CanAssist Breast Impacting Clinical Treatment Decisions in Early-Stage HR+ Breast Cancer Patients: Indian Scenario.

CanAssist Breast (CAB) has thus far been validated on a retrospective cohort of 1123 patients who are mostly Indians. Distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) of more than 95% was observed with significant separation (P < 0.0001) between low-risk and high-risk groups. In this study, we demonstrate the usefulness of CAB in guiding physicians to assess risk of cancer recurrence and to make informed treatment decisions for patients. Of more than 500 patients who have undergone CAB test, detailed analysis of 455 patients who were treated based on CAB-based risk predictions by more than 140 doctors across India is presented here. Majority of patients tested had node negative, T2, and grade 2 disease. Age and luminal subtypes did not affect the performance of CAB. On comparison with Adjuvant! Online (AOL), CAB categorized twice the number of patients into low risk indicating potential of overtreatment by AOL-based risk categorization. We assessed the impact of CAB testing on treatment decisions for 254 patients and observed that 92% low-risk patients were not given chemotherapy. Overall, we observed that 88% patients were either given or not given chemotherapy based on whether they were stratified as high risk or low risk for distant recurrence respectively. Based on these results, we conclude that CAB has been accepted by physicians to make treatment planning and provides a cost-effective alternative to other similar multigene prognostic tests currently available.

Swallow root (Decalepis hamiltonii) pectic oligosaccharide (SRO1) induces cancer cell death via modulation of galectin-3 and survivin.

Swallow root pectic oligosaccharide fraction (SRO1) from swallow root pectic polysaccharide (SRPP) possessed a molecular size of 831 Da. Structural analysis revealed that it is a rhamnogalacturonan I type, bearing arabinogalactan side chain with ß-d-(1→4) galactose along with α-l-Araf (1→5)-α-l-Araf (1→3) structure on α-d-GalA-OAc-(1→2)-α-l-Rha-(1→4)- linear backbone. ß-d (1→4) linked galactose being the specific sugar for galectin-3, SRO1 had potentials in inhibiting galectin-3 mediated cancer progression. SRO1 inhibited galectin-3 mediated agglutination, in vitro, effectively with MIC of 1.08 µg/ mL and down regulated mRNA levels of galectin-3 (∼92%) along with its downstream key protein that inhibits apoptosis - survivin (∼78%) suggesting the capability of SRO1 in inhibiting galectin-3 mediated cancer promoting pathway. This is the first report, which highlights the inhibition of interplay of galectin-3 and survivin by a dietary pectic oligosaccharide.

Status of bioactive compounds in foods, with focus on fruits and vegetables.

Components of cereals, legumes, pulses, proteins, sea food, milk, carbohydrates and lipids are being evaluated for their influence on human health, as biofunctional compounds. However, references dealing with fruits and vegetables exceed any other food group and accordingly their focus. Fruits and vegetables abound in a spectacular range of such health influencing compounds and thus, study of their bioactivity, in lieu of their consumption in fresh or processed form. Anti-cancerous phenolics from Phyllanthus, radioprotective Litchi phenolics/flavonoids, hypoglycemic Sygium, quercitin and hydroxyl cinnamates of Sweet cherries, xanthones of Mangosteen, ellagitannins of Pomegranate, ursolic acid of Sea buckthorn, muscle relaxative watermelon, anti-cholesterolemic soluble fibre and sterols, cardioprotective saponins, ACE-inhibitory potato hydrolysates, anti-pancreatic cancerous ascorbic acid, carotenoids including pro-vitamin A are few examples unraveled. Thus, the imminent scope to obviate their structural chemistry, influence on storage and processing conditions, factors favoring their bio-accessibility/bio-availability in the food formulations, influencing human health. It is the meticulous combination of these compounds in daily consumption that determines their usefulness to human body. What is of paramount importance is the actual health benefits accrued from consumption of such functional- compound based fresh/processed fruits,vegetables or other foods.