Closing the Cancer Care Gap in India.

Cancer burden in India is increasing. Cancer treatment today is multi-disciplinary requiring the coordination of many specialists for best outcomes. Bringing such expertise together to the district level is the greatest challenge for cancer care in any country, moreover in India. This article focuses on the step-wise journey to make comprehensive cancer care center in a small city.

Quality of life comparison in thyroxine hormone withdrawal versus triiodothyronine supplementation prior to radioiodine ablation in differentiated thyroid carcinoma: a prospective cohort study in the Indian population.

BACKGROUND: Thyroid withdrawal in preparation for radioiodine ablation (RIA) may have a profound impact on health-related quality of life (HRQL). Cost implications and scheduling limit the use of recombinant TSH and triiodothyronine (T3) with its shorter half-life is a conceptually attractive alternative. METHODS: Prospective cohort study design with patients having withdrawal of thyroxine (n = 37) or T3 supplementation (n = 33). HRQL was assessed using EORTC QLQ-C30, QLQ-H&N35 and modified Billewicz questionnaires. Time interval to achieve optimal TSH levels (at least 30 mIU/ml) prior to RIA was determined. RESULTS: With the exception of emotional domain (QLQ-C30 p = 0.045), LT3 supplementation did not confer significant benefit when compared to LT4 withdrawal. Target serum TSH levels was achieved in 95% of patients by week 4 post thyroidectomy. CONCLUSIONS: LT3 supplementation delivered equivocal benefit and therefore the alternate strategies to minimize the impact on HRQL of reduction in the duration of hypothyroidism in T4 withdrawal are suggested.

Laparoscopic posterior exenteration in advanced gynecologic malignant disease.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To study the feasibility, morbidity, and oncologic outcome of laparoscopic posterior exenteration in patients with advanced gynecologic malignant diseases. DESIGN: Retrospective study based on clinical experience (Canadian Task Force classification III). SETTING: Private hospital. PATIENTS: The medical records for 10 patients who underwent laparoscopic posterior exenteration because of advanced gynecologic malignant disease were retrospectively reviewed. INTERVENTION: Laparoscopic posterior exenteration involving selective resection of the uterus, ovaries, vagina, and rectum was performed using a 6-port technique that included harmonic shears, the LigaSure device, and a circular endostapling instrument. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Histopathologic diagnosis included carcinoma of the cervix in 5 patients, ovary in 4 patients, and vagina in 1 patient. Indication for surgery was primary disease in 7 patients and secondary disease in 3 patients. Complications included delayed bladder recovery in 4 patients, and anastomotic leak, wound infection, and prolonged ileus in 1 patient each. No conversions to open surgery were required. The extent of resection was supralevator in 8 patients and infralevator in 2. Median operative time was 210 minutes. Median length of hospital stay was 9 days. Median blood loss was 360 mL. Disease recurred in 1 patient. After a median follow-up of 26 months, 9 patients were alive, and 8 were free of disease. CONCLUSION: Laparoscopic posterior exenteration is feasible in advanced gynecologic malignant disease with rectal involvement. In addition to the known benefits of laparoscopic surgery, carefully selected patients could achieve a survival benefit following R0 resection.

A complicated true sliding hernia presenting as a spontaneous enteroscrotal fistula in an adult.

A 26-year-old man presented with an irreducible right inguino-scrotal swelling and fecal discharge from the scrotum. Exploratory laparotomy and inguinal exploration revealed that the caecum, appendix, and terminal ileum had herniated into the scrotum and had perforated through the skin forming a fecal fistula. The herniated gangrenous bowel was resected and a stoma fashioned. Spontaneous entero-scrotal fistulae are very rare and eight pediatric cases have been mentioned in literature till date. We report the first case of true sliding hernia presenting as spontaneous entero-scrotal fistula in an adult.