Does intensive follow benefit Bowel cancer patients?

September 29, 2020September 29, 2020

The old adage “prevention is better than cure” is mostly true with regards to cancer if you can do it.

If you can’t prevent it , at least catch it early, has been the prime motive behind screening tests for breast, cervical, bowel, lung and prostate cancers. (“early is better”). Cancers that are detected at an early stage can offer a better chance of curative treatment.

So one might logically expect that intensive monitoring and early diagnosis of a cancer relapse or a secondary cancer after initial treatment can be immensely helpful.

But the evidence for intensive hospital follow-up visits and investigations is weak for most cancers except for some cancers such as Testicular Cancers which are highly curable.

Intensive monitoring after bowel cancer treatment can detect treatable cancers. To confirm the benefit of early detection of relapse by intensive monitoring , a trial was conducted comparing intensive follow up versus routine follow up ( in France and Belgium).

Data presented at ESMO ( European Society of Medical Oncology) shows that the intensive follow with scans can detect cancer recurrences which can be treated by further surgery. But unfortunately the intensive follow up did NOT lead to longer life expectancy.

The results might be counterintuitive but after an average follow up more than six years, this trial demonstrates that intensive follow is NOT always best. Scans might be done for psychological reassurance but they could end up causing significant anxiety.

When there are resource constraints (e.g low economic countries) , one has to be careful about frequents routine scans for those without symptoms.

During COVID-19, even in rich countries such as UK where there might be huge waiting lists, one has to consider prioritising scans for those who need most.

References

1. ESMO Daily reporter: INTENSIVE FOLLOW-UP INCREASES FREQUENCY OF CURATIVE INTENT SECONDARY SURGERY IN COLORECTAL CANCER.

2. DRE is useless for follow up of prostate cancer patients. https://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/03/dre-useless-follow-prostate-cancer-patients

3. Cancer patients follow up and a new role for GPs. https://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/03/cancer-patients-follow-and-new-role-gps

The views expressed in this blog represent the author’s views held at the time of drafting the blog and is likely to change overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light. The blog is not necessarily endorsed by any organisation the author is associated with and views are not substitute for professional advice.

How should a doctor treat when evidence is uncertain?

September 28, 2020September 28, 2020

Medicine is not always straight forward.

Treatment of patients is often guided by evidence. Lot of medical treatments are logical and evidence for effectiveness is straightforward .

But sometimes evidence is patchy and uncertain. Sometimes doctors rely on experience and intuition.

From an ethical point, it might be helpful for doctors to think what would they do when they or their family are in the situation of their patient. Putting oneself in the shoes of the patient can sometimes help to deal with ethical dilemmas.

But some argue that doctors putting themselves in the shoes of patients is not ideal as emotions can cloud judgement.

What do you think?

Please read the BMJ article and my response.

“On emotions and clinical judgment” has now been published online by BMJ.
Access the article at: http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.m3723
Toll-free link:
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.m3723?ijkey=kWmoDxrWgKLTjgp&keytype=ref

Morgan M. Matt Morgan: Standing in the shoes of a relative may complicate decision making. BMJ2020;370:m3344.doi:10.1136/bmj.m3344 pmid:32873585FREE Full Text Google Scholar

Once a week chemotherapy is not superior to Chemotherapy given once every 3-weeks

September 24, 2020September 28, 2020

Advanced ovarian cancer is treated by chemotherapy. A pre ious study of Japanese ovarian cancer patients RT showed significantly increased survival in those treated with dose-dense weekly paclitaxel compared to the standard three-weekly schedule.

Data from an international trial called ICON8 was presented at the ESMO Virtual Congress 2020, this week.

The final analysis of ICON8 “provides conclusive evidence that although weekly dose-dense chemotherapy can be successfully administered as first-line treatment for ovarian cancer, it has no survival advantage over the standard chemotherapy given once every 3 weeks.

ICON8: Overall survival results in a GCIG phase III randomised controlled trial of weekly dose-dense chemotherapy in first line epithelial ovarian, fallopian tube or primary peritoneal carcinoma treatment. Citation. Annals of Oncology (2020) 31 (suppl_4): S551-S589. 10.1016/annonc/annonc276

ESMO Daily Reporter: OVARIAN CANCER: FIRST-LINE DOSE-DENSE CHEMOTHERAPY IS NOT SUPERIOR TO STANDARD 3-WEEKLY CHEMOTHERAPY.

Which is better for COVID-19 protection : face masks or face shields.

September 23, 2020September 23, 2020

Various type of masks are used by public for protection against COVID-19.

Some wear cloth masks. Some use medical disposable masks. Some wear face shields particularly those working in shops.

Are they all the same?.

Recent evidence indicates that standard light-blue disposable surgical masks are the most effective at containing the Cornovirus.

Face shields were found to be failing when compared with standard ( triple layer) medical grade masks.

References

1. Face shields ineffective at trapping aerosols, says Japanese supercomputer. Guardian Newspaper. Justin McCurry in Tokyo. Tue 22 Sep 2020 07.19 BST. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/22/face-shields-ineffective-trapping-aerosols-japanese-supercomputer-coronavirus

2. Do cloth masks work? Supercomputer Fugaku says yes.World’s fastest computer calculates that nonwoven fabric is best. YUKI MISUMI, Nikkei staff writer. August 25, 2020 00:34 JST. https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Technology/Do-cloth-masks-work-Supercomputer-Fugaku-says-yes

3. Visualizing droplet dispersal for face shields and masks with exhalation valves. Physics of Fluids 32, 091701 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0022968

4. Visualizing the effectiveness of face masks in obstructing respiratory jets. Siddhartha Verma, Manhar Dhanak, and John Frankenfield. https://aip.scitation.org/doi/10.1063/5.0022968
Phys Fluids (1994). 2020.

Olaparib, as a 3rd line treatment, improves survival of a subset of prostate cancer patients with certain genetic changes .

September 22, 2020September 28, 2020

Some prostate cancers are inherited. Some of these cancers have changes in a gene called BRCA.

Some prostate cancers which are not inherited can sometimes have these BRCA changes as well.

Data presented at ESMO ( European Society of Medical Oncology) shows that the prostate cancers with BRCA gene changes derive the most benefit from Olaparib. When administered as a third line treatment ( after failure hormone injection, novel hormonal tablets and chemotherapy) , Olaparib makes these patients live longer.

ESMO Daily Reporter. PROFOUND: OVERALL SURVIVAL DATA WITH OLAPARIB HERALD PRACTICE-CHANGING TREATMENT OF METASTATIC PROSTATE CANCER.

Immunotherapy not highly effective in Ovarian cancers

September 22, 2020September 22, 2020

Immunotherapy has made a significant difference to the lives of many cancer patients with Skin, Kidney, Bladder and Lung cancers.

But in ovarian cancer patients, the results of trials have been disappointing .

Data presented at ESMO ( European Society of Medical Oncology) shows that the Immunotherapy agents Pembrolizumab and Nivolumab do not make significant difference over and above chemotherapy.

A caveat though, patients who responded to Nivolumab has longer duration of response and Nivolumab was well tolerated. So this indicates a subset of patients may benefit from chemotherapy.

A highly effective treatment for secondary brain cancer in some Lung cancer patients

September 21, 2020September 21, 2020

Brain secondaries from many primary cancer is always difficult to treat.

Particularly brain secondaries from Lung cancer patients can be quite difficult to treat.

Whole Brain Radiotherpy was widely used in past to treat brain secondaries in Lung cancer patients until 2016.

In 2016, QUARTZ study reported that Radiotherapy provided“ little additional clinically significant benefit for this patient group”.

So very few treatment options existed for this group of patients.

So it’s reassuring to see that a new drug was found to be highly active in lung cancer patients with brain secondaries.

Data presented at ESMO ( European Society of Medical Oncology) shows that the Lorlatinib showed a staggering 82% response rate in a small sub-group of patients.

References 1. Dexamethasone and supportive care with or without whole brain radiotherapy in treating patients with non-small cell lung cancer with brain metastases unsuitable for resection or stereotactic radiotherapy (QUARTZ): results from a phase 3, non-inferiority, randomised trial. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)30825-X/fulltext

A novel drug Osimertinib reduces risk of Brain cancer secondaries in lung cancer patients

September 21, 2020September 22, 2020

Traditional intravenous Chemotherapy agents are often thought NOT to be highly effective in treating and preventing brain secondaries. This is because of the penal blood brain barrier.

Data presented at ESMO ( European Society of Medical Oncology) presidential symposium shows that the Osimertinib is highly active and significantly reduces risk of brain secondaries.

New treatment combination for advanced Kidney cancers

September 21, 2020September 22, 2020

The treatment of kidney cancer has dramatically changed in the last decade. More treatments are in pipeline and there was more exciting news this week.

Upfront immunotherapy in combination with other agents is very promising in 1st line treatment of advanced kidney cancers.

Data presented at ESMO ( European Society of Medical Oncology) shows that the combination of Nivolumab and Cabozantinib is better than Sunitinib alone.

“Nivolumab and Cabozantinib” combo joins the other combos “Nivolumab and Ipililumab” and “Pembrolizumab and Axitinib “ as 1st line options

Cancer and COVID-19

September 21, 2020September 22, 2020

Cancer patients, as expected, did badly during the 1st wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Data presented at ESMO ( European Society of Medical Oncology) shows that Cancers had – higher rates of Hospitalisation, higher risk of Complications and increased risk of Death.

Elderly cancer patients on the whole did very badly but surprisingly cancer patients under age of 50 did far worse than their peers without cancer.

Immunotherapy not superior to Chemotherapy in 1st line treatment of bladder cancer

September 21, 2020September 21, 2020

Immunotherapy has revolutionised the treatment of many advanced cancers such Skin cancer Melanoma and Kidney cancers.

Immunotherapy is a standard treatment for 2nd line treatment of bladder cancer.

Two recent trials presented at ESMO virtual meeting explored the use of immunotherapy in 1st line setting. (Pembrolizumab and Durvalumab).

Immunotherapy alone, or in combination with Chemotherapy was not superior even in patients selected by markers thought to favour immunotherapy alone.

For most bladder cancer patients immunotherapy remains a excellent 2nd line option or as a maintenance treatment option.

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only and do check the the sources where cited. Please consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant to you. The views expressed in this blog represent the author’s views held at the time of drafting the blog and is likely to change overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light. The blog is not necessarily endorsed by any organisation the author is associated with and views are not substitute for professional advice.

New treatment for Advanced Uterine Cancer

September 20, 2020September 20, 2020

Women with advanced uterine / endometrial cancer are usually treated with chemotherapy.

Those who failed chemotherapy or those who are fit for chemotherapy are sometimes treated with hormone treatment.

Letrozole is one such hormone treatment for those patients with hormone sensitive cancer.

In breast cancer, Letrozole efficacy can be improved by a treatment called Palboclicib.

A trial was done to check whether the same improvement can be observed in uterine cancer when the combination of Letrozole and Palboclicib is tried.

The trial data presented at the ESMO ( European Society of Medical Oncology) is very promising.

If large trials confirm this finding, the combination would be standard treatment in future.

Hope and incurable Cancer: does hope torment or does it help to cope?

September 20, 2020September 20, 2020

A diagnosis of incurable and advanced cancer is often a massive shock to everyone.

Should we ask them to face reality , accept death and extinguish all hope.

Or should we be offering hope of living a bit longer with treatments while being honest with prognosis.

Hope can be tormenting to some.

Hope can be comforting to some.

What are you views?

Contribute your views at online rapid response @BMJ journal

Don’t torment me with hope. BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3016 (Published 09 September 2020)Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m3016

In defence of Hope: https://www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3016/rr-3

Do soft drinks increase the risk of an early death?

September 14, 2020September 3, 2020

Yes.

Soft drinks do increase risk of an early death.

In a large study involving 451 743 individuals from 10 countries in Europe, the regular consumption of soft drinks increased the risk of death.

The increased risk was seen with both sugared drinks as well as artificially sweetened drinks. Worryingly the hazard from artificially sweetened drinks seems higher.

The take home message: drink more water !

References

1. JAMA . Association Between Soft Drink Consumption and Mortality in 10 European Countries. JAMA Intern Med. Published online September 3, 2019. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.2478.

2. Daily Mail. Just TWO glasses of diet drinks each day may raise the risk of an early death, reveals study by the World Health Organisation.

3. The Guardian. Soft drinks, including sugar-free, linked to increased risk of early death.

COVID-19 risk assessment of NHS members : is it an opportunity missed?

September 5, 2020September 3, 2020

The National Health Service had recently embarked on a Risk assessment exercise of its staff to assess the Vulnerability of individual members to Coronavirus infection ( COVID-19).

The exercise is being done with good intentions. Given the unprecedented situation of the pandemic and lack of concrete data , the exercise seemed to have steered away from firm “one size fits all” type of recommendations.

Given the uncertainties with the currently available data on various forms of protection ( from simple surgical masks to shielding) , the exercise could have been a starting point for an nationwide intervention study .

An opportunity seems to have been missed and if there is a second wave, NHS might regret not learning from the first wave.

Please do add your opinion at the rapid response section of the BMJ.

References

1. Covid-19 risk assessment in BAME staff

Covid-19 risk assessment: a futile metaphorical strip search

BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3251 (Published 26 August 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m3251

2. Physical distancing interventions and incidence of coronavirus disease 2019: natural experiment in 149 countries

BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2743 (Published 15 July 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m2743

3. Complete protection from covid-19 is possible for health workers

BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2641 (Published 07 July 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m2641

4. Two metres or one: what is the evidence for physical distancing in covid-19?

BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m3223 (Published 25 August 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m3223

Can Hair dyes cause cancer?

September 4, 2020September 3, 2020

Yes, there is a possible increased risk of some types of skin and breast cancer as well as ovarian cancer.

Permanent hair dyes are widely used. A recent study published in BMJ suggests that use of Hair dyes might be risky.

This large study from United States enrolled 117 200 women in the Nurses’ Health Study. The women reported on personal use of permanent hair dyes, and were followed for 36 years. So overall it is a high quality observational study.

Read the full paper and Caveats at the BMJ website.

References

Personal use of permanent hair dyes and cancer risk and mortality in US women: prospective cohort study

BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2942 (Published 02 September 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m2942

How to avoid catching Coronavirus indoors during the winter months?

August 31, 2020August 31, 2020

At Offices and Shops, Ventilation is the Key.

If enough fresh air comes through and filters in Air conditioning units are serviced properly risks are manageable.

It could be risky if Ventilation is bad in large offices and Shops where is lot of people going in and out.

One infected person can easily spread to many other people if air is stuffy and stale and fresh air is not coming in to dilute the virus !

In private homes, where only family members are present, it is likely to be safe as long as a everyone of feeling well.

References

BBC news. Covid-19: Five ways to avoid catching the virus indoors. By David Shukman. BBC News science editor. Aug 2020.

CDC. Employer Information for Office Buildings.

WHO. Q&A: Ventilation and air conditioning in public spaces and buildings and COVID-19.

HSE. Air conditioning and ventilation during the coronavirus outbreak.

Can Coffee cause abortion ?

August 28, 2020August 25, 2020

Yes, it can .

Coffee can harm pregnancy. Coffee can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, lower birth weight, and preterm birth.

Hence various guidelines do advise reduction in coffee consumption during pregnancy.

A recent study in BMJ group journal goes further and suggests avoiding coffee altogether during pregnancy.

There are caveats but those who want to be very cautious should consider avoiding coffee during pregnancy just like one avoids alcohol during pregnancy.

References

1. Guardian Newspaper. No safe level of coffee drinking for pregnant women, study says.

2. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. Jack James RT al. Reykjavik University

3. Independent newspaper. No safe level of caffeine consumption for pregnant women and would-be mothers, study suggests

4. World Health Organization. Restricting caffeine intake during pregnancy.

5. UK. Food Standards Agency. Assessment of caffeine consumption, altered caffeine metabolism and pregnancy outcome.

5. NICE. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. New recommended drinking guidelines welcomed by NICE.

If you survive the Coronavirus, Can you get Coronavirus infection again ?

August 26, 2020August 25, 2020

Yes, you can get infection again.

Last month, we had studies reporting that the immunity to Coronavirus fades quickly after recovering from an infection. The scientists have warned that re-infection is a risk.

Now, we have a case in Hong Kong where a patient seem to have been unlucky to get the infection again. It is a worrying report and suggests that coronavirus is going to be with us for a long time.

The only reassuring fact is that patient was free of symptoms during second infection. One has to hope that all re-infections are mild !

References

1. Sundar.blog. CAN YOU GET CORONAVIRUS INFECTION MORE THAN ONCE?

2. BBC. Hong Kong reports ‘first case’ of virus reinfection.

3. Clinical Infectious Diseases : report on twitter.

The views expressed in this blog represent the author’s views held at the time of publication and is likely to change overtime, particularly when new evidence comes to light. The blog is not necessarily endorsed by any organisation the author is associated with and views are not substitute for professional advice.

Can you catch Coronavirus infection from Soft drink cans, Sandwich wrapper and Amazon Parcels?

August 24, 2020August 24, 2020

Yes. Possible but chances are very small according to reports.

If someone sneezed or coughed near a parcel or food package and you touch it within a few hours, it is possible to get Coronavirus infection from parcels and packages.

But, in practice, most parcels and food packaging seem safe and no conclusive real world evidence has been published so far to indicate that packages spread infection widely.

In experimental conditions, Coronavirus has been shown to survive for upto 72 hours. The virus is “more stable on plastic and stainless steel than on copper and cardboard”.

In laboratory conditions “On copper, no viable SARS-CoV-2 virus was measured after 4 hours . On cardboard, no viable SARS-CoV-2 virus was measured after 24 hours”.

In the artificial conditions of the lab “The longest viability of viruses was on stainless steel and plastic; the estimated median half-life of SARS-CoV-2 virus was approximately 5.6 hours on stainless steel and 6.8 hours on plastic”.

Solution: If you are worried , and if possible, you can try leaving parcels for 24hrs before touching them with bare hands. Alternatively, try wearing disposable gloves to remove packaging.

References

1.NEJM. Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1. April 16, 2020. N Engl J Med 2020; 382:1564-1567. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMc2004973

2. BBC. Coronavirus: What are the risks of catching it from food packaging?

3. CDC. How It Spreads.

Is Honey a better treatment for coughs and colds ?

August 21, 2020August 23, 2020

Possibly yes, in some cases of viral infections , according to a paper published a BMJ group journal ( BMJ Evidence Based Medicine) .

The paper has been widely quoted in various newspapers today.

The BMJ group journal authors report: “Honey was superior to usual care for the improvement of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.

It provides a widely available and cheap alternative to antibiotics…….but further high quality, placebo controlled trials are needed.”

A word of caution: Honey has high sugar content. Diabetics need to be careful. People will allergies need to take care. Of course bacterial infections need antibiotics particularly in old and vulnerable!

References

1. BMJ Evidence Based Medicine. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis .

Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine Published Online First: 18 August 2020. doi: 10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336.

2. Guardian Newspaper:

3. Daily Mail.

4. BBC paper review .

5. Evening Express

Is weight loss a sign of cancer?

August 19, 2020August 23, 2020

If you have been dieting and exercising to shed excess weight, then you can celebrate your success in achieving your goal.

But some poorly lose weight unintentionally . This type of weight loss that occurs without intention might be of concern in some people.

A recent article in BMJ advocates screening for cancer in some patients if they have weight loss and other symptoms in their chest and abdomen.

Male smokers over the age of 50 are one of the high risk groups !

Don’t ignore weight loss !

References

Prioritising primary care patients with unexpected weight loss for cancer investigation: diagnostic accuracy study

BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2651 (Published 13 August 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m2651

Are Routine blood tests essential during follow up of low grade Lymphoma?

August 3, 2020July 30, 2020

Bloods tests have the potential to pick up various abnormalities including cancer related abnormalities during follow up of cancers.

But , many patients would be surprised to know that there is ongoing debate about usefulness of routine blood tests atleast in some cancers !

In a recent study, Australian investigators assessed the role of routine blood tests during monitoring of patients with low grade lymphoma.

They found that routine blood tests rarely found or detected disease progression in patients who did not have any symptoms.

References

Routine Blood Tests in Asymptomatic Patients With Indolent Lymphoma Have Limited Ability to Detect Clinically Significant Disease Progression. DOI: 10.1200/JOP.19.00771 JCO Oncology Practice – published online before print June 25, 2020. PMID: 32584701

Effectiveness of Routine Blood Testing in Detection of Disease During Active Surveillance for Indolent Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. By Matthew Stenger. Posted: 7/16/2020 1:40:00 PM . Last Updated: 7/29/2020 1:59:00 PM

Utility of Routine Surveillance Laboratory Testing in Detecting Relapse in Patients With Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma in First Remission: Results From a Large Single-Institution Study. DOI: 10.1200/JOP.19.00733 JCO Oncology Practice – published online before print May 5, 2020. PMID: 32369413

Can a Protein rich diet lead to a longer life ?

July 24, 2020July 30, 2020

Yes, a protein rich diet can lead a longer life and reduce risk deaths due to heart diseases.

Before you rush to relish your burger or steak , please note the evidence for beneficial effect is very much in favour of plant proteins than animal proteins.

So Befriend your Beans !

And Love your Lentils !

Reference

Dietary intake of total, animal, and plant proteins and risk of all cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality: systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies

BMJ 2020; 370 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2412 (Published 22 July 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;370:m2412

Can you get Coronavirus infection more than once?

July 13, 2020July 12, 2020

If you are one of the unlucky ones to have already been infected with Coronavirus infection but recovered from it, can you become unlucky again and get another Coronavirus infection later this year ?

Unfortunately, the answer is a YES.

Some Viral infections can sometimes lead to life long immunity. For example, most people who had chicken pox as a child tend to have lifelong immunity and it would be uncommon to get chicken pox again. (except in some circumstances).

But infection with ‘Coronavirus causing COVID-19’ doesn’t seem led to long lasting immunity or resistance to a second Coronavirus infection.

A Newspaper report on a study by a team from King’s College London suggests that susceptibility to a second infection may occur as short as 3 months in some patients. This because the level of antibodies produced by the immune system after first infection start to fade away within a few months in some patients.

If confirmed, this is probably one of the most worrying news during this pandemic.

This study result could also affect Vaccine development and how frequently it may need to be administered.

References

Guardian Newspaper: Coronavirus outbreak. Immunity to Covid-19 could be lost in months, UK study suggests. Ian Sample. Science editor. @iansample. Sun 12 Jul 2020 17.31 BST

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only and do check the the sources where cited. Please consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant to you.

Can Coronavirus linger in air, and cause COVID-19 by spreading through air ?

July 8, 2020July 8, 2020

Normally many flu-like viruses spread by direct or close contact.

Because Virus containing droplets are heavier than air, scientifically it is thought that when someone coughs or sneezes, virus particles quickly fall to ground or surrounding objects.(“like a brick or stone falling to ground“).

But a group of scientists and WHO have raised the possibility that coronavirus can stay in air for longer periods, float around and cause more infections. (“float like a balloon“). This is called air-borne transmission.

What does it mean?

If confirmed– this means “closed spaces” are high risk even if you maintain 2 metre distance from an infected person. AVOID CLOSED SPACES.

As many people in UK do not wear masks in public places, there is a high chance of second wave of infections in the coming weeks as lock down is eased. WEAR A MASK.

It also means avoiding non-essential visitors to hospitals so that visitors cannot catch the infection or pass the infection to vulnerable patients. AVOID NON-ESSENTIAL VISITORS AT HOSPITALS.

If air borne transmission is confirmed, it is also bad news for the coming winter.

If Coronavirus is still in community and not eliminated by winter, air-borne transmission is likely to result in further wave of infections.

This is because Winter means more closed spaces and more chance of infection !!!!!!

STAY SAFE

References

1. Daily Mail Newspaper. Group of 239 scientists demand that WHO admit coronavirus is AIRBORNE -meaning the public should wear masks indoors and AC units should be fitted with filters .By Ariel Zilber For Dailymail.com and Reuters and Associated Press. 17:44, 05 Jul 2020 , updated 08:14, 06 Jul 2020

2. Guardian Newspaper. WHO underplaying risk of airborne spread of Covid-19, say scientists. Open letter says there is emerging evidence of potential for aerosol transmission. Hannah Devlin. Science correspondent. @hannahdev

3. Guardian Newspaper. Coronavirus outbreak Global report: WHO says ‘evidence emerging’ of airborne coronavirus spread. Martin Farrer and agencies.

4. BBC News. Coronavirus: WHO rethinking how Covid-19 spreads in air.

5. It is Time to Address Airborne Transmission of COVID-19. Lidia Morawska, Donald K Milton. Clinical Infectious Diseases, ciaa939, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciaa939. Published: 06 July 2020

Can Vitamin D prevent respiratory infections such as COVID-19 ?

July 1, 2020June 30, 2020

No conclusive evidence yet.

Some studies suggest a protective effect but two recent “official” reviews in UK has concluded the following.

(1). “The available evidence does not support vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections in the general UK population”.

(2). “There is currently no evidence to support vitamin D supplements reducing the risk or severity of covid-19″.

References

NICE. Covid 19 rapid evidence summary: vitamin D for covid-19 evidence summary. 29 June 2020. http://www.nice.org.uk/advice/es28/chapter/Key-messages.

Martineau AR, Jolliffe DA, Hooper RL, et al. Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data. BMJ 2017;356:i6583. doi:10.1136/bmj.i6583 pmid:28202713

Evidence does not support vitamin D for reducing respiratory infections, reviews conclude. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2629 (Published 30 June 2020). Cite this as: BMJ 2020;369:m2629

Health effects of vitamin and mineral supplements

June 30, 2020June 30, 2020

In Western countries, upto two thirds of people take vitamin and mineral supplements regularly.

Many people think it’s common sense to take supplements. Many people don’t realise mega doses of vitamins can cause harm. Paradoxically the people who don’t have a healthy diet are less likely to supplements than those who have a well balanced diet.

A recent article in BMJ reviews the evidence regarding “Health effects of vitamin and mineral supplements” and concludes that “Randomised trial evidence does not support use of vitamin, mineral, and fish oil supplements to reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases”.

This article is certainly a “food for thought”

Reference

Food for Thought 2020. Health effects of vitamin and mineral supplements. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2511 (Published 29 June 2020). Cite this as: BMJ 2020;369:m2511

Skeie G, Braaten T, Hjartåker A, et al. Use of dietary supplements in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition calibration study. Eur J Clin Nutr2009;63(Suppl 4):S226-38. doi:10.1038/ejcn.2009.83 pmid:19888276

Dexamethasone: “There’s Lot more Life in that Old Dog Yet”

June 17, 2020June 17, 2020

Dexamethasone is one of the commonly used steroids in Clinical practice. It is used to treat allergies; it is used as an anti-inflammatory drug for all sorts of inflammation affecting various part of body.

In cancer patients, Dexamethasone is certainly used widely. It is used as an anti-sickness drug, appetite stimulant, to reduce swelling around brain tumours, and as an anticancer drug in Prostate cancer.

Dexamethasone has now found to be useful in treatment of Corona Virus infection.

In one of the largest Covid-19 trial, the RECOVERY trial- this low cost drug has been found to improve survival of patients particularly those who need Ventilation.

A word of caution though, it did not benefit patients with mild infection due to Coronavirus.

References:

Low-cost dexamethasone reduces death by up to one third in hospitalised patients with severe respiratory complications of COVID-19

New medication for prostate cancer

June 9, 2020June 30, 2020

The Male hormone- Testosterone feeds the prostate cancer. Shutting down testosterone production in men can help to control prostate cancer.

Advanced prostate cancer is currently treated first by regular hormone injections.

The hormone injections reduce the Testosterone in men.

Now a new medication, called Relugolix, has been successfully tested in clinical trials. Relugolix, unlike other first line hormone injections , can be taken by mouth instead.

Relugolix also has the advantage of not only working rapidly but also has the advantage of stopping to work quickly when it is withdrawn. This is unlike the injections which take a while to work but also do not stop working quickly when injections are stopped.

References

NEJM. Oral Relugolix for Androgen-Deprivation Therapy in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Neal D Shore et al. N Engl J Med. 2020.

Can Vitamin K help fight Coronavirus?

June 6, 2020June 10, 2020

Possible but like every other observational study, take it with pinch of salt.

Further evidence from well conducted trials are needed before it can be recommended as a COVID treatment.

In mean time, it’s better to stick to natural sources of vitamin such as those mentioned in the newspaper article ( spinach, broccoli, green vegetables, blueberries, all types of fruit and vegetables).

Guardian Newspaper: Vitamin K could help fight coronavirus, study suggests

Scientists in Netherlands explore possible link between deficiency and Covid-19 deaths

Daniel Boffey. Fri 5 Jun 2020 14.50 BST

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only and do check the the sources where cited. Please consult your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant to you.

Chloroquine not useful for treating or preventing Coronavirus infections

June 4, 2020June 10, 2020

Randomised Study is the considered as the gold standard for trials.

Placebos are dummy pills . Placebos are inactive drugs that look like the real drug but are essentially sugar coated dummy pills.

Trials which involve a placebo vs active drug comparison are considered one of the best trials for some clinical situations.

A “randomised trial” involving “Chloroquine ” and “placebo ” has been published in NEJM .

A randomised trial suggests Chloroquine is not better than a placebo in treatment of COVID.

Another randomised trial suggests, Hydroxycloroquine is not useful for prevention of COVID-19.

In summary, Hydroxycloroquine is not useful either as COVID-19 treatment or as a COVID-19 preventative drug as advocates in certain countries.

Please Note : Chloroquine and HydroxyChloroquine are different drugs but have broadly similar effects.

References

1. Guardian newspaper: Coronavirus outbreak. Hydroxychloroquine no better than placebo, Covid-19 study finds.

2. NEJM. https://www.nejm.org/

3. BMJ India Correspondent. Covid-19: Doctors criticise Indian research agency for recommending hydroxychloroquine prophylaxis. BMJ2020;369:m2170. doi:10.1136/bmj.m2170 pmid:32471832.

4. BMJ news: Covid-19: Hydroxychloroquine does not benefit hospitalised patients, UK trial finds. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2263 (Published 08 June 2020)

5. BMJ news. Covid-19: Hydroxychloroquine was ineffective as postexposure prophylaxis, study finds. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m2242 (Published 05 June 2020)

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Does Eating Eggs lead to Heart problems?

June 1, 2020June 6, 2020

No, Eating Eggs in moderation is not associated with increased Heart problems.

Heart diseases are one of major killers in Men and Women. In the past, Cholesterol was exclusively blamed for most of the Heart problems. Nowadays, such a simplistic view has been abandoned. We now know that Heart diseases are due to a complex set of poor diet and life style.

Previously Eggs which have lot of dietary cholesterol have been subject to lot of bad press.

A recent pooled analysis of good quality data shows that ” moderate egg consumption (up to one egg per day) is not associated with cardiovascular disease risk overall, and is associated with potentially lower cardiovascular disease risk in Asian populations.”

So like everything else with regards to diet , moderation is the way to go !

Reference

Egg consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease: three large prospective US cohort studies, systematic review, and updated meta-analysis

BMJ 2020; 368 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m513 (Published 04 March 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;368:m513

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Cancer and COVID-19

May 30, 2020June 10, 2020

Coronavirus infection seems to be more deadly in patients whose immune systems are not functioning very well.

So cancer patients who have reduced immunity due to chemotherapy are understandably at higher risk of death.

Among cancer patients, those patients whose cancer is progressing ( i.e cancer not under control ) seem to at even more from COVID-19.

A study presented at the ASCO ( American Society of Clinical Oncology) reports that ” after a COVID-19 diagnosis, patients with progressing cancer were found to be 5.2 times more likely to die within 30 days”.

So stay safe and consider shielding if your cancer is not under control .

Furthermore, there is lot of interest in use of Chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug for treatment of COVID-19. The study reports that “Treatment with the drug combination hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin was also strongly associated with greater risk of death”. So best to avoid unproven treatments outside a trial setting.

References

1. ASCO News. Early Data Show Cancer Progression Associated With Increased Risk of Death in Patients With COVID-19. May 28, 2020.

2. ASCO News. Chemo Within 3 Months of COVID-19 Diagnosis Associated With an Increased Risk of Death in Patients With Thoracic Cancer. May 2020.

Is Chloroquine useful in treatment of Corona Virus?

May 17, 2020June 10, 2020

Chloroquine and the related drug Hydroxy-Chloroquine are drugs commonly used to prevent and treat Malaria infections; and treat some Joint conditions.

During the initial stages of COVID-19 pandemic, there were some reports of Chloroquine being useful in treating Corona Virus.

A Chinese trial published in British Medical Journal BMJ now reports that ” Administration of hydroxychloroquine did not result in …. any meaningful antiviral benefits… compared to standard of care alone in patients admitted to hospital with mainly persistent mild to moderate covid-19”

Chloroquine was not only useless but it had significant side effects in a minority. So Chloroquine or Hydroxy-Chloroquine should not be used routinely outside a clinical trial setting.

References

1. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). Wiki. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxychloroquine

2. BMJ. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine in covid-19. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1432 (Published 08 April 2020)

3. Hydroxychloroquine in patients with mainly mild to moderate coronavirus disease 2019: open label, randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1849 (Published 14 May 2020)

Face Masks: Should Public wear face masks because of Corona Virus pandemic ?

May 17, 2020May 17, 2020

Should Public wear face masks because of Corona Virus pandemic ?

Yes.

In some of the Asian Countries there has been universal acceptance of face masks even before Corona Virus pandemic. Hence, it is not surprising that there is wide spread use of face masks during this pandemic .

In USA, after initial hesitation, CDC now recommends use of cloth face masks by public.

In Germany, many states have made face masks compulsory.

In UK, there has been no official recommendation about widespread use of face masks.

With so many unknowns, it is prudent to follow the advice published in British Medical Journal : WEAR A MASK !!

References

1. USA CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html

2 Germany: BBC news. Coronavirus: Germany’s states make face masks compulsory. 22 April 2020. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52382196

3. TIME Magazine. https://time.com/5815251/should-you-wear-a-mask-coronavirus/

4. BMJ paper. Analysis. Face masks for the public during the covid-19 crisis. BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1435 (Published 09 April 2020). Cite this as: BMJ 2020;369:m1435

5. BMJ editorial. Editorial. Covid-19: should the public wear face masks?. Editorials. Covid-19: should the public wear face masks? BMJ 2020; 369 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m1442 (Published 09 April 2020). Cite this as: BMJ 2020;369:m1442

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Does air pollution in cities make your jogging and walking less beneficial ?

May 4, 2020January 22, 2020

Yes, air pollution is now being recognised as an important cause of death in major cities and towns.

So avoid major roads and very busy streets.

Any benefit you might accrue from exercise can be wiped out by heavy air pollution if you are jogging on a heavily congested road.

References

1. Telegraph: Pollution wipes out the benefits of exercise, study suggests

2. BMJ . Air pollution. Short term exposure to fine particulate matter and hospital admission risks and costs in the Medicare population: time stratified, case crossover study

BMJ 2019; 367 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l6258 (Published 27 November 2019)

3. Telegraph. Does exercising in pollution do you more harm than good?

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Acupuncture for Migraine

April 20, 2020March 26, 2020

Can Acupuncture help migraines?

Yes, says a Chinese trial published in British Medical Journal .

Many complementary and Alternative therapies have very thin evidence base ( if all present ).

The researchers are to be congratulated for doing a randomised trial and publishing results in a peer reviewed medical journal

References

Manual acupuncture versus sham acupuncture and usual care for prophylaxis of episodic migraine without aura: multicentre, randomised clinical trial

BMJ 2020; 368 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m697 (Published 25 March 2020)

Cite this as: BMJ 2020;368:m697

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Is it worthwhile to be on constant vigilance for any symptoms which might indicate cancer has come back ?

April 5, 2020

Unfortunately no.

A Cancer charity advices to watch out for symptoms.

Constant Vigilance for cancer recurrence has its own downsides.

After successful cancer treatment, being on look out for symptoms constantly wrecks your quality of life for minimal benefit in most cases.

Many trials of intensive screening shown no benefit for early detection of secondary cancer. ( note- this is different from the ongoing debate about benefits of primary cancer detection with cancer screening programs such as Mammograms, PSA screening, bowel cancer screening).

Cancer patients are quite often aware of own body and pre-existing aches and pains.

The best thing is to act promptly if there are “any new and persistent symptoms” . For vast majority of cancer patients, there is no need to do a frequent check list of possible symptoms, on a daily or weekly interval.

Do NOT be on constant vigilance for all possible cancer symptoms unless you have been specifically advised to do so by your oncology team.

Eternal Vigilance for months and years can wreck your quality of life.

Think Positive. Nothing is lost when you maintain hope.

References

BBC news . https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-49999404

‘Unacceptable’ delays in diagnosing secondary breast cancer

The standard disclaimer is very relevant to this blog.

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Can Vitamin D protect against respiratory infections ?

March 30, 2020

Can Vitamin D protect against Respiratory infections ?

The answer is yes, according a paper published in the BMJ ( British Medical Journal) in the recent past.

With Corona Virus ( COVID 19) pandemic raging in Europe and USA, there is lot of interest in treatment and naturally prevention of Respiratory tract infections.

It is also understandable why a paper published in Feb 2017 is one the most read BMJ paper in March 2020.

The paper analysed data from “25 eligible randomised controlled trials involving a total of 11 321 participants”.

The study concludes ” Vitamin D supplementation was safe and it protected against acute respiratory tract infection overall. Patients who were very vitamin D deficient and those not receiving bolus doses experienced the most benefit.”

References

Vitamin D supplementation to prevent acute respiratory tract infections: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual participant data

BMJ 2017; 356 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.i6583 (Published 15 February 2017)

Cite this as: BMJ 2017;356:i6583

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Blaming the tools

March 27, 2020April 5, 2020

Tools

Any one from any trade would be expected to use the tools of the trade appropriately.

Tweaking the tools unnecessarily or blaming the tools if things do not pan out as planned is generally frowned upon .

Same with medical professionals !

Please contribute your thoughts at BMJ rapid response page.

Interpreting test results: dont blame the tools

Access the article at: http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.m1162

Toll-free link:
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.m1162?ijkey=sZarWS4YlJf9NS0&keytype=ref

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Plain English Medical Letters to Patients

March 11, 2020March 15, 2020

Writing letters to patients in plain English without medical jargon is a gift that only a few doctors possess.

Personalising complex medical terminology in a letter dictated over a few minutes is NOT an inherent skill possessed by many doctors including those who are native English speakers.

Dictating Plain English medical letters would take considerable time and effort – particularly if letters are going to succinctly summarise everything from a medical consultation.

In UK, with regards to Cancer, we are lucky to have cancer charities who do a good job of providing information in plain English ( E.g Cancer Research UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, Prostate Cancer UK).

Cancer Patients in UK also have the support of Cancer Nurse Specialists ( CNS ) who do a fantastic job of guiding patients through their cancer journey and clarify all medical jargon to patients.

Other specialities might not have the resources that are available to cancer patients. But, on the whole, Clinic Time slots are precious. Many UK specialists have long waiting lists.

So if further time and effort is to be expended in busy clinics for dictating plain English Letters – in addition to the usual Medical letters to GP – good clinical evidence is needed to demonstrate that separate plain English letters do benefit patients in a meaningful way.

Please do read the BMJ article and put forward your views in the rapid response section.

Access the article at: http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.m949

Toll-free link:
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.m949?ijkey=nxJ9CdIVHKZW1Jd&keytype=ref

Disclaimer:

The views expressed here are my personal views and do not represent the views of any other professional organisation I am associated with…

Chemotherapy for Elderly Prostate Cancer patients with Advanced prostate cancer

February 19, 2020February 19, 2020

Chemotherapy has been shown to unequivocally improve prognosis of advanced prostate cancer patients.

The survival was found to be improved by an average of 10 months with addition of chemotherapy to long term hormone therapy in a large clinical trial.

Prognosis without chemotherapy was 71 months and prognosis with chemotherapy was 81 months.

But this extra benefit from chemotherapy comes at a cost.

Chemotherapy can be toxic with occasional life threatening side effects. Some elderly patients are frail and others may have diseases affecting heart, lung and brain.

So some patients after carefully weighing up benefits and risks might decline chemotherapy.

This need to weigh up risks and benefits is sometimes very difficult for both patients and doctors before a decision is reached whether to opt for chemotherapy or not.

Express your views at the BMJ rapid response section.

References

Access the BMJ article at: http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.m519

Toll-free link:
http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.m519?ijkey=Nj2sM5GVE36Yq8G&keytype=ref

Do omega 3 supplements provide protection from Stroke and Heart diseases?

February 3, 2020July 18, 2019

It is a common belief that omega 3 fatty acids provide protection from strokes and heart attacks, and improve overall health.

A review from the esteemed Cochrane collaboration pours cold water on this belief.

The review concludes that omega 3 provides ” little or no meaningful effect on the risk of death from any cause”.

They conclude that “omega 3 supplements probably makes little or no difference to risk of cardiovascular events, coronary heart deaths, coronary heart disease events, stroke or heart irregularities”.

The review did find “moderate evidence that ALA, found in plant oils (such as rapeseed or canola oil) and nuts (particularly walnuts) may be slightly protective of some diseases of the heart and circulation”.

However, the effect was very small. They estimated that “143 people would need to increase their ALA intake to prevent one person developing arrhythmia”.

They also estimated that “One thousand people would need to increase their ALA intake to prevent one person dying of coronary heart disease or experiencing a cardiovascular event”.

Overall the review finds that overall “omega 3 provides little if any benefit at all”.

References

New Cochrane health evidence challenges belief that omega 3 supplements reduce risk of heart disease, stroke or death.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2018, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD003177. https://www.cochrane.org/CD003177/VASC_omega-3-intake-cardiovascular-disease

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Walking is good exercise

January 23, 2020January 22, 2020

New year. January. First month of a New year – it’s the time of year many people take a look at their lifestyle and vow to eat better, exercise better and live better.

Many people consider Gym or Health Club membership.

But Exercise doesn’t need to cost a lot. Being active, doesn’t need to be regimented.

Simply walking anywhere is good compared to no exercise at all. Walking in the Park or Quiet streets has lot of benefits.

Good article in BBC on the benefits of walking.

A word of caution though !

Avoid Walking or Jogging near busy roads so that the benefits of walking are not negated by pollution.

Reference

1. BBC. 8 reasons why we should all walk more. BBC.

2. Guardian. Traffic fumes in city streets ‘largely wipe out exercise benefits for over-60s’.

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Exciting new immunotherapy treatment !

January 22, 2020January 21, 2020

Test tube lab

The holy grail of cancer treatment is design a drug that is highly lethal to cancerous tissue but completely spares the normal tissues.

Scientists at Cardiff University have discovered immune cells which could provide such a clever treatment.

It is still early days. The principle has been proven in lab. But to be a useful treatment that can be used in cancer patients, it is still far off.

This particular novel form of immunotherapy using T cells is still in early stages and so many hurdles have to be overcome before this discovery could be employed in cancer treatment.

Nevertheless, it has certainly excited many researchers in the field of cancer and the paper has been published by a premier scientific journal.

References:

Original scientific paper. Genome-wide CRISPR–Cas9 screening reveals ubiquitous T cell cancer targeting via the monomorphic MHC class I-related protein MR1

BBC news. Immune discovery ‘may treat all cancer’. By James Gallagher. Health and science correspondent

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Do the morning people have it all ?

January 6, 2020July 16, 2019

Picture of morning bird against rising sun

There is definitely truth in idiom that “The early bird catches the worm”.

Are there any other life advantages for the early risers compared to those who hate early mornings?

A paper in BMJ says the women with “morning preference” have less risk of breast cancer compared to the evening people.

So there are advantages for those who can jump out of their bed easily in the morning but it is a different question whether the late risers can train themselves to be early risers !

Reference

Investigating causal relations between sleep traits and risk of breast cancer in women: mendelian randomisation study

BMJ 2019; 365 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l2327 (Published 26 June 2019)

Disclaimer: Please note- This blog is NOT medical advice. This blog is purely for information only. See your own doctor to discuss concerns and options relevant for you.

Does alcohol increase of breast cancer?

December 16, 2019August 23, 2019

Yes, Alcohol does substantially increase the risk of Breast cancer.

Very few people seem to be aware of the risks.

Previously it was thought that heavy drinking is responsible for harmful cancer effects.

But studies from U.K and U.S.A have subsequently shown that even light to moderate drinking can increase the risk of breast cancer.

A very large study involving more than 1,250,000 middle-aged women in the United Kingdom ( enrolled in the Million Women Study) showed that “Low to moderate alcohol consumption” in women increases the risk of breast cancer and certain other cancers.

In a study involving more than 88,000 women from United States, also showed that light to moderate drinking increases the risk of breast cancer.

So keep counting the alcohol units during the festive time.

References

1. U.K. Study: Moderate alcohol intake and cancer incidence in women.

2. U.S.A study. Light to moderate intake of alcohol, drinking patterns, and risk of cancer: results from two prospective US cohort studies. BMJ 2015; 351 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.h4238 (Published 18 August 2015). Cite this as: BMJ.2015;351:h4238

3. Telegraph. Drinking alcohol raises risk of cancer by snapping DNA, scientists find.

4. Telegraph U.K. Just one in five women at risk of breast cancer know alcohol increases the danger.

Is whole milk harmful ?

December 6, 2019December 5, 2019

In years gone by , many viewed milk as a wholesome healthy food. Government encouraged consumption of milk by providing free milk.

But in recent years, milk is viewed with suspicion.

Vegans shun milk and diary products.

Perhaps the Vegans got it right all along at least as far as whole milk is concerned.

A very large study involving 168 153 women and 49 602 men was published recently in British Medical Journal. The study found that whole milk intake is associated with increased risk of death from heart problems and from some cancers such as lung cancer, ovarian cancer, and prostate cancer.

Interestingly “Cheese and yogurt intake was NOT associated with increased risk of death”.

The risk was also less with “skimmed or low fat milk”.

References

1. Government Cheap Milk Scheme. Br Med J 1940; 2 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.2.4170.806-b (Published 07 December 1940)

2. Vegetarian diets. BMJ 2009; 339 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.b2507 (Published 08 July 2009)

3. Associations of dairy intake with risk of mortality in women and men: three prospective cohort studies. BMJ 2019; 367 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.l6204 (Published 27 November 2019). Cite this as: BMJ 2019;367:l6204

Futile antibiotic treatments

December 3, 2019December 5, 2019

Infections are normally highly treatable with antibiotics.

But when someone is dying , the body’s immune system gets weaker. Hence infections quite often occur as part of the dying process.

Treating these infections are often futile. But human nature is inclined to “fight and survive” by all means. So quite often powerful antibiotics are used to treat these infections in dying patients.

There is an ethical argument against futile treatments.

There is also the risk of antibiotic resistance in general population if antibiotics are used inappropriately.

Submit your views at BMJ journal website (rapid response section).

References

Access the article at: http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.l6706

Toll-free link:

http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/bmj.l6706?ijkey=ZXN1zz6QXpPz8np&keytype=ref