Barriers related to Oral Cancer Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment in Karnataka, India.

BACKGROUND: The most predominant cancer in India is Oral cancer. Annually 130,000 people yield to oral cancer in India, which translates into about 14 deaths per hour and 60-80% of patients present with advanced disease as compared to 40% in developed countries. AIM: To decide factors associated with primary, secondary and tertiary delays and identify reasons for a lack of follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru. A hospitalbased cross-sectional study using the direct personal interview method was done. A total of 200 oral cancer patients were included in the study. RESULTS: 34.5% were men and 65.5% were women. About 97.5% of patients were engaged with either one of the habits like smoking, chewing or alcohol consumption. 84% of patients were not aware of the risk of getting oral cancer. 29% of people agreed that tobacco and alcohol are risk factors for oral cancer and they know about the signs of oral cancer. If detected early, cure rates were higher compared to illiterate people and this difference is statistically significant p< 0.05. 83.5% of patients did not know that oral cancer can be diagnosed early by regular screening of the oral cavity. The cost of staying near a Regional cancer centre, job security, and the social and economic burden on relatives were significant barriers to incomplete treatment and a decreased follow-up rate. CONCLUSION: Low awareness is the main barrier to oral cancer detection. Conducting cancer awareness and screening camps frequently will detect oral cancers at an early stage. KEY WORDS: Oral Cancer, Barriers, Cancer awareness, Oral Screening.

Evaluation of polybenzimidazole-based polymers for the removal of uranium, thorium and palladium from aqueous medium.

Four types of polybenzimidazole (PBI)-based polymers (m-PBI, p-PBI, pyridine-based m-PBI and alkylated m-PBI) have been prepared and characterized. Extraction behaviour of heavy metal ions, viz. U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II), with these polymers was investigated. Distribution ratios for the extraction of these metal ions were measured as a function of nitric acid concentration. Extraction data reveal that, in general, p-PBI exhibits a higher distribution ratio for U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II) compared with the other polymeric resins evaluated in the present study. Column chromatography experiments were carried out with a solution of U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II) in dilute nitric acid media using columns packed with m- and p-PBI polymeric material for understanding the sorption and elution behaviour. The p-PBI-based resin has shown higher palladium sorption capacity (1.8 mmol g-1). The studies also established that p-PBI resin is a potential candidate material for the recovery of U(VI) and Th(IV) (capacity 0.22 mmol g-1 and 0.13 mmol g-1) from an aqueous stream, e.g. mine water samples.

Removal of toxic Cr(VI) by the adsorption of activated carbons prepared from Simarouba shells.

Removal of toxic Cr(VI) in aqueous medium was investigated using activated carbon adsorbents prepared from Simarouba glauca seed shells. The pH effect, Cr(VI) concentration, adsorbent dosage and contact time period were studied in batch experiment. The removal of Cr(VI) was in general most effective at pH range 2.0-4.0 and high Cr(VI) concentrations. Activated carbons are prepared at 80050 degrees C temperature. One is non-impregnated and the remaining three are impregnated with zinc chloride in 1:1,1:2,1:3 ratio. Important characteristics of activated carbons are also investigated. The data for all the adsorbents fit well to the Freundlich adsorption isotherm. The removal of Cr(VI) is around 97% was observed with 1:2 impregnated activated carbon at pH 3.0 where as other adsorbents showed much lower activities.