Breast cancer survival in India across 11 geographic areas under the National Cancer Registry Programme.

BACKGROUND: Population-based cancer survival is a key indicator for assessing the effectiveness of cancer control by a health care system in a specific geographic area. Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India, accounting for over one quarter of all female cancers. The objective of this study was to estimate the 5-year survival of female patients who were diagnosed with breast cancer between 2012 and 2015 from the existing Population-Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs) in India. METHODS: In total, 17,331 patients who had breast cancer diagnosed between 2012 and 2015 from 11 PBCRs were followed until June 30, 2021. Active methods were used to track the vital status of registered breast cancer cases. The study conducted survival analysis by calculating the difference between the date of first diagnosis and the date of death or censoring to estimate observed survival and relative survival using the actuarial survival approach and the Ederer-II approach, respectively. RESULTS: The 5-year age-standardized relative survival (95% confidence interval [CI]) of patients with breast cancer was 66.4% (95% CI, 65.5%-67.3%). Mizoram (74.9%; 95% CI, 68.1%-80.8%), Ahmedabad urban (72.7%; 95% CI, 70.3%-74.9%), Kollam (71.5%; 95% CI, 69.2%-73.6%), and Thiruvananthapuram (69.1%; 95% CI, 67.0%-71.2%) had higher survival rates than the national average. Conversely, Pasighat had the lowest survival rate (41.9%; 95% CI, 14.7%-68.6%). The 5-year observed survival rates for localized, regional, and distant metastasis in the pooled PBCRs were 81.0%, 65.5%, and 18.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall disparity in survival rates was observed across 11 PBCRs, with lower survival rates reported in Manipur, Tripura, and Pasighat. Therefore, it is imperative to implement comprehensive cancer control strategies widely throughout the country.

Survival of patients with cervical cancer in India - findings from 11 population based cancer registries under National Cancer Registry Programme.

Background: Cancer survival data from Population Based Cancer Registries (PBCR) reflect the average outcome of patients in the population, which is critical for cancer control efforts. Despite decreasing incidence rates, cervical cancer is the second most common female cancer in India, accounting for 10% of all female cancers. The objective of the study is to estimate the five-year survival of patients with cervical cancer diagnosed between 2012 and 2015 from the PBCRs in India. Methods: A single primary incidence of cervical cancer cases of 11 PBCRs (2012-2015) was followed till June 30, 2021 (n = 5591). Active follow-ups were conducted through hospital visits, telephone calls, home or field visits, and public databases. Five-year Observed Survival (OS) and Age Standardised Relative Survival (ASRS) was calculated. OS was measured by age and clinical extent of disease for cervical cancers. Findings: The five-year ASRS (95% CI) of cervical cancer was 51.7% (50.2%-53.3%). Ahmedabad urban (61.5%; 57.4%-65.4%) had a higher survival followed by Thiruvananthapuram (58.8%; 53.1%-64.3%) and Kollam (56.1%; 50.7%-61.3%). Tripura had the lowest overall survival rate (31.6%; 27.2%-36.1%). The five-year OS% for pooled PBCRs was 65.9%, 53.5%, and 18.0% for localised, regional, and distant metastasis, respectively. Interpretation: We observed a wide variation in cervical cancer survival within India. The findings of this study would help the policymakers to identify and address inequities in the health system. We re-emphasise the importance of awareness, early detection, and increase the improvement of the health care system. Funding: The National Cancer Registry Programme is funded through intra-mural funding by Indian Council of Medical Research, Department of Health Research, India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

Role of chemotherapy in 5000 patients with head and neck cancer treated by curative surgery: A subgroup analysis of the meta-analysis of chemotherapy in head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of chemotherapy added to a surgical locoregional treatment (LRT) for patients with locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied the sub-group of trials with surgical LRT included in the meta-analysis on chemotherapy in head and neck cancer (MACH-NC). Data from published and unpublished randomized trials comparing the addition of chemotherapy to LRT in HNSCC patients were sought using electronic database searching for the period 1965-2000, hand searching and by contacting experts in the field. Trials with less than 60 patients, or preoperative radiotherapy or where the type of LRT could not be individually determined were excluded. All individual patient data were checked for internal consistency, compared with published reports, and validated with trialists. Data were pooled using a fixed-effect model. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochrane test and I2 statistic. RESULTS: Twenty-four trials were eligible (5000 patients). Chemotherapy improved overall survival (HR = 0.92 [95%CI: 0.85-0.99] p = 0.02). There was a significant interaction between treatment effect and timing of chemotherapy (p = 0.08 at pre-specified threshold of 0.10) with a greater effect for concomitant chemotherapy (HR = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.69-0.92). The benefit of chemotherapy was greater in women (HRwomen = 0.63, 95%CI: 0.50-0.80) compared to men (HRmen = 0.96, 95%CI: 0.89-1.04; p for interaction = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This analysis confirmed the benefit of concomitant chemotherapy added to surgical LRT. The role of induction therapy as yet to be determined as it did not improve OS. Women may benefit more than men from chemotherapy.

Economic evaluation of Mumbai and its satellite cancer registries: Implications for expansion of data collection.

BACKGROUND: The Mumbai Cancer Registry is a population-based cancer registry that has been in operation for more than five decades and has successfully initiated and integrated three satellite registries in Pune, Nagpur, and Aurangabad, each covering specific urban populations of the Indian state Maharashtra. Data collectors at the satellites perform data abstraction, but Mumbai carries out all other core registration activities such as data analysis and quality assurance. Each of the three satellite registries follows the same data collection methodology as the main Mumbai Cancer Registry. This study examines the cost of operating the Mumbai and its satellite cancer registries. METHODS: We modified and used the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) International Registry Costing Tool (IntRegCosting Tool) to collect cost and resource use data for the Mumbai Cancer Registry and three satellites. RESULTS: Almost 60% of the registration expenditure was borne by the Indian Cancer Society, which hosts the Mumbai Cancer Registry, and more than half of the registry expenditure was related to data collection activities. Across the combined registries, 93% of the expenditure was spent on labor. Overall, registration activities had a low cost per case of 226.10 Indian rupees (or a little less than 4.00 US dollars in 2014 [used average exchange rate in 2014: 1 US $=60 Indian rupees]). CONCLUSION: The centralization of fixed-cost activities in Mumbai likely resulted in economies of scale in operating the Mumbai and satellite registries, which, together, report on almost 20,000 cancer cases annually. In middle-income countries like India, where financial resources are limited, the operational framework provided by the Mumbai and satellite registries can serve as a model for other registries looking to expand data collection.

Paediatric retinoblastoma in India: evidence from the National Cancer Registry Programme.

BACKGROUND: Globally, retinoblastoma is the most common primary intraocular malignancy occurring in children. This paper documents the recent incidence rates of retinoblastoma by age and sex groups from the Population Based Cancer Registries (PBCRs) of Bangalore, Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi and Kolkata using the data from the National Cancer Registry Programme. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relative proportions, sex ratio, method of diagnosis, and incidence rates (crude and age standardized) for each PBCR and pooled rates of the five PBCRs were calculated for the years 2005/06 to 2009/10. Standard errors and 95% confidence limits of ASIRs by sex group in each PBCR were calculated using the Poisson distribution. Standardised rate ratios of ASIR by sex group and rate ratios at risk were also calculated. RESULTS: The maximum retinoblastoma cases were in the 0-4 age group, accounting for 78% (females) and 81% (males) of pooled cases from five PBCRs. The pooled crude incidence rate in the 0-14 age group was 3.5 and the pooled ASIR was 4.4 per million. The pooled ASIR in the 0-4, 5-9 and 10-14 age group were 9.6, 2.0 and 0.1 respectively. The M/F ratio in Chennai (1.9) and Bangalore PBCRs (2.0) was much higher than the other PBCRs. Among the PBCRs, the highest incidence rate in 0-4 age group was found in males in Chennai (21.7 per million), and females in Kolkata (18.9 per million). There was a distinct variation in incidence rates in the PBCRs in different geographic regions of India.

Caesium(137) implant as sole radiation therapy for operable breast cancer: a phase II trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Clinical trials have indicated the need for irradiation of the tumour-bearing quadrant in patients with operable breast cancer treated by conservation therapy even under circumstances where there has been complete pathologic clearance. The aim of this phase II trial was to replace whole breast irradiation with brachytherapy to the tumour bed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A series of 50 patients with operable breast cancers measuring <==4 cm diameter were treated by combination therapy comprising tumour excision axillary clearance and synoperative insertion of a rigid implant to the tumour bed. The implant was after-loaded with medium dose rate Cs(137) sources giving a dose of 45 Gy in daily four fractions of about 6 h duration. No external beam radiotherapy was given. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 6.3 years, of the 49 evaluable patients, 80% were alive without relapse. Of the 9 patients (18%) who developed a breast relapse, the site of recurrence was in the index quadrant in 7 cases (78%). Of the series, 26 (81%) gave a subjective rating of cosmetic outcome which was excellent or good. Objectively the treated breast was deemed to be normal in 11 (42%) and abnormal in 15 (58%). CONCLUSIONS: This phase II study suggests that in a selected group of patients with early breast cancer, external whole breast radiotherapy can be replaced by interstitial irradiation to the tumour bed without compromising local disease control and giving an excellent or good cosmetic outcome in the majority of cases.

Single-incision bilateral laparoscopic oophorectomy.

Although single-incision laparoscopic surgery made an appearance on the surgical scene only recently, it is being increasingly applied in the treatment of a variety of disorders. We report single-incision bilateral laparoscopic oophorectomy and salpingooophorectomy performed in two patients who had previously undergone breast conservation surgery for early breast cancer. Each procedure was undertaken using two 5-mm and one 3-mm ports inserted through a 2-cm transverse supraumbilical incision and standard laparoscopic instruments. The operative time was 50 and 65 min respectively and the blood loss negligible. The patients were discharged 36 and 24 h after surgery, required minimal postoperative analgesia and remain well at a follow up of 19 and 17 months, respectively. With the benefit of improved cosmesis, the single-incision approach holds the potential to replace the traditional bilateral laparoscopic oophorectomy.

Intraductal approach to breast cancer: the role of mammary ductoscopy.

Mammary ductoscopy is a recent advance enabling direct visualisation and sampling of human mammary ducts using a micro endoscope. The majority of pre malignant and malignant changes in the breast arise from the epithelium lining the duct lobular unit, and access to this region by ductoscopy has the potential to revolutionise breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. The ability to sample ductal epithelium may allow identification of early malignant and pre-malignant cytological changes and assist surgical excision, facilitating diagnosis of non palpable cancer before detection on current imaging modalities. Presently, there are three main indications for ductoscopy in clinical practice viz. determining extent of resection for breast cancer, assessment of high risk individuals and in the management of patients with pathological nipple discharge. Our initial experience with ductoscopy in patients with nipple discharge undergoing surgery has been rewarding. Ductoscopy was feasible in 92% of patients. Abnormal findings on ductoscopy were associated with DCIS in 37% and DCIS with early invasive breast cancer in 21%, while normal ductoscopy correlated with a normal pathological assessment.