Immunization or vaccinations, boosting your immunity can protect people from serious diseases they have been rigorously tested to establish their safety and effectiveness in protecting against infectious diseases. Once people get vaccinated their bodies are able to fight off these diseases better, after getting in contact with it. All vaccinations work in the same manner. The jab uses the body’s immune system to increase the protection from an infection, before a person comes into contact with it. For instance, its like getting the disease without the symptoms. When a person comes into contact with an infection, after getting immunized, the body works to stop you from getting the disease, or you may get just mild symptoms of it.

Is safe to say that immunization is one of the biggest health achievements of mankind. There are a few diseases, which are caused by viruses and can’t be cured with antibiotics. The only way to control these diseases can be controlled by is immunization. With awareness and incessant immunization programs these diseases may no longer possess a threat, for instance polio and smallpox are successful examples.

Why should people develop immunity?

The development of effective vaccines has had a huge decrease in childhood deaths. WHO states, “The 2 public health interventions that have had the greatest impact on the world’s health are clean water and vaccines.” As children grow older, they are exposed to numerous risks of infectious diseases. Despite advancements in medicine, infections can prove detrimental. Before the availability of vaccines, numerous children died from diseases such as whooping cough, measles and polio globally.

Sadly, despite successful immunization drives, the diseases, which the vaccines protect against, still exist. Getting your child vaccinated will surely give you peace of mind as it shall provide protection from fatal diseases, and in turn assisting in protecting the health of the entire community. When peope are immunized against a certain virus or a disease, it gets difficult for the infection to spread, this is commonly called as ‘population protection or heard immunity, this word has been tossed around lately numerous times with the outbreak of COVID-19.

Who should get vaccinated?

The answer is extremely simple, everyone should get immunized, besides people who have a really weak immune system remember to always consult a doctor first, who will advise if you can or cannot get a jab.

If you’re not sure about immunizations, speak with Delhi’s best doctors at Oncoplus Super Specialty Hospital in Defence Colony, write to us info@oncoplus.co.in or call us at +91 85889 09091 to book an appointment.

HPV (Human papillomavirus) refers to a group of more than 200 viruses, and some of these can spread via vaginal, anal, or oral sex: these are sexually transmitted HPVs and they fall into two categories

HPV infections are common and almost all sexually active people do get infected with HPV within a matter of months to a few years of becoming sexually active and about half of these infections are a high-risk HPV type.. Both men and women can get infected with HPV and develop HPV cancers.

Most HPV infections will not  cause cancer as the immune system controls HPV infections so they don’t end up causing cancer.

High-risk HPV infections that remain can cause cancer as HPV infections may not be successfully controlled by the immune system. When a high-risk HPV infection remains for many years, it can cause cell changes that, if left untreated, can get worse with time and turn into cancer.

Getting an HPV vaccination can prevent cancer as they prevent infection with disease-causing HPV types, and prevent HPV-related cancers.

If you’re considering treatment for HPV cancer in Delhi or wish to consult the best oncologists in Delhi, you can read on or reach out to us.

The types of cancer HPV can cause are:

HPV VACCINE

The HPV vaccine helps protect against infection from nine HPV types: two low-risk HPV types that cause most genital warts, plus the seven high-risk HPV types that cause HPV-related cancers.

HPV vaccination is recommended to avoid new HPV infections and HPV-associated cancer, among other diseases.

Vaccination prevents but cannot cure an infection  and the HPV vaccine is not meant for treating HPV infections or diseases caused by HPV. HPV vaccination is most effective when given at ages 9-12 and can prevent up to 90% of HPV-related cancers.

Get HPV Vaccine  from Best Hospital in Delhi

Who can get the Human papillomavirus vaccine?

The HPV vaccine series is recommended for girls and boys, at the age of 11 or 12, and the series of vaccines can be begun at age 9. It is important for both males as well as females to get vaccinated, because both men and women can develop HPV cancers

The vaccine can also be given to adults between the ages of 27 and 45 who didn’t get the vaccine earlier. Adults in this age group will benefit less from the vaccine because they are more likely to have been exposed to HPV already.

If you’re looking at HPV cancer treatment in Delhi or NCR, or have gone through treatment and want a second opinion, feel free to contact us, and we’ll be with you right away.

Cancer begins when cells grow out of control. Cells in any part of the body can become cancerous and spread (metastasise) to other parts.

Bone cancer is uncommon and starts when cells in the bone start to grow abnormally out of control. To understand bone cancer, it helps to know a little about normal bone tissue.

Most bones start out as softer, more flexible forms of tissue called cartilage and this cartilage later forms bones. In adults, cartilage is found at the end of some bones.

The bone itself has 2 kinds of cells.

Bones look as if they don’t change much, but they are very active. New bone is always forming while old bone is dissolving. This helps keeps bones strong. There are some other cells in the bone marrow like plasma cells and fibroblasts.

Any of these bone cells can develop into cancer.

Primary bone cancers versus bone metastasis

Cancers that originate in the bones are called primary bone cancers.

In most cases of adults with any bone cancer types, cancer starts somewhere else and then spreads to the bones: this is called bone metastasis and this can develop from different types of advanced cancers like breast, lung, and prostate cancer. If you observe cancer cells in the bone with a microscope; you’ll find they look like the cancer cells in the organ they came from.

Types of primary bone cancers

Primary bone cancers (cancers that begin in the bone itself) are also called bone sarcomas.

There are many kinds of primary bone cancer and some of them are rare.

Osteosarcoma

Osteosarcoma (or osteogenic sarcoma) is the most commonly found primary bone cancer. It starts in an early form of bone cells and often occurs in young people between the 10 and 30, whereas about 1 in 10 osteosarcomas develop in people above 60: it is very rare in middle-aged people, and is more common in men. These develop mostly in the bones of the arms, legs, or pelvis.

Ewing tumour (Ewing sarcoma)

These are the second most common type of primary bone cancer found in children, teens, and young adults, and the third most common bone cancer. These rarely occur in adults older than 30. Most Ewing tumours develop in the bones, but they can start from other tissues and organs. The most common sites cancer are the hip (pelvic) bones, the bones in the chest wall (the ribs or shoulder blades), the bones of the spine, and the long bones of the legs.

Chondrosarcoma

Chondrosarcoma begins in early forms of cartilage cells and is the second most common primary bone cancer. It’s uncommon in people under 20, and the risk of chondrosarcoma rises as people get older.

Chondrosarcomas can begin in any place where there’s cartilage. Most develop in bones like the pelvic (hip) bones, legs, or arms and some others begin in the trachea, larynx, chest wall, shoulder blades, ribs, or skull.

High-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) of bone

This was previously known as malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) of bone. Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS) usually starts in soft tissues (connective tissues like ligaments, tendons, fat, and muscle). It’s rarer in bones, but if it does occur, it usually afflicts the legs (around the knees) or arms. This cancer mostly occurs in elderly and middle-aged adults and is very rare in children. It tends to grow locally, but sometimes it can spread to other parts of the body.

Fibrosarcoma of bone

Another from types of bone cancer that develops more often in soft tissues than in bones usually occurs in middle-aged adults. Bones in the legs, arms, and jaw are mostly affected.

Giant cell tumor of bone

This type of primary bone cancer can be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant and these tumors are most common in people between their 20s and 30s.

Giant cell bone tumours typically hit the legs (usually near the knees) or arms. They don’t usually spread to distant parts of the body, but after surgery they can recur (even more than once) in the place where they began. With every recurrence, the tumour gets more likely to spread to other parts of the body (most often to the lungs). Rarely will a malignant giant cell bone tumour spread to other parts of the body without first recurring locally.

Chordoma

This uncommon type of bone tumour occurs in the bones of the spine, mostly at the bottom of the spine (sacrum) or the base of the skull. It happens most often to adults older than 30 and is twice as common in men as in women and very rarely does it occur in children.

Chordomas usually grow slowly and don’t spread to other parts of the body and often come back in the same area if they are not removed completely.

Check the best hospital in Delhi for bone cancer

Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of cancer that occurs in the brain and/or spinal cord: it is formed from cells known as astrocytes which support nerve cells.

Glioblastoma can happen to anyone at any age, but trends have shown it to occur more in older adults. It can also lead to serious headaches that get worse with time along with nausea, vomiting and seizures.

Glioblastoma, also referred to as glioblastoma multiforme, is very difficult to treat and cure is often not really possible. Our expert cancer specialists are among some of Delhi’s best doctors for cancer treatment, and we admit that it is difficult to treat, but don’t lose hope because treatment can slow down the progress of the cancer with fewer signs and symptoms. Glioblastoma treatment is also uncommon, and some of Delhi’s best cancer hospitals may not be able to provide successful treatment.

Diagnosis of Glioblastoma 

The tests and procedures that can diagnose glioblastoma are:

Treatment of Glioblastoma

Glioblastoma can be treated through:

Lung cancer mostly occurs in older adults. The average age at the time of diagnosis of Lung Cancer is around 70. People who have exposure to tobacco smoke and a few chemicals can greatly increase the risk of getting lung cancer. Studies state more than 90% of all lung cancer cases are due to cigarette smoking, inhaling harmful, cancer-causing substances, or carcinogens, damages the cells that line the lungs. Examples of such carcinogens are cigarette smoke, asbestos and radon.

Asbestos is anmanufacturing material, which is used in construction for insulation and as a fire retardant. When the material is moved, small fibers become airborne and can be inhaled. One is at a greater risk for developing lung cancer if exposed to asbestos on a regular basis.Radon is a gas, which happens naturally with the breakdown of uranium in rocks and soil. It’s odorless, colorless, and tasteless. It is difficult to detect and one could be exposed without knowing it.

At first, the body is able to repair itself, but with recurrent exposure the cells getmore and more damaged. After some time, the cells start acting abnormally and grow irrepressibly. This is how the cancer starts. There are a few risk factor, which contribute to Lung Cancer such as smoking tobacco is the number one risk factor for lung cancer.

Tobacco smoke contain more than seven thousand chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic.Examples of carcinogenic chemicals contained in tobacco smoke are carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide.

Smoking a cigarette instantly triggers a change in lung tissue. Initially, the body may be able to repair the damage, but its ability to repair lowers as exposure continues. The more frequent and the longer people smoke, the greater are the chances for developing lung cancer. Often radiation therapy, which is used to treat other cancers like non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and breast cancer can also increase the risk and can be from the causes of lung cancer. This risk is much higher for smokers.

Even if people don’t smoke, being exposed to secondhand smoke can increase the risk of lung cancer. Studies state thatif a member in the immediate family has had lung cancer, one might have a slightly higher risk for developing this disease.

This heightened risk is true even if you don’t smoke. It’s not clear if the genetics causes lung cancer or merely increases a persons susceptibility to it.

A balanced diet gives the body essential vitamins and minerals it needs to maintain good health.

One should eat a diverse mix of healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables, if not, you may have an increased risk of lung cancer. This is extremely important if you smoke.

Lung cancer can’t always be prevented. One of the best ways to prevent lung cancer is to not smoke or to quit smoking if you do.Reducing exposure to diesel exhaust and radon can also help in preventing lung cancer.

Consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and getting enough vitamins and minerals can help improve the overall health, which can assist in preventing lung cancer.

Talk to leading oncologists at Oncoplus Hospitals, Defence Colony, New Delhi, which is one of the best cancer hospitals in Delhi if you believe you may be at risk for lung cancer or are experiencing any of its symptoms; a cough (often with blood), chest pain, wheezing and weight loss. These symptoms often don’t appear until the cancer is advanced.

A brain tumour is essentially an abnormal growth of tissue within the brain or in the central spine, this can disrupt and disturb proper brain function. The two predominant types of tumours are, malignant and benign(non-malignant) tumours. Benign tumours are non-cancerous whereas malignant primary brain tumours are cancerous, you should know that less than a third of all brain tumours are cancerous, however, this can occur at any age. The overall incidence of this neurological disorder in India is between five to ten cases per 100,000 people, but ask the best cancer doctors in Delhi and they will tell you there is an increase in incidence. Twenty percent of all brain tumour cases are seen in children and increasing awareness and busting myths can lead to earlier diagnosis and timely treatment.

Symptoms of Brain tumour

The common symptoms that may be caused by brain tumours (malignant or non-malignant) are  headaches especially early morning ones that may come with nausea and vomiting. General behavioural and cognitive changes, dizziness, speech and hearing impairment, seizures and paralysis are also symptoms of brain tumours.

Myths and facts of Brain tumour

Brain tumour treatment requires a multidisciplinary approach for treatment and recovery but many misconceptions still remain around  brain tumours. We’ll lay out

Some common myths and debunk them with facts on brain tumours:

Myth 1:  Brain tumours mean cancer.

Myth 2: Brain tumours happen in the brain, right?

Myth 3: Brain cancer won’t happen to young people.

Myth 4: Brain tumours runs in families.

Myth 5: The use of cellphones can cause brain tumours.

Myth 6: Brain Cancer is common.

Myth 7: Changes to lifestyle can prevent tumours.

At Oncoplus Cancer Hospital, our committed team of neurosurgeons, medical oncologists, paediatric oncologists and radiation oncologists specialise in Neurooncolgy to diagnose and treat brain tumours. We are one of the best cancer hospitals in Delhi and use latest in class technology which enables our leading cancer specialists to achieve the highest success and safest resection of all tumours, with the use of novel operative advances with navigation, awake surgery techniques, neurophysiology monitoring with MEP and SSEP.

Tips for Preventing and detecting skin cancer 

As the days grow hotter and sunny, outdoor activities such as running, biking, swimming does not stop. These activities are necessary for our lives as working outdoors is good for physical and mental health, and spending time in the sun also assists the body to get the sunshine vitamin D.

Exposure to UV radiation from the sun can be very harmful for the skin, and can damage the DNA in skin cells, making mutations, which can cause skin cancer. Studies state, five or more sunburns can double the risk of melanoma.

Preventing and detecting skin cancer while enjoying the outdoors becomes very important. Protect yourself from harmful UV rays or artificial sources of radiation such as tanning beds. Experts suggest to avoid the sun between 10 am – 4 pm as the UV intensity is highest. Using sunscreen and protective clothing is extremely necessary; avoiding tanning beds at all costs.

There are two types of risks associated with skin cancer. There are risks, which we can control, and there are risks, which we can do nothing about. Exposure to ultraviolet light is a modifiable risk factor for the development of skin cancer. Experts suggest to use sunscreen, apply liberal amounts of sunscreen at least every two hours when you are outside, and more often if participating in water activities. On a hot sunny day, if applied liberally one could use up to an entire bottle of sunscreen.

Other way of blocking the harmful UV rays is by wearing protective clothing, which have an ultra violet protection factor, where one doesn’t have to worry about reapplication of sunscreen if you are wearing the UPF clothing. Do add sunglasses and wide hat

Fields recommends adding a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses to other UPF clothing for best protection. This helps protect the head, ears and eyes from UV while spending time outdoors.

Do not wait. Even a tiny spot on the skin could be a sign of melanoma or other kinds of skin cancer. Do not neglect the sign, and consult with Skin Cancer specialists at Oncoplus Hospitals, Defence Colony, New Delhi, India.  Make prevention a part of your routine as it is never too late to start good habits to protect yourself for UV rays.

Always Wear sunscreen and/or protective clothing, seek shade when possible, to reduce UV exposure, avoid tanning beds and always self-examine your skin for new or changing spots. Give yourself a self-examination, looking for any new or changing spots on your skin. Early detection and treatment is key to successfully remove skin cancer. Some of the deadliest forms of skin cancer, can spread, if left untreated.

 

Brain tumors are cancerous or noncancerous growths in the brain that makes the central nervous system (CNS). Most tumors of the brain are benign this means they are not cancerous and less than thirty percent of brain tumors turn into brain cancer or malignant brain tumors.

Benign does not necessarily mean not harmful. Noncancerous brain tumors can still cause symptoms, noteworthy neurologic problems and damage the healthy brain tissue.

There are two kinds of Brain tumors, they either primary or secondary tumors. Primary tumors begin in the brain tissue itself. Secondary tumors are cancers that have spread, or metastasized, from other areas of the body. For instance, breast cancer normally spreads to the brain. There are more than 100 different types of primary brain tumors that have been identified, they are most common in older adults and children.

Symptoms of Brain tumor differs as per the area of the brain it affects. Symptoms can be very general, such as headache, or very specific, such as changes in the vision. However, specific symptoms, such as fatigue or headaches from a brain tumor, can be common symptoms of other conditions too. The only way to know for sure is to see your doctor for any unusual or insistent symptoms. If your doctor diagnoses a brain tumor, numerous effective treatments are available.

The specific course of therapy will depend on whether or not tumor is cancerous, its location, and how aggressive it is. Slow-growing tumors can cause gradual symptoms that you may not notice for some time. When tumors grow quickly, symptoms can appear rather suddenly.

A few Brain tumor symptoms include

It’s important to see your doctor if you face of these symptoms that persist or cause concern. Other conditions share many of these same symptoms. Getting a timely diagnosis at Oncoplus Hospitals, Defence Colony, New Delhi, which offers the best chance of successfully treating tumors of the brain.

A brain tumor can damage brain tissue and cause problems that may be permanent. Some tumors are more likely to cause problems than others due to their placement in the brain. However, a common concern with any type of tumor is survival. Unfortunately, the risk factors for a brain tumor are normally not changeable. If you have a family history of a brain tumor, talk with Oncoplus Hospitals about your risk and consult about specific monitoring recommendations to find early warning signs. Reducing the risk of a particular disease involves controlling risk factors that you have the power to change.

Diarrhoea antibiotic shows potential in treating aggressive blood cancer

A form of aggressive blood cancer might be found to be more sensitive to chemotherapy with the use of an antibiotic currently available for treating diarrhoea, as per novel research published in Science Translational Medicine. The study was funded by Cancer Research UK and Blood Cancer UK, the study looked to tackle a certain type of acute myeloid leukaemia of which contains a genetic modification called MLL, thorough investigations on cancer’s origins.

This form of leukaemia, often called MLL-AML, has a peculiarly poor prognosis as it suddenly turns resistant to standard chemotherapies. Resolving this resistance had proven to be a major challenge in treating this cancer, and has left patients with no other alternative.

Even the best cancer doctors in Delhi concur on the fact that resistance to treatments is the biggest challenge cancer research faces and coming to terms with the fact that there is no other treatment available is undeniably the worst thing a doctor wants to tell their patient. These recent findings demonstrate how unravelling the biology of cancer has lead to new discoveries, and how we could already have a huge array of drugs out there that could help boost the effects of current treatments.

What is MLL-AML?

Acute myeloid leukaemia is a variegated disease, with different sub-types dependent on the genetic mutations that are causing it. This affects how successfully the cancer is treated, with some sub-types having a far poorer prognosis than others. MLL-AML is deadly, with only 1 in 4 patients surviving for 2 to 5 years or so.

The researchers observed how MLL-AML developed in humans for the first time, through establishing a new way of modelling how the stem cells that make our blood could turn into AML when altered by the MLL genetic alteration.

It’s a significant moment for cancer treatment across the world.

After the research that threw light on the origins of MLL leukaemia in mice almost 18 years ago, this development is an important milestone for AML research and provides a new way for screening and identifying new targets to treat.

Using this new approach, the team found that the disease could actually originate from 2 different types of cells, with one causing more resistant disease than the other.

Studying the more resistant type in detail revealed it produced way more of a particular protein – ABCC3 – than the other one, and this could be responsible for making it more resistant to chemotherapy.

When this theory was confirmed in human cells:  the team got rid of the cell’s ability to produce any more ABCC3, and it was far more sensitive to chemotherapy.

The next step forward was finding a drug that could stop ABCC3 from being produced or prevent it from working at all. By researching, the team found a paper that showed fidaxomicin – an antibiotic prescribed to treat diarrhoea caused by the bacteria C. difficile – was rather effective for inhibiting ABCC3.

This was unexpected and, actually fortuitous, that there was a recent study showing an already approved antibiotic could work for this research. Testing the drug for the treatment of resistant MLL-AML, the team found it successfully sensitised cancer to chemotherapy in both the cells grown in the lab and in mice.

This is hugely promising and now we need to do further studies and testing with this approach in people with AML and see how many benefits it brings.

 

Is COVID-19 more dangerous for people with blood cancer

In this unfortunate time of Coronavirus, all of us have to be careful, get vaccinated, and take extra care. However, those of us who live with terminal or long term diseases like cancer have to be even more vigilant than others because of much greater risk of exposure and far poorer outcomes if we were to get
infected by the virus. Having cancer, and going through certain treatments for cancer can greatly suppress the body’s immune system, and this side effect in particular is very worrisome in any prospective fight against Covid-19.

Recent research findings from a study conducted in the UK on cancer patients who had COVID-19 revealed that when it came to this particular virus, all cancers did not carry
the same risks. Particularly, patients who had blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma were found to be more prone to facing severe cases of COVID-19, and leukemia patients in particular were found to be at more than twice the odds of dying from the virus, as suggested by findings by the U.K. Coronavirus Cancer Monitoring Project (UKCCMP).

From March; the study compared recorded data from 1,044 cancer patients who had COVID-19 to about 145,000 cancer patients who didn’t have it. After taking factors like age, sex and tumor type into consideration, the investigators found:
• Patients who had blood cancer were at a fifty seven percent higher risk of getting a severe case of COVID-19 compared to patients with other cancer types.
• Blood cancer patients who underwent chemotherapy fairly recently were also at a higher risk of dying from COVID-19.
• Patients who had leukemia were at a “significantly increased case-fatality rate.”
• Patients above 80 had the greatest odds of succumbing to the virus.
• However, patients who also had prostate cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer and cancers of the female reproductive system seemed to be at far lower risk of getting infected or dying from COVID-19.

In theory those who have blood cancer could be harder hit by COVID-19, since hematological malignancies can cause abnormalities with bone marrow—the spongy tissue inside the bones that makes white and red blood cells and platelets. Without white blood cells, the ability to fight infections also decreases. In the case of blood cancers ‘The Lancet Oncology’ has reported cytotoxic treatments like chemotherapy and radiation reduce the number of white blood cells, potentially putting blood cancer patients’ at greater risk of infection.