Latest breakthrough in cancer treatment

A team of scientists from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center in Baltimore have developed a new technique for detecting the effectiveness of cancer treatment.

The latest technique is called as personalised analysis of rearranged ends which employs blood tests.
The principal behind the test is the detection of fingerprint DNA which are shed by the tumour cells.If these cells are derected after a successful chemotherapy,surgical removal,radiotherapy,it indicates the recurrence of cancer.This tecnique can be employed to detect the recurrence much before the conventional scans.
The major drawback is the high cost which will hopefully come down affordable to a common man
This tecnique is likely to emerge as a new technique within 5 years.

Wonderland in saliva

Recently a team of researchers discovered that there are a wide variety of bacteriae residing in our saliva.They found 101 known bacterial genera,36 of them newly seen in mouth and about 64 novel types.People in each location shared about 60% of the bacteriae in common and people from different places shared about 50% of bacteriae in common.

Pericardial tamponade

Fluid or blood gets collected in the pericardial sac.This condition effects the normal functioning of the heart.
The patient complains of breathlessness,chest pain,syncope.
The signs of pericardial tamponade are pulsus paradoxus,raised JVP on inspiration,third heart sounds.
The investigation done are ecg,echocardiography.ECG may show changing cardiac axis,flattening of waves.
The treatment is mainly aimed at clearing the fluid collection.

TETRALOGY OF FALLOT

It is a congenital disorder.It occurs as a result of developmental anomaly.The heart wont be able to function normally due to lack of it’s proper functional structures.


Tetralogy of FALLOT is characterized by obstruction to the right ventricular outflow,hypertrophy of right ventricle,ventricular septal defect and dextroposition of aorta with septal override.

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:-

It depends on the degree to which right ventricle is obstructed,time of onset of symptoms and degree of cyanosis.Cyanosis(bluish colour on lips,oral cavity,face) may be present or absent at birth.It precipitates usually by one year.The other clinical manifestations are clubbing,dyspnea(difficulty to breath)on exertion,squatting at times of attack.Cyanotic attacks precipitate as the child becomes active in his later stages of life and lasts for minutes to hours.The growth of the child will be delayed.The associated symptoms are convulsions,restlessness,hyperpenic,gasping respiration,hypoxia and acidosis.It lasts for minutes to hours.

On examination the heart beat will be normal.On x ray examination a concavity can be seen on the left heart border and elevation of heart border.

Major Complications are:-

Cyanotic spells,cerebral thrombosis,brain abcess,infection of the heart wall with bacteria,Congestive cardiac failure.

TREATMENT:-

Treatment is done by a systematic approach.Severe obstruction to the outflow of right ventricle is treated to increase pulmonary blood flow by keeping pulmonary duct by administration of PGE1 and this is a temporary measure till surgery.In less severe cases,medical management is by prevention and prompt treatment of dehydration.oral propanolol administration.

CYANOTIC SPELL is managed by eeiping the patient in a knee-chest positon,administering oxygen and glucose,morphine .2mg/kg,propanolol I.V 0.1mg/kg,correction of acidosis.

Complications like brain absess is treated by administration of antibiotics for 6 weeks,polycytemia by adequate hydration,phlebotomy and volume replacement,bacterial endocarditis by administration of antibiotics for 6 weeks.

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT:-

1.PALLIATIVE PROCEDURE:-decrease hypoxia,improves growth,augments pulmonary artery growth and increae pulmonary artery blood flow.

2.CORRECTIVE SURGERY:-Often aimed at curing.The patient can lead a near normal life.It is performed in early infancy.