World Cancer Day 2023: Can Brain Tumor In Children Be Cancerous? Here is What Experts Say :

The disease burden of cancer is increasing at a very drastic rate and is now also affecting the younger generation. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), almost 75,000 children in India suffer from cancer every year.

Among these, brain tumors are one of the most common types of cancers in children with almost 1 out of 4 childhood cancers being brain tumors.

Although brain tumors can be cancerous (malignant) or non-cancerous (benign), the risk of it developing into cancer is high in children as most of the initial symptoms often go unnoticed by parents. Other than the brain, there is very little space in the skull to expand. As a result, brain tumors increase the pressure in this enclosed region. Malignant tumors grow rapidly compared with benign ones, increasing the risk of life-threatening consequences.

Recent advances have been encouraging in the treatment of these dreaded tumors of children. A multidisciplinary approach including a Neuro Oncologist, Neurosurgeon and Rehabilitative team is often required to maximize the outcomes and improve the growth potential and Quality of Life in these children.

About the author: Dr. Karan Chanchalani is a Consultant in Radiation Oncology at Manipal Hospital, Baner-Pune.

Dr. Abhijit Joshi, Consultant and HOD (Cardiology) at Manipal Hospital, Baner- Pune tells what are the precautions to be taken to prevent heart attack and cardiac arrest.

The number of heart patients in India has almost doubled in the last decade. According to the World Health Organization, India accounts for at least one-fifth of the 17.9 million deaths due to cardiovascular diseases in the world.

How to prevent heart disease:- The condition of cardiac arrest can be prevented from progressing by providing prompt medical assistance. This may enhance the description of the patient. The most important treatment for cardiac arrest is a defibrillator or chest compressions followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). These options may be extended to the patient's account until appropriate medical attention is received.

In the last two weeks, doctors in the city have reported a rise in viral infection cases, especially among high-risk patients like senior citizens and children

In the last two weeks, doctors in the city have reported a rise in viral infection cases, especially among high-risk patients like senior citizens and children. Many patients are complaining of dry cough, cold, viral fever, and vomiting. According to doctors, this is due to fluctuations in weather conditions.

 Dr. Suruchi Mandrekar, consultant, internal medicine, Manipal Hospitals, Baner, said that climate change affects human health in a variety of ways.

 “In the last few days, our hospital has seen an increased number of viral infections where almost five out of ten patients coming in our OPD suffer from viral fever and secondary infections. Therefore, it is important to remain cautious during the change of season. One must wash hands often with soap and water, and avoid crowds during the cold and flu season. Apart from that, good oral hygiene can also protect from germs in the mouth leading to infections. It is also advised to get vaccinated every year against influenza,” said Dr. Mandrekar.

Jameela went on to say that it is a "really serious condition that impacts every single part of your body".

A few days ago, British actor Jameela Jamil opened up about a rare genetic condition called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), about which she made a video on Instagram, wherein she showed her stretchy facial skin on camera and her rather bendy elbow joint. “Jesus Christ, that is not an app. That is not a filter. That is just my face. Look how elastic that is,” the ‘She-Hulk: Attorney at Law‘ actor said in the video, wherein she pulled her own cheeks. She added, “The reason it is so elastic is that I have something called EDS, which is Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.”

The 36-year-old went on to say that she is ‘hypermobile’, which means there is joint hypermobility with a large range of movements in some or all of the joints. “It pertains to my joints, as you can see, nothing bends the right way, everything bends the wrong way,” she explained while extending her arm.

 Dr. Reshu Agrawal, consultant – internal medicine, Manipal Hospitals, Baner-Pune told indianexpress.com that connective tissue is a complex mixture of proteins and other substances that provide strength and elasticity to the underlying structures in the body. “Basically, EDS is caused by faults in certain genes which make connective tissues weaker. The symptoms vary from person to person and depend on the type of EDS. Some of the common symptoms include extremely-flexible joints leading to easy dislocation, early arthritis, and fragile skin that bruises easily,” she said.

Worrying signs that your fatty liver is getting worse

Fatty liver in many people goes undiagnosed in the early stages because it's most asymptomatic. Here are signs that your fatty liver is getting worse. Fatty liver often appears harmless and has rarely any symptoms in the initial stages. It all starts with a build-up of fat in liver that is not broken down properly due to consuming too many calories or diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol among others.

"Fatty liver is on the rise due to lifestyle and diet changes. A sedentary lifestyle and excess intake of processed and high-calorie diet are some of the major causes of this condition. Though alcohol tops the chart as an etiology for fatty liver, non-alcoholic fatty liver is equally on the rise due to this," says Dr Amol Dahale, Consultant, Gastroenterology, Manipal Hospitals, Baner-Pune.

Nasal vaccine for Covid-19: Will it be a game-changer as new cases rise?

Nasal vaccines have recently been introduced as a booster dose that may protect people against Covid and the new variants that are resurfacing. Scroll down to know more about the nasal vaccine and its effectiveness.

Covid-19 is still looming large in several countries, which has led to a scare among the authorities in India. Ahead of the coronavirus scare, the Indian government approved the use of Covid nasal vaccine. Reports suggest that India is the first country in the world to approve the emergency use of the nasal vaccine. With vaccination still your best guard against virulent disease, it is best to get inoculated with the booster dose, which is the vaccine given to patients once they have received the first two doses of Covid-19 vaccine.

If you’re wondering what the Covid nasal vaccine is and how it works, we have you covered! Health shots reached out to Dr Suruchi Mandrekar, who is a consultant internal medicine at Manipal Hospitals in Baner-Pune to know more about it.

The pandemic has been challenging for people of all age groups, including expecting mothers. While pregnancy can be a beautiful time for a woman, it can also become challenging, especially with the sudden surge of diseases. It is important to pay attention to maternal immunization as it increases the benefits for both mother and child. Pregnancy vaccinations can directly protect the mother from diseases that can be avoided, hence protecting the developing fetus.

As newborn babies have a weaker immunity system, there is a higher risk of developing infectious diseases that can even become fatal for them. Hence, there are certain vaccinations that every woman should take during pregnancy which are not only safe for the baby but also protect them from flu for several months after birth.

Dr. Abhijit Joshi- Consultant and Head of the Department Cardiology, Manipal Hospital, Baner, Pune, said that the COVID-19 virus is having an affinity towards cardiac muscle and this disturbs the normal blood clotting mechanism in the body.

 He further explained that during the covid pandemic, it was observed that patients who were not diabetic or hypertensive became borderline diabetic and hypertensive. Since coronary artery disease remains without symptoms for a long time and if the patient suffers covid then they may present with acute heart attack, which needs immediate intervention like angioplasty. "The heart attacks during the covid period were more complicated due to late presentation to the hospital as well as nonresponse to routine medication. 5) Many episodes of lung blood vessel clotting (pulmonary embolism) were seen and were potentially life-threatening," Dr. Joshi told TheHealthSite.com.

Headline: Respiratory issues rise with fluctuations of night temps, say Pune docs

Doctor quoted: Dr. Bhushan Nagarkar, Consultant, Critical Care, Manipal Hospitals, Baner- Pune

Headline: Respiratory issues rise with fluctuations of night temps, say Pune docs

Doctor quoted: Dr. Bhushan Nagarkar, Consultant, Critical Care, Manipal Hospitals, Baner- Pune