Cataract surgery in children using intracameral mydriatic.

PURPOSE: To study the pupil dynamics with premixed intracameral anesthetic mydriatic combination of phenylephrine (0.31%), tropicamide (0.02%), and lidocaine (1%) in pediatric cataract surgery. METHODS: Consecutive children aged ≤12 years planned for cataract surgery were recruited. A commercially available premixed combination of phenylephrine (0.31%), tropicamide (0.02%), and lidocaine (1%) was injected at the beginning of surgery without any topical/infusion drugs for mydriasis. Pupil sizes at various points of surgery were studied. RESULTS: We recruited 75 patients with a mean age of 24.3 ± 33.4 months (range: 1 month-11 years). Adequate mydriasis with a single injection was achieved in 93.5% (n = 73 eyes of 70 patients) without additional pharmacotherapy or intervention. The mean pupillary diameter increased from 1.8 ± 0.79 to 6.1 ± 1.4 mm after injection (mean change of 4.2 ± 1.25 mm from baseline). The mean variability in pupillary diameter was 0.73 ± 1.3 mm. In five eyes, good dilatation was not possible even after repeat injection. CONCLUSION: Fixed-dose premixed intracameral injection is effective in pupil dilatation. It alleviates the need for any topical dilators or additional intraoperative supplementation for pediatric cataract surgery.

Long non-coding RNAs in cancer: multifaceted roles and potential targets for immunotherapy.

Cancer remains a major global health concern with high mortality rates mainly due to late diagnosis and poor prognosis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as key regulators of gene expression in human cancer, functioning through various mechanisms including as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) and indirectly regulating miRNA expression. LncRNAs have been found to have both oncogenic and tumor-suppressive roles in cancer, with the former promoting cancer cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and poor prognosis. Recent research has shown that lncRNAs are expressed in various immune cells and are involved in cancer cell immune escape and the modulation of the tumor microenvironment, thus highlighting their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. Targeting lncRNAs in cancer or immune cells could enhance the anti-tumor immune response and improve cancer immunotherapy outcomes. However, further research is required to fully understand the functional roles of lncRNAs in cancer and the immune system and their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. This review offers a comprehensive examination of the multifaceted roles of lncRNAs in human cancers, with a focus on their potential as targets for cancer immunotherapy. By exploring the intricate mechanisms underlying lncRNA-mediated regulation of cancer cell proliferation, invasion, and immune evasion, we provide insights into the diverse therapeutic applications of these molecules.

Surgical challenges of posterior optic capture in pediatric cataract surgery.

PURPOSE: The efficacy of posterior optic capture (POC) in reducing posterior capsule opacification (PCO) in pediatric cataract is well recognized. The purpose of this paper was to identify the surgical challenges when attempting this technique and highlight the etiquettes to follow when performing this maneuver. METHODS: Prospective observational noncomparative case series. Children diagnosed with congenital or developmental cataracts undergoing cataract surgery and primary IOL implantation with posterior optic capture (and no anterior vitrectomy) from June 2017 to April 2022 at a tertiary care referral institute were included. Records of all intraoperative findings and postoperative complications until the last follow-up were noted. RESULTS: Posterior optic capture was attempted in 53 eyes of 49 children aged 2.4 ± 1.98 years. The mean follow-up of the patients was 16.5 ± 14.2 months (range 6 months-5 years). Successful POC could be performed in 46 eyes (86.8%). Two eyes developed posterior capsular opacification at the last follow-up. In eyes where POC could not be performed, five of these (83%) were children below 12 months of age with half of them having a preexisting posterior capsular defect. CONCLUSION: Posterior optic capture is technically challenging with a steep learning curve that can be mastered over time. Adequate relative sizing of the anterior and posterior capsulorhexis is important. Caution is advised when using this technique in infants and in cases with posterior capsular defects.

Pharmacological management of intra-operative miosis during cataract surgery.

Cataract surgery requires a well-dilated and stable pupil for a good outcome. Unexpected pupillary constriction during surgery increases the risk of complication. This problem is more pronounced in children. There are now pharmacological interventions that help tackle this unforeseen happening. Our review discusses the simple and quick options available to a cataract surgeon when faced with this dilemma. As cataract surgical techniques continue to improvise and get faster, an adequate pupil size is of paramount importance. Various topical and intra-cameral drugs are used in combination to achieve mydriasis. Despite good pre-operative dilation, the pupil can be quite unpredictable during surgery. Intra-operative miosis limits the field of surgery and increases the risk of complications. For example, if the pupil size decreases from 7 mm to 6 mm, this 1 mm change in pupil diameter will lead to a decrease of 10.2 mm2 in the area of surgical field. Making a good capsulorhexis with a small pupil can be a challenge, even for an experienced surgeon. Repeated touching of the iris increases the risk of fibrinous complications. Removal of cataract and the cortical matter becomes increasingly difficult. Intra-ocular lens implantation in the bag also requires adequate dilation. When dealing with challenging cases like lens subluxation, pseudo-exfoliation, and zonular dehiscence, a small pupil further increases the risk and adversely affects the surgical outcome. Hence, achieving and maintaining adequate mydriasis throughout surgery is essential. This review highlights the risk factors for small pupils during surgery and current management strategies.

Percutaneous high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for non-resectable, chemo resistant malignant lesion of lung and liver.

PURPOSE: To explore the feasibility and efficacy of interstitial brachytherapy application for nonresectable and chemo-resistant malignant liver and lung lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Percutaneous high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDR ISBT) was applied in nine lesions of seven middle-aged patients with advanced carcinoma (five patients with liver lesion and two patients with lung lesion). All patients were surgically ineligible. All patients had already received systemic chemotherapy. Under computed tomography (CT) guidance (for lung lesion) or ultrasonography (USG) guidance (for liver lesion), a single stainless steel brachytherapy needle was inserted percutaneously in patients with lesion size ≤4 centimeter (cm) and multiple needles were inserted in patients of lesion size >4cm. A single dose of 15 Gy to 20 Gy with HDR ISBT was prescribed at the periphery of the lesion. The needles were removed just after treatment. Patients were kept under observation for 24 h after treatment. RESULTS: The median size of the lesion was 6.5 cm. In all the cases of liver lesion, more than 75% shrinkage of tumor volume in follow-up at 6 mo was observed. It was more than 50% for lung lesion. None of the patients had developed significant complications as on the median follow up period of 15 mo (ranges 3-27 mo). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous CT-guided high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy is a minimally invasive, safe, and feasible treatment option with minimal complication for inoperable, chemo resistant, advanced cancers with encouraging treatment outcomes.

Goniotomy for initial and re-surgery for childhood glaucoma in Northern India.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness of goniotomy for childhood glaucoma in Indian eyes. Methods: Consecutive patients with pediatric glaucoma who underwent goniotomy between July 2017 and June 2020, in a single center in Northwest India were prospectively analyzed. Goniotomy was done as a primary procedure or a re-do surgery of the untreated angle in failed filtering surgery. Success was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) ≦18 mm Hg with or without 2 topical medications. Results: A total of 172 eyes of 126 children underwent goniotomy during this period (37.9% of all pediatric glaucoma surgeries). Goniotomy comprised 132 of 211 (62.5%) primary pediatric glaucoma surgeries and 40 of 243 (16.5%) re-do surgeries. 145, 112, and 54 eyes had a six months, 1-year and 2-year follow-up, respectively. At 1 year, success rates in Primary Congenital Glaucoma (PCG) were 79.7% for primary surgery and 68.4% for re-do surgery. For non-PCG eyes, the success rate was 62% at 1 year. Among PCG subgroups, infantile and newborn glaucoma had 87.5% and 57.1% success rates, respectively. On logistic regression analysis, lower baseline IOP and lesser axial length at presentation were significantly predictive of successful outcomes (P = 0.03 and P = 0.02, respectively). At 1 year, in the primary surgery group, 50% had good vision (better than logMAR 0.5), 28.9% had moderate (better than LOGMAR 1.0) and 20% had severe visual impairment. There were no significant intraoperative or post-operative complications. Conclusion: Goniotomy appears to be an effective surgery for childhood glaucoma in Indian eyes. Being minimally invasive, it obviates the need for conjunctival and scleral dissection and antifibrotic agents.

Oral cancer incidence trends in Delhi (1990-2014): An alarming scenario.

BACKGROUND: Oral cancer ranks in the top three of all cancers in India, which accounts for over 30% of all cancers reported in the country, and oral cancer control is quickly becoming a global health priority. We have conducted an age period analysis of oral cancer incidence trends using the Population-Based Cancer Registry (PBCR) data in Delhi over a 24-year period (1990-2014) to address the trends of one of the leading cancer sites in Delhi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of oral cancer proportion and incidence for the year 1990-2014 were taken from Delhi PBCR which records cancer cases from more than 180 government and 250 private facilities. The data were segregated by sex, age, and anatomical site and were analyzed to calculate age-specific incidence rates and expressed in cases per 100,000 persons/year. RESULTS: The highest incidence for both genders was seen in the age group 50-59 years and the lowest incidence for both genders was in youngest age group (<20 years) for all the years from 1990 to 2014. The relative proportion of oral cancer among all types of cancer in Delhi has shown alarming rise from the year 2003 onward. CONCUSION: Increasing relative proportion of oral cancer can be implicated in increased consumption of gutkha chewers in the last decade of the 20th Century. As access to health-care services and cancer-related awareness is highly variable in India, more in-depth analysis of the incidence of oral cancer in rural regions will be required.

StrandAdvantage test for early-line and advanced-stage treatment decisions in solid tumors.

Comprehensive genetic profiling of tumors using next-generation sequencing (NGS) is gaining acceptance for guiding treatment decisions in cancer care. We designed a cancer profiling test combining both deep sequencing and immunohistochemistry (IHC) of relevant cancer targets to aid therapy choices in both standard-of-care (SOC) and advanced-stage treatments for solid tumors. The SOC report is provided in a short turnaround time for four tumors, namely lung, breast, colon, and melanoma, followed by an investigational report. For other tumor types, an investigational report is provided. The NGS assay reports single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), copy number variations (CNVs), and translocations in 152 cancer-related genes. The tissue-specific IHC tests include routine and less common markers associated with drugs used in SOC settings. We describe the standardization, validation, and clinical utility of the StrandAdvantage test (SA test) using more than 250 solid tumor formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples and control cell line samples. The NGS test showed high reproducibility and accuracy of >99%. The test provided relevant clinical information for SOC treatment as well as more information related to investigational options and clinical trials for >95% of advanced-stage patients. In conclusion, the SA test comprising a robust and accurate NGS assay combined with clinically relevant IHC tests can detect somatic changes of clinical significance for strategic cancer management in all the stages.

IGF-I enhances cortisol secretion from guinea-pig adrenal gland: in vivo and in vitro study.

Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I is a ubiquitously synthesized peptide that, along with IGF-II, acts via the IGF-R type I receptor. IGF-I and its receptor are expressed in the adrenal gland of humans and bovines, the secretion of which they seem to stimulate. As in humans and cows, the main glucocorticoid hormone secreted by guinea-pig adrenals is cortisol, and hence we have studied the adrenocortical effects of IGF-I in this species. In vivo experiments showed that prolonged IGF-I administration raised the plasma concentration of cortisol in both normal and dexamethasone/captopril-treated guinea pigs, thereby ruling out the possibility that IGF-I may act by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the renin-angiotensin system. In vitro experiments demonstrated that IGF-I enhanced basal, but not maximally agonist [ACTH and angiotensin-II (Ang-II)]-stimulated, cortisol secretion from freshly dispersed guinea-pig inner adrenocortical cells. The IGF-I immuno-neutralization suppressed the IGF-I secretagogue effect, without altering the cortisol response to both ACTH and Ang-II. IGF-I raised cyclic-AMP and inositol triphosphate release from dispersed guinea-pig cells, and the effect was reversed by the adenylate cyclase inhibitor SQ-22536 and the phospholipase-C (PLC) inhibitor U-73122. SQ-22536, U-73122, the protein kinase (PK) A inhibitor H-89 and the PKC inhibitor calphostin-C decreased by approximately 50% the cortisol response of dispersed cells to IGF-I, and the combined exposure to SQ-22536 and U-73122 abolished it. We conclude that IGF-I stimulates glucocorticoid secretion from guinea-pig adrenocortical cells, acting via selective receptors coupled to both the adenylate cyclase/PKA- and PLC/PKC-dependent signaling cascades.