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Introduction: The AYUSH system of medicine is effective in the case management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched a pilot program in 2016 integrating AYUSH with the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Cancer, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Diseases, and Stroke for community-based screening and management of NCDs. This study was done to assess the effectiveness of AYUSH treatment with Yoga practices in project districts in terms of the adoption of a healthy lifestyle besides relief from NCDs. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in six districts from six states, namely Bhilwara (Rajasthan), Surendranagar (Gujarat), Gaya (Bihar), Darjeeling (West Bengal), Krishna (Andhra Pradesh), and Lakhimpur-Kheri (Uttar Pradesh) with a total sample of 56 lifestyle disease Clinics and 1790 beneficiaries. Results: The results show that 75% of patients were currently doing yoga and 60%–80% of patients experienced various benefits of yoga. These benefits were relief from pain (82%), improvement in appetite (72%), reduction in weakness (72%), and sickness (71%). The study also found that after taking AYUSH treatment, overall 73% of patients reduced dosage of allopathic medicines, 52% had reduced side effects of allopathic medicines, 24% stopped allopathic medicine, and 50% got faster recovery. Conclusion: Low cost and fewer side effects are considered merits of AYUSH medicine that drive its acceptance in the community and could be prioritized under preventive care. The dual form of medicine is the new form emerging option to the existing modern medicine.
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Cardiovascular diseases, a global health issue, claim the lives of many every year. Lifestyle changes and genetic predisposition are the key drivers for the development of CVDs. In many of the patients, the disease is detected at the end stage making heart transplantation the only treatment option. Hence every attempt should be made to identify the risk at an early stage and initiate preventive measures to improve the quality of their life. Biomarkers are one of the critical factors that aid in the early diagnosis of CVDs. More specific and highly sensitive biomarkers have been discovered lately and have been employed for prognosis and diagnosis of CVDs. The present review briefs about the various categories of cardiovascular biomarkers with emphasis on novel biomarkers and discusses the biomarkers employed for different purposes in CVDs. The biomarkers have also helped in identifying COVID-19 patients with increased risk for developing cardiovascular complications. Being non-invasive makes biomarkers advantageous over other methods for evaluating the pathophysiological status of CVDs.
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Biphasic squamoid alveolar renal cell carcinoma (BSARCC) is a newly emerging distinct and rare morphologic variant of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Morphological, immunohistochemical, and molecular data have shown that BSARCC is closely related to papillary RCC type 1. We report a case of Biphasic squamoid alveolar renal cell carcinoma with a rare presentation as cutaneous metastases. This variant tends to show an aggressive behavior. Hence, accurate histopathological diagnosis can help in effective treatment and for close follow-up of the patients.
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Background: Mercury is a naturally occurring heavy metal that finds wide application in industrial and household settings. It exists in three chemical forms which include elemental (Hg0 ), inorganic mercurous (Hg+) or mercuric (Hg++) salts, and organic compounds. All forms are highly toxic, particularly to the nervous, gastrointestinal, and renal systems. Common circumstances of exposure include recreational substance use, suicide or homicide attempts, occupational hazards, traditional medicines, and endemic food ingestions as witnessed in the public health disasters in Minamata Bay, Japan and in Iraq. Poisoning can result in death or long-term disabilities. Clinical manifestations vary with chemical form, dose, rate, and route of exposure. Aims and objectives: To summarize the incidence of mercury poisoning encountered at an Indian Poison Center and use three cases to highlight the marked variations observed in clinical manifestations and long-term outcomes among poisoned patients based on differences in chemical forms and routes of exposure to mercury. Materials and methods: A structured retrospective review of the enquiry-database of the Poison Information Center and medical records of patients admitted between August 2019 and August 2021 in a tertiary care referral center was performed. All patients with reported exposure to mercury were identified. We analyzed clinical data and laboratory investigations which included heavy metal (arsenic, mercury, and lead) estimation in whole blood and urine samples. Additionally, selected patients were screened for serum voltage-gated potassium ion channels (VGKC)— contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2) antibodies. Three cases with a classical presentation were selected for detailed case description. Results: Twenty-two cases were identified between August 2019 and August 2021. Twenty (91%) were acute exposures while two (9%) were chronic. Of these, three representative cases have been discussed in detail. Case 1 is a 3.5-year-old girl who was brought to the emergency department with suspected elemental-mercury ingestion after biting a thermometer. Clinical examination was unremarkable. Chest and abdominal radiography revealed radiodense material in the stomach. Subsequent serial radiographs documented distal intestinal transit of the radiodense material. The child remained asymptomatic. This case exemplifies the largely nontoxic nature of elemental mercury ingestion as it is usually not absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract. Case 2 is a 27-year-old lady who presented with multiple linear nodules over both upper limbs after receiving a red intravenous injection for anemia. Imaging revealed metallic-density deposits in viscera and bones. Nodular biopsy was suggestive of mercury granulomas. A 24-hour urine mercury levels were elevated. She was advised chelation therapy with oral dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA). Case 3 is a 22-year-old lady who presented with acrodynia, neuromyotonia, tremulousness, postural giddiness, tachycardia, and hypertension for 2 months, associated with intractable, diffuse burning pain over the buttocks and both lower limbs, 1 month after completing a 3-week course of traditional medications for polycystic ovarian syndrome. A 24-hour urine normetanephrine levels and mercury levels were markedly elevated. Serum anti-VGKC antibodies were present. She was treated with glucocorticoids and oral DMSA with a favorable clinical response. Conclusions: The clinical manifestations of mercury toxicity are highly variable depending on the source, form, and route of mercury exposure and are related to its toxicokinetics.
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Background: A person is said to have a functional limitation when he/she does not have the physical or cognitive ability to independently perform the routine activities of daily living. If recognized at an early stage, these can often be improved greatly, helping them regain their functional abilities and independence. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of functional limitations among older adults in a rural area in south Kerala. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted among older adults residing in the field practice area of a rural health training center of a medical college in south Kerala for 3 months from October 2019 to December 2019. Data were collected by interview of the participants by the investigator. The modified Barthel Index for activities of daily living was used to determine the prevalence of functional limitations. Results: The overall prevalence of functional limitations among older adults in a rural area in south Kerala was 35.9%. The most common functional limitation experienced by the participants was difficulty in climbing stairs. Functional limitation was found to be significantly associated with the age, socioeconomic status, and type of family of the participants. Conclusion: There is an urgent need to focus on the functional limitation among older adults, especially among the oldest old and those in lower socioeconomic status with emphasis on the need to strengthen the health‑care facilities for them, with respect to early identification and management of their functional limitations.
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Mitochondrial dynamics are a contraversal issue in hepatocellular carcinoma. The present study tries to illustrate the role of mitochondrial dynamics proteins (mitofusin-2 (Mfn2) and YME1L) in hepatocarcinogenesis. Five groups were used: the control group and three HCC groups (after 8, 16, and 24 weeks from DENA induction). The last group was treated with Sorafenib (SP) (10 mg/kg), via oral gavage for 4 weeks after cancer induction. This study revealed that Mfn-2 was downregulated and YME1l was overexpressed in different HCC groups. This dysregulation of mitochondrial dynamics proteins was associated with high hepatic levels of cyclin D1, MMP-9, and MDA and overexpression of ki67 as well as decreasing the hepatic expression of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (Timp-3) and Bax. To confirm the possible role of Mfn2 and YME1L in HCC, we assessed the effect of sorafenib on these parameters and its related HCC characteristics. Sorafenib corrected the level of Mfn2 and YME1L and decreased tumor cell proliferation as well. We also elucidated that mitochondrial dynamics proteins (Mfn2 and YME1L) could be a good therapeutic target for HCC.
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Introduction: People living with chronic viral hepatitis in India often lack awareness on risk factors and prevention. Moreover, due to fear of stigma and discrimination, they often delay appropriate and timely treatment, resulting in chronic treatment and impoverishment. The objective of this study is to assess knowledge, awareness, and prevention regarding risk factors among viral hepatitis-infected patients attending a super-specialty hospital in Delhi. Material and Methods: Data were collected from 389 patients using systematically random sampling using a pretested, structured interview schedule from patients attending Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences, New Delhi. Results: Findings revealed that 90.7% of the respondents believed that hepatitis B virus/hepatitis C virus (HBV/HCV) can be transmitted through sexual contact with a person who is infected, 94.3% said that it can be transmitted by transfusion of infected blood, 90% reported that it can be spread from infected mother to child during child birth, 93.8% responded that it can be transmitted if a person uses a razor, pierced ear ring, needle, or syringe used by an infected person, 83% believed that HBV/HCV can cause cancer in 90% of the respondents in long run, and more than 35% believed that HBV/HCV is curable. Results also show that 7.2% of the respondents have been vaccinated for HBV infection in the past, 20.8% of the respondents have screened their families for hepatitis B infections, and 77.9% of the respondents have received antiviral medications. Conclusion: HBV/HCV-infected patients had less knowledge about various facts regarding disease and continue to experience emotional disturbances, stigma, and discrimination.
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Background: Stature plays a major role in forensic identification. It is also considered to be one of the fundamental compo- nents of physical anthropology. When a full skeleton is not available, stature can be estimated from incomplete human remains. Teeth form an excellent material for anthropological, genetic, odontologic and forensic investigations. Various studies have ventured to ascertain the usefulness of tooth crown measurements in stature prediction. Methodology: Tooth lengths of all 28 teeth except 3rd molars were measured on digital OPG using inbuilt software IMPAXH (Agfa, Belgium). Stature was measured from the vertical distance from the vertex of head to the floor. Correlation between the tooth length and height of an individual was done by Pearson correlation test and linear regression analysis for prediction of stature from tooth length. Result & conclusion: Overall the results revealed that individual tooth variables have a good correlation with stature with r value ranging from 0.12-0.57 and p value less than 0.05. Among the tooth lengths, the length of the maxillary right molars showed the highest correlation with stature followed by maxillary right premolars and maxillary right canine than the other teeth. Regression equation was generated from tooth length, to predict height.
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Purpose: Pseudoexfoliation is an age-related fibrillopathy characterized by the deposition of fibrillar material in the eye with an increased risk of complications during cataract surgery. Aim was to study visual outcomes and complications in patients with pseudoexfoliation undergoing manual small-incision cataract surgery (MSICS). Methods: Prospective observational study was performed on 152 patients with pseudoexfoliation above 50 years undergoing MSICS in a tertiary hospital from December 2016 to November 2017. Intraoperative and postoperative complications were documented with follow-up on postoperative day 1, 1st week, 1st month, and 3rd month. Results: Preoperative small pupil was noted in 49 eyes (32.2%), and 19 (12.5%) required intraoperative measures. Intraocular complications noted were zonular dialysis in five (3.3%), posterior capsular rupture in one (0.7%), and iridodialysis in one (0.7%). On postoperative day 1, the most common complication was corneal edema in 134 patients but clinically significant in only 23 (15.1%). Postoperative complications at 3 months were irregular pupil in 17 cases and decentered IOL in three cases. Intraocular pressure decreased with each visit [preoperative mean: 14.39 (�4) and 13.37 (�0) 12.53 (�4) mm Hg at 1 and 3 months, respectively]. There was a significant improvement in vision from the first day mean pinhole vision of 0.26 (�24) to mean best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0.09 (�22) and 0.07 (�22) at 1 and 3 months, respectively. Mean endothelial cell loss was 193.16 (7.79%) and 266.01 (10.68%) at 1 and 3 months, respectively. Conclusion: Pseudoexfoliation has an increased risk of complications during cataract surgery. MSICS gives good outcomes in terms of visual recovery and postoperative outcomes
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A good armamentarium facilitates the efficient working of the dentist which in turn improves the quality of treatment rendered to the patient. The present invention of the unit consisting of the flexible mirror attached to the suction and the dual suction tip aims at improving the clinical efficiency of dental treatments provided. This compact unit is designed to improve the visualization and isolation of the operating field. It is also easy to fabricate and alleviates the very relevant shortcomings of clinical work.
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Objective: To evaluate and compare prosthesis and implant survival in case of interim fixed complete dentures reinforced with fiber resin frameworks versus those that were not reinforced with any framework in case of immediately loaded full arch restorations in completely edentulous patients. Material and Methods: Thirty completely edentulous patients were randomly allocated into two parallel arm groups. Non-reinforced control group in which patients received non-reinforced all-on-four immediately loaded fixed complete denture and Fiber reinforced group in which patients received all-on-four fixed complete denture supported with glass-fiber reinforced resin framework. Prosthesis and implant survival were clinically evaluated after 4 months follow up period. Results: A statistically significant difference for prosthesis (p = 0.032) and implant survival (p = 0.031) was found between both groups. The fiber-reinforced group showed 100% prosthesis survival and 95% implant survival. On the other hand, the non-reinforced group showed 73.3% prosthesis survival and 81.1% implant survival. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that strengthening the fixed full arch restorations with fiber reinforced frameworks can help overcoming the problem of interim prosthesis fracture during the osseointegration period when used for immediate loading in completely edentulous patients. It can also improve the survival of the immediately loaded implants. (AU)
Objetivo : Avaliar e comparar a sobrevivência de próteses e implantes no caso de próteses totais fixas provisórias reforçadas com estruturas de resina de fibra versus aquelas que não foram reforçadas com nenhuma estrutura no caso de restaurações de arcada completa com carga imediata em pacientes completamente desdentados. Material e Métodos : Trinta pacientes completamente desdentados foram alocados aleatoriamente em dois grupos de braços paralelos. Grupo controle não reforçado, no qual os pacientes receberam prótese total fixa (all-on-four) não reforçada, com carga imediata e grupo reforçado com fibra, no qual os pacientes receberam prótese total fixa (all-on-four), suportada com estrutura de resina reforçada com fibra de vidro. A sobrevivência da prótese e do implante foi avaliada clinicamente após 4 meses de acompanhamento. Resultados : Foi encontrada diferença estatisticamente significante para prótese (p=0,032) e sobrevivência do implante (p=0,031) entre os dois grupos. O grupo reforçado com fibra apresentou 100% de sobrevivência da prótese e 95% de sobrevivência do implante. Por outro lado, o grupo não reforçado apresentou 73,3% de sobrevivência da prótese e 81,1% de sobrevivência do implante. Conclusão: Com base nos achados deste estudo, pode-se concluir que o fortalecimento das restaurações fixas de arcada completa com estruturas reforçadas com fibras pode ajudar a superar o problema da fratura da prótese provisória durante o período de osteointegração quando usada para carga imediata em pacientes completamente desdentados. Também pode melhorar a sobrevivência dos implantes carregados imediatamente (AU).
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Humans , Male , Female , Dental Implants , Dental Prosthesis , Dental Restoration, Permanent , Denture, CompleteABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Background Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common malignancy in children characterized by the overproduction and accumulation of immature lymphoid cells in the bone marrow and peripheral blood. The BMI-1 is an important component of the Polycomb Repressive Complex-1 (PRC1). It is an important molecule for the self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). The BMI-1 expression is generally high in HSCs and decreases after cell differentiation. The BMI-1 is required for the maintenance of normal and cancer stem cells and has been reported as an oncogene in various tumors. The NANOG is a homeodomain transcription factor responsible for maintaining the stem cell compartment at the blastocyst stage of developing embryos. The NANOG gene has been proven to be transcribed in CD34+ cells and different leukemic cells. Methods The ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) of 30 pediatric ALL patients (16 B-ALL and 14 T-ALL) and 14 healthy controls. The Bmi-1 and NANOG expression levels were determined using the quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results Compared to normal controls, patients with ALL exhibited upregulated levels of Bmi-1 (p = 0.03). Patients who overexpressed Bmi-1 and NANOG displayed a significantly worse survival than low-expressing patients (hazard ratio (HR) 5.74, 95% confidence interval (CI):1.48-22, p = 0.012 and HR 3.8, 95% CI:1.009-14.3, p = 0.048, respectively). Conclusions Taken together, these data suggest that the Bmi-1 and NANOG might serve as a novel survival predictor in ALL patients. Our observation also suggests that the Bmi-1 and NANOG could serve as new therapeutic targets for treatment of pediatric ALL.
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Humans , Male , Female , Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Polycomb-Group Proteins , Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 , Nanog Homeobox ProteinABSTRACT
Objective@#Poor ovarian response (POR) refers to a subnormal follicular response that leads to a decrease in the quality and quantity of the eggs retrieved after ovarian stimulation during assisted reproductive treatment (ART). The present study investigated the associations of multiple variants of the estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) and follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) genes with POR in infertile Jordanian women undergoing ART. @*Methods@#Four polymorphisms, namely ESR2 rs1256049, ESR2 rs4986938, FSHR rs6165, and FSHR rs6166, were investigated in 60 infertile Jordanian women undergoing ART (the case group) and 60 age-matched fertile women (the control group), with a mean age of 33.60±6.34 years. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected by restriction fragment length polymorphism and then validated using Sanger sequencing. @*Results@#The p-value of the difference between the case and control groups regarding FSHR rs6166 was very close to 0.05 (p=0.054). However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the other three SNPs, namely ESR2 rs1256049, ESR2 rs4986938, and FSHR rs6165 (p=0.561, p=0.433, and p=0.696, respectively). @*Conclusion@#The association between FSHR rs6166 and POR was not statistically meaningful in the present study, but the near-significant result of this experiment suggests that statistical significance might be found in a future study with a larger number of patients.
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Natal and neonatal teeth are those which are present in the oral cavity at the time of birth and within thirty days of birth. They are likely to be associated with traumatic sublingual ulceration caused to the suckling as well as movements of the tongue. The treatment of choice is mostly conservative whenever possible. The purpose of this report is to present a case of traumatic sublingual ulceration in a twenty days old baby. The lesion resolved soon after the offending tooth was removed.
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Hoarseness is defined as the perceived rough, harsh or breathy quality of voice. Since both benign and malignant lesions can produce hoarseness, timely evaluation is very important because delay in the diagnosis of malignancy can adversely affect the outcome. We wanted to study the treatment and its outcome in patients with hoarseness of various aetiologies, and compare the response to treatment between various groups.METHODSThis was a longitudinal study conducted in the Department of ENT in a tertiary care centre in south India. In patients with hoarseness, history was elicited, clinical examination was done, and perceptual evaluation of voice was made using GRBAS (Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain) scale. Direct laryngoscopy and biopsy were done whenever suspicious lesions were seen. Early laryngeal cancer was treated with radiotherapy, while advanced cases were treated with chemoradiation. Other cases were treated with medications, Video Laryngeal Surgery (VLS) or voice therapy, according to the diagnosis. Patients were kept under follow up; reassessment was done after six months regarding improvement/ persistence/ deterioration of previous symptoms. Laryngoscopy and perceptual evaluation of voice were repeated, and the data collected was analysed.RESULTSOn treatment, the lesion subsided completely, and hoarseness got relieved in all the cases of laryngitis, trauma, vocal nodule, vocal polyp and cyst, while the lesion subsided partially, and hoarseness improved in vocal cord palsy, papilloma and carcinoma of glottis. The response to treatment was better in benign lesions when compared to malignant lesions (P value < 0.0001) and better in glottic malignancies when compared to malignancies at other nearby sites (P value <0.001).CONCLUSIONSMost of the benign conditions that caused hoarseness subsided and voice became normal with medications, video laryngeal surgery and voice therapy, while hoarseness persisted to some extent after treatment with radiotherapy or chemoradiation in most of the patients with malignancy.
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Background: Immunization coverage is undisputedly the most effective health status and outcome indicator.' Though India is effectively organizing vaccination campaigns, a large majority of children are often left out. Strong anti-vaccination propaganda is influencing the decision of parents. This study was initiated in the context of vaccine-preventable disease outbreak rising recently in Kerala to assess the knowledge and practices of mothers of children less than five years regarding immunization.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 140 women with children less than 5 years. Sample was drawn from the rural and urban field practice areas of a tertiary care teaching hospital. A pilot tested interviewer administered questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and practices of immunization among mothers of under-five children. Chi-Square test was used to find the association between dichotomous variables.Results: In the study group 96.4% of the children were fully immunized. Mean score on knowledge regarding immunization among the study population was 6.45 (SD=1.84). Majority (89%) of the mothers agreed on the importance of vaccination. More than half (57.1%) had heard of anti-vaccination campaign and 24.3% were influenced by it at one time or the other. Higher knowledge score was associated with mothers residing in urban area, better occupation of mother and educational status of father. Age of child, sex, religion, type of family did not influence knowledge level. Factors influencing the perceived importance of vaccination are better occupation of father, higher education status of father and mother.Conclusions: Vaccination was perceived significant for child's health. Immunization coverage in the study population was high. The level of knowledge regarding immunization among the study population was poor. Anti-vaccination campaign has influenced the population at one time or the other.
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@#Undernutrition is the result of complex interplay of factors such as household food security, childcare, feeding practices, nutrition and sanitation. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of stunting, wasting, underweight based on WHO child growth standards 2006 and undernutrition based on Composite Index Anthropometric Failure (CIAF) and its association with the biological, behavioural, socio-economic and physical environment factors among children under-5 years. This was a cross sectional study involving children aged between 6 and 59 months recruited through stratified random sampling from the Tenom district. Sociodemographic background was obtained from mothers via a questionnaire. Height and weight measurements were measured using standardised instrument. The height-for-age, weight-for-age and BMI-for-age were classified according to the WHO Child Growth Standard 2006. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted. The prevalence of undernutrition based on CIAF was 42.3%, underweight 34.7%, stunting 33.3% and wasting 10.0%. After adjusting for all confounders, childhood undernutrition was significantly associated with unimproved sanitation (adjusted OR 2.98, 95% CI: 1.082 to 8.225) and frequent illness (adjusted OR 2.07, 95% CI: 1.015 to 3.274). These findings support the association of biological and physical environmental factors with the nutritional status of children under-5 years old.
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Background: The stress is an inevitable part of education for medical students at time of their life when they are also involved in issues related to life style and carriers. It is reported that stress during medical education can affect the patient care negatively. The objective of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of stress among first year medical students in Trichy SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, Trichy.Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study using predesigned, semi structured questionnaire for 150 first year medical students of Trichy SRM Medical College for a period of 2 months (October to November 2018).Results: Among 150 study participants 49% (73) were under stress, 49.3% of them are belong to 18 years. Majority of the study participants are females (57.3%) in which females are getting more stress (28.6%) than males (20.1%); among them 33.3% of them with suicidal tendency and 80.7% of them are academically stressed.Conclusions: The greater proportion of students was found to be stressed with academic problems being major cause for stress when compared with non-academic problems. Stress management workshops soft skills development techniques at the entry of medical carrier would be helpful to reduce stress.
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Background: Children under 5 years of age constitute approximately 15% of the country’s total population. First 1000 days of life is the most crucial period, as this age is known for high growth rate and development. They constitute most vulnerable section of the society and suffer from highest morbidity. Good personal hygiene and sanitary condition of living now forms a part of primary health prevention strategy and it is found to be effective for reducing morbidity and mortality in children.Methods: It’s a community based cross sectional study among 150 children of less than five years of age for a period of 4 months from November 2018 to February 2019 in the urban field practice area of Basaveshwara Medical College and Hospital, Chitradurga.Results: In our present study we found respiratory tract infection is the predominant ailment followed by gastrointestinal clinical features accounting for 39% and 33% respectively. Though the factors like birth weight, immunisation of majority of population were fair but in later years of life found that weight for height was not achieved as per standard protocol among major of the study population.Conclusions: By health education for the caretaker regarding mother-crafting and satisfactory environmental condition can reduce the prevalence of morbidity.
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Background: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. It is estimated that 5,08,000 women died due to breast cancer in 2011 globally. Late detection of breast cancer decreased the survival rate to 56% and the 5-year survival rate reached 85% with early detection of breast cancer. Breast self-examination (BSE) is an inexpensive tool which helps women to detect any early changes in their breasts and thus helps to reduce the breast cancer mortality and morbidity. The present study was designed to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice regarding BSE among women aged 25 years and above. Methods: A community-based, cross-sectional study was conducted in rural North Kerala, among 206 women aged ?25 years selected by cluster sampling. Data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Results: The participants were aged between 25-94 years (mean age 40.15±13.17). 62.6% have heard about BSE. Among the 206 participants, 12% had good knowledge while 10.6% knew the correct technique of doing BSE and only 0.06% knew that BSE must be performed once a month. Though 80.5% have good attitude regarding BSE, only 36% practised BSE and only 0.04% performed it every month. Educational status (high school and below vs higher secondary and above) was found to be significantly associated with knowledge (p<0.001) and practice (p=0.003). Knowledge regarding BSE was significantly associated with practice (p<0.001) while family history of breast cancer was not (p=0.072). Conclusions: The respondents had good attitude regarding BSE but knowledge and practice on BSE were very poor. Educational status has an influence on the knowledge and practice while family history did not have any influence.