. Unfortunately, digital examination misses nearly half of early-stage cancers, especially those in the front part the gland that fingers cannot easily reach. The combination of PSA and digital rectal examination indicates the presence of cancer in only 30-50 per cent of individuals who later are shown to actually have it. These serious limitations in the detection of early curable prostate cancer have fuelled the search for additional markers for the disease. One such marker may be the presence of telomerase activity in prostate tissue or fluid. Telomerase is an enzyme that is expressed in cells during foetal development but is not normally found in fully-developed tissue. However, it is produced by cell lines for research that are ‘immortalised’ for continuous growth and also reappears when tissue in the body becomes cancerous and grows unchecked. It thus shows promise for use as a marker to detect the presence of malignancy and possibly to predict the stage of the disease and its probable outcome. Using sensitive commercially available techniques employing either radioactivity or antibodies in a radioimmunoassay, we have been able to detect telomerase activity in both prostatic tissue and prostatic fluid at a relatively early stage. Detection of telomerase in prostatic fluid increases the percentage of correct diagnosis for those with cancer to 90-95 per cent and at the same time correctly identifies at least 80 per cent of those without prostate cancer. It is estimated that telomerase activity in cancer tissue is in the picomolar (10-12 molar) range. Problems with telomerase detection:
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Microbial testing seminar from Feb 18 CHANDIGARH To introduce new techniques for rapid microbial diagnosis of all types of infections, a scientific symposium is being organsied on “Management of infections — new techniques and new antibiotics” on February 18. Giving details about the one-day symposium here today, Dr Gurvinder Singh, member of the organising committee, said that in life threatening situations, early diagnosis and identification of pathogenic organisms is very important so that correct antibiotics could be prescribed without wasting precious time. According to Dr Singh, with newer techniques it is possible to decrease the microorganism growth time required for a culture to six to 24 hours while the old techniques take as long as 72 to 96 hours. Experts will also deliberate on proper use of antibiotics in urology, cardiology emergency medicine, gynaecology and clinical practices. Besides, role of rapid diagnosis in microbiology, septicemia and role of blood culture will also be discussed. The seminar will also introduce new antibiotics like imipenem, ticarcillin, ureidopen, piupercillin besides others now available in the Indian market but not being used due to lack of sensitivity discs for carrying out sensitivity tests. |
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Saga of ‘Simran the Great’ CHANDIGARH The award was for fighting this dreadful disease with courage and determination at a function held on Cancer Survivors Day at Tagore Theatre on 10th February, 2001. At the age of six, tumour filled her left thoracic cavity, squeezing the left lung completely, pushing her heart and trachea towards the right side, leading to breathing problems. The disease was diagnosed as fourth stage metastatic cancer (Ewing’s Sarcoma), originating from the 4th left
rib. simran was merely a skeleton of bones, weighing 12 kg at the time of diagnosis. She has undergone one surgery and 17 cycles of chemotherapy, about 18 hours per day for five days at a stretch. A PICC pick-line was planted in her right arm for administering chemotherapy for almost six months. There was total hair loss. She had a bald head, no eyebrows and eye lashes. Yet, this courageous small girl started going to school in September, 1999, with a pick-line in her right arm and saved her complete year of study. Doctors at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre, New Delhi, called her ‘Simran the Great’ due to her boldness and determination and quoted her example to other patients. Simran is a talented girl and has performed solo and group dances at different venues even during the spell of her treatment. Presently, Simran is totally fit and bubbling with life weighing about 20 kg. She has faced and fought this dreadful disease boldly, in spite of the fact that she had full knowledge of the disease. It seems that it was her determination and strong will power, which not only made her avoid a second surgery, but rendered her fully fit in spite of being in the fourth stage of cancer. She has staunch faith in God and her message for all the cancer patients is “Cancer is curable, have faith in God and doctors.” |
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2 PGI doctors honoured by MCI CHANDIGARH Professor Bose, for his study on “non-operative management in abdominal emergencies”, has received the prestigious Dr B.C. Roy Silver Jubilee Research Award for the year 2000 for research work in the field of medical and applied sciences by the Medical Council of India. Dr Bahera has received Haro Om Ashram Alembic Research Award for the year 2000 for clinical research in the field of respiratory diseases with a special emphasis on lung cancer and indoor air pollution. He had been studying the epidemiology and treatment of lung cancer for more than 20 years. Dr Bahera has more than 180 publications to his credit besides four books for medical and postgraduate students on Pulmonary Medicine, Bronchial Asthma, Lung Cancer and Recent Advances in Respiratory Medicines. He has earlier received many national awards including two ICMR awards in 1985 and 1992. Professor Bose has been involved in the study for the past few years now. The clinical material included trauma patients either because of accidents or operative injuries. Conventionally these cases are operated upon, but according to Professor Bose they can be managed successfully without surgical operations, with acceptable morbidity and mortality. The study is of great relevance for a country like India where such procedures would not only prove to be cost effective but also reduce the hospitalisation period in comparison to the cases where operations had been done. Moreover, the management protocol can be easily followed by an average surgical unit. Contrary to the reports in the western literature where patients of abdominal trauma are monitored exclusively using CT scans, Professor Bose also demonstrated that ultrasonography is equally sensitive. This also makes treatment protocol contemporary to the prevailing conditions of an average hospital in the country. The work has been published in national and international journals including, The International Journal of Care of the Injured, published from UK, and Surgery Today, the Japanese journal of surgery. Prof Bose has received a number of awards, including Dr B.C. Roy National Award for Eminent Medical Teacher and Col Pandaloi Award, which is the highest award of the Association of Surgeons of India. He has been recently elected as President of the association for the year 2002. |
New SAI regional director takes charge CHANDIGARH , Feb 16 — “My first priority will be to rebuild confidence and boost the sagging morale of employees”, said Mr Jasbir Singh, who took over Regional Director of the Sports Authority of India, Sector 42. Mr Jasbir Singh was till now, working as Director (Administration) at Netaji Subhas National Institute of Sports, Patiala.The soft spoken Director said that he had earlier dealt with various schemes of the SAI, ever since their incorporation about two decades ago. These were rural area sports scholarship schemes. Citing an example of the scholarship scheme, he said the scheme which started with just Rs 2 lakh is now distributing Rs 4 crore worth of scholarships to outstanding sportpersons every year. He said that there was a lot of transparency in the scheme so that any sportperson who won a position at any level, was rewarded for the same. When asked about the NSTC scheme, which was under review by the SAI corporate office, he said that only existing centres like MLNSSS Rai and others would be allowed to continue since they already had trainees on their roll, but he ruled out bringing any fresh talent under the scheme. He disclosed that 10 sports training centres and two more new sanctioned centres fell under this region, for which trials were in progress. When his attention was drawn towards the appointment of four hockey coaches at Sector 18, STC, Jasbir pleaded ignorance and said that if this was so, bottlenecks would be removed. Various schemes initiated by SAI for schools and colleges would be marketed properly, he added.  |
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Thoungamba declared best athlete CHANDIGARH Results: 100 m: Pardeep Malik 1,Thoungamba 2, Sunil Rana 3; shot put: Latuk 1, Harpreet Singh 2, Tarun Walia 3; 400 m: Manoj Mehra 1, Rakesh Kumar 2, Rajesh Kumar 3; discus throw: Harpreet Singh 1, Tarun Walia 2, Sarbjinder Singh 3; 200 m: Vikas 1, Tapinder 2, Manoj Kumar 3; javelin throw: Ragendra Negi 1, Angchuk 2, Ankush Sharma 3; 800 m: Bijender Kumar 1, Dinesh Kumar 2, Nirmal 3; 1500 m: Bijender 1, Nirmal 2, Dinesh 3; broad jump:Thoungamba 1, Pardeep 2, Shanti 3. Athletics meet Earlier Ms Usha Gupta, Principal of the college, welcomed the chief guest. A march past was also held in which nearly 500 students took part. Manoj of BA IIIrd year won applause from all with her rythmic gymnastics. Results : |
Jacob orders registration of salesmen CHANDIGARH General Jacob issued these directions when the Inspector-General of Police, Chandigarh, Mr. B.S. Bassi introduced the team of cops, which cracked the murder case of Sector 44 resident, in which two youths were involved. The Deputy Commissioner will register these salesmen after proper police verification and only authorised salesmen could be recruited by various agencies to sell their goods and services. He appreciated the good work done by the Chandigarh Police in solving this murder case within 24 hours. |
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