An Overview of Psychological Analysis of Breast Cancer Patients undergoing Modified Radical Mastectomy and Breast Conservation Surgery and its impact on Objectified Body Consciousness at a Tertiary Care Cancer Centre in South India.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common cancer among females, and surgery plays a central role in its treatment. Surgical treatments may have a negative psychological impact on women's mental health regarding their body image. The purpose of this study was to compare the psychological health insights pertaining to objectified body consciousness scores before and after the surgery and also to observe whether these scores were comparable across the surgery types. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained data included 706 breast carcinoma patients who underwent either Breast Conservation Surgery or Modified Radical Mastectomy at tertiary care Cancer Centre, between the years 2020 to 2021. A validated questionnaire of Objectified Body Consciousness was used to obtain responses at diagnosis and at 6 months postsurgery and final scores were calculated for both instances. Two sample t-tests/analysis of variance and Chi-square tests were used to compare continuous and categorical variables respectively. RESULTS: Out of total 706 breast cancer patients, 402 patients underwent Breast Conservation Surgery and 304 underwent Modified radical mastectomy procedure. A statistically significant change was seen in the mean Objectified Body Consciousness Score (14.22 ± 15.44) for all patients when compared preoperatively(72.72 ± 11.38) and postoperatively(60.15 ± 17.58). This change was higher in the Modified Radical Mastectomy group(29.38 ± 11.53). Also, statistically significant rise in scores was seen with increasing age. CONCLUSION: We could affirmatively conclude in our study that younger breast cancer patients and all patients who underwent a Modified Radical Mastectomy, had more psychological apprehension with the body image postsurgery, signifying these groups should be encouraged by healthcare professionals to reach out for counselling at the earliest.

A retrospective multi-center experience of renal transplants from India during COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to a sudden drop in renal transplant numbers across India in the initial months of 2020. Although the transplant numbers increased with easing of lockdown, the outcome of these transplants remains unknown. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational, multi-center study done across eight different transplant centers in India. All the transplants done from January 30, 2020 to December 31, 2020 were included. The primary outcomes studied were patient and death censored graft survival as well as incidence of COVID-19 infection and its outcomes. RESULTS: During the study period a total of 297 kidney transplants were done. After a median follow up of 265 days the patient and death censored graft survival was 95.3% and 97.6%, respectively. Forty-one patients (13.8%) developed COVID-19 post-transplant. Majority (58.5%) were asymptomatic to mildly symptomatic and the case fatality ratio was 14.6%. On multivariable logistic regression analysis older age was associated with higher likelihood of COVID-19 infection (odds ratio 1.038; CI 1.002-1.077). CONCLUSIONS: Patient and graft outcome of kidney transplants done during the COVID-19 pandemic in India was acceptable. The incidence of COVID-19 was 13.8% with a high case fatality ratio.

Tobacco dust induced genotoxicity as an occupational hazard in workers of bidi making cottage industry of central India.

CONTEXT: To explore genotoxicity in bidi rollers occupationally exposed to bidi tobacco dust. AIMS: To assess the extent of genotoxicity of tobacco dust to bidi rollers of Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India and cytotoxicity of bidi tobacco extract. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Blood samples from 31 bidi rollers and 30 controls taken after written informed consent were analyzed for chromosome aberrations (CA) and comet assay. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Genotoxicity was studied by CA in cultured peripheral blood lymphocytes of bidi rollers and the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage studies were done by comet assay of their blood. The toxicity of bidi tobacco extract to normal human lymphocytes was studied by MMT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay as drop in viability. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Student's t-test and DMRT. RESULTS: There is a general trend of increase in CA% of both in exposed and control groups with age, but in every group the bidi rollers have a significantly higher CA% than the controls. The CA % is also directly related to exposure. The comet assay findings reveal that the mean comet length and tail length increases with exposure time. The toxicity of bidi tobacco extract (TE) to normal human lymphocytes was tested in vitro by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay at 2 h of incubation. The trend of drop in viability with increasing concentrations of TE was clearly evident from the data from four donors in spite of their individual differences in viability. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained in this investigation indicate that bidi rollers seem to be facing the occupational hazard of genotoxicity due to handling bidi tobacco and inhalation of tobacco dust. They should be advised to work under well-ventilated conditions.

Working condition: A key factor in increasing occupational hazard among bidi rollers: A population health research with respect to DNA damage.

The present investigation was undertaken to study the role of working conditions in occupational hazards among bidi rollers occupationally exposed to tobacco dust with reference to DNA damage in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Initially, biomonitoring was conducted by estimating urinary thioether to detect the extent of xenobiotic exposure, and genotoxicity was evaluated by assessing DNA damage and micronucleus frequency in buccal epithelial cells in female bidi rollers occupationally exposed to bidi tobacco dust. Student's t-test was used to test the significance between the means. Results showed a significant increase in urinary thioether level in during-shift urine samples as compared to pre-shift samples, which indicated exposure of bidi rollers to xenobiotic compounds. A significant increase in DNA damage was observed in the rollers working in confined environment as compared to those who worked in open and mixed kind of working conditions. Keeping in view the adverse effects of tobacco inhalation on the genotoxic effects in bidi rollers as an occupational hazard and in order to minimize the hazardous effects, it is recommended that masks should be worn by the bidi rollers during work to minimize inhalation of tobacco dust. Gloves should be worn particularly if there are bruises etc. in the palm. To minimize the absorption through eyes, covered glasses should be worn. The entire process of bidi rolling may be done preferably under well ventilated conditions. Due care to be taken to sit in the direction facing the direction of wind to avoid inhalation of blown away tobacco dust.