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Background: Air pollution in India is a serious issue with the major sources being motor vehicle emissions, thermal power stations, cooling towers, biomass burning, fuel adulteration, factory smoke, and stubble burning. Chronic exposure to ambient air pollution has obtunded effects on the development of lung function in children and detrimental effects on lung function of adults. The adverse effects of pollution on lung function increase the development of lung diseases in the future. Aims and Objective: The aim of the study was a comparison of lung function between two groups of population with different occupations, one group with outdoor occupation (high exposure) and second group with indoor occupation (low exposure). Settings and Design: It was a cross-sectional study and the sampling approach was Quota sampling. Quota sampling is a type of non-probabilistic sampling. There are certain groups of people who are particularly vulnerable to ambient air pollution because of their sustained high exposure like traffic police personnel deputed at traffic junctions, auto rickshaw driver/Taxi driver, E-Rickshaw driver plying in this area, and road side vendors this group. Low exposure group chosen were employee of offices and showrooms who are working indoor. Methods and Materials: This study was a two groups of 245 participants in each. First group with outdoor occupation and second group with indoor occupation having different level of exposure to air pollution due to their nature of occupation. Lung function parameters FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEFR, and FEF were compared between two groups. Statistical Analysis: SPSS 26 software was used. Independent “T” test for continuous data type for different population, paired “T” test within the group, and Chi-square test for categorical data were applied. Results: Among high exposure group, 62.7% and 9.4% were found to have restrictive and normal lung function pattern, respectively. In comparison, among low exposure group, 31% and 59.5% were found to have restrictive and normal lung function pattern, respectively. Among outdoor group, there was a significant decline of lung function parameters such as FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEFR, and FEF in comparison to indoor group. Conclusion: In this study, the lung function parameters were decreased in population working outdoor and chronically exposed to air pollution, in comparison to indoor subjects.

Elderly population is increasing progressively all over the world. Diseases of respiratory system are important cause of morbidity & mortality in elderly. Health-care utilization is an important element of health care.Cross-sectional study of elderly aged 60yrs & above was conducted in urban & rural area of NCR & Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh. First part included socio-demographic characteristics and self-reported co-morbidities. This first part screened out suspected respiratory cases and they were asked questionnaire regarding health care utilization. In urban 282/1522(18.5%) & in rural. 298/1503 (19.8%) were found to be suffering actually from respiratory illness. For chronic respiratory illness allopathic services were used by 91.8% (259/282) urban & 75.5% (225/298) rural elderly. Urban area were utilizing services of private health care providers most commonly. In our study 36.6% (109/298) & 20.5% (61/298) rural elderly were taking over the counter treatment from medical stores or going to a quack for acute & chronic respiratory illness respectively. During acute illness 60.7% (181/298) rural elderly choose health care service due to belief but during chronic illness only 51.3% (153/298) elderly stated it as a reason for choosing health care service. Affordability as a reason for selection of particular health service increased from 23.2% (69/298) in acute illness to 36.9% (110/298) in chronic illness.Majority of elderly are illiterate & dependent on family for support. Private health care services are preferred especially by urban elderly. Public healthcare services are used more for chronic illness than acute illness.

BACKGROUND: The first national severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) serosurvey in India, done in May-June, 2020, among adults aged 18 years or older from 21 states, found a SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody seroprevalence of 0·73% (95% CI 0·34-1·13). We aimed to assess the more recent nationwide seroprevalence in the general population in India. METHODS: We did a second household serosurvey among individuals aged 10 years or older in the same 700 villages or wards within 70 districts in India that were included in the first serosurvey. Individuals aged younger than 10 years and households that did not respond at the time of survey were excluded. Participants were interviewed to collect information on sociodemographics, symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, exposure history to laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases, and history of COVID-19 illness. 3-5 mL of venous blood was collected from each participant and blood samples were tested using the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay. Seroprevalence was estimated after applying the sampling weights and adjusting for clustering and assay characteristics. We randomly selected one adult serum sample from each household to compare the seroprevalence among adults between the two serosurveys. FINDINGS: Between Aug 18 and Sept 20, 2020, we enrolled and collected serum samples from 29 082 individuals from 15 613 households. The weighted and adjusted seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in individuals aged 10 years or older was 6·6% (95% CI 5·8-7·4). Among 15 084 randomly selected adults (one per household), the weighted and adjusted seroprevalence was 7·1% (6·2-8·2). Seroprevalence was similar across age groups, sexes, and occupations. Seroprevalence was highest in urban slum areas followed by urban non-slum and rural areas. We estimated a cumulative 74·3 million infections in the country by Aug 18, 2020, with 26-32 infections for every reported COVID-19 case. INTERPRETATION: Approximately one in 15 individuals aged 10 years or older in India had SARS-CoV-2 infection by Aug 18, 2020. The adult seroprevalence increased approximately tenfold between May and August, 2020. Lower infection-to-case ratio in August than in May reflects a substantial increase in testing across the country. FUNDING: Indian Council of Medical Research.

Background: There is increasing concern of ambient air pollution as a global threat to humans. The most prominent effect of air pollution is on lung function. The air pollution causes decline in lung function amongst high exposure populations. There are some most vulnerable groups who are chronically exposed to ambient air pollution like traffic policemen, roadside hawkers, Banjara community in India, E-Rickshaw drivers etc. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted in East Delhi, India. Spirometry was done for roadside hawkers having high exposure to ambient Air pollution and working daily for 6-8 hours for the last more than 3 years. The low exposure group was taken from personnel working inside offices. The spirometry parameters of both the groups were compared. Student ‘T’ test was applied for statistical analysis with the help of SPSS software. Results: Comparison of FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC ratio among two groups revealed lower values for the high exposure group which was statistically significant. Among high exposure group the mixed pattern of ventilation defect was observed. Among low exposure group normal pattern of lung function was observed. Conclusion: Roadside hawkers are a vulnerable group to ambient air pollution resulting in their lower values of lung function parameters with resultant mixed ventilator defect and consequently high risk for development of respiratory diseases in the future.

Background: Breast and cervical cancers are two major cancers affecting women's health. Breast cancer is the most invasive cancer, and cervical cancer is the fourth most leading cause of death among women. Analysis of updated incidence data and their trends would help policymakers in planning and organizing programs to reduce the burden. This study aims to present regional variations in recent years and study trends of both the cancers in India. Materials and Methods: For recent incidence rates of cervical and breast cancers, data were obtained from the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) reports (2009–2011) for 25 registries and of 2012–2014 for 27 registries. Trends were studied for data obtained from different NCRP reports for the years 1982–2014 in six major registries. One in number of person who developed cancer and the annual Percentage change in incidence were calculated along with the trend analysis for both the cancers. The Joinpoint Regression Model was used for trend analysis. Results: The age-adjusted rate (AAR) of incidence of breast cancer in the South region was 36.78 in 2009–2011 as against the North region with 41 in 2012–2014. One in number who develop breast cancer remains highest in the North-East region but changed from 167 in 2009 to 200 in 2012. Cervical cancer was also the highest in the North-East region during 2009 and 2012. There is an increase in the overall cervical cancer incidence with 24.3 AAR in 2009 to 28.0 in 2012 and one in 200 who develop cervical cancer in 2009 to 250 in 2012. The trend analysis for six major registries showed an increase in the incidence of breast cancer, with the highest increase in New Delhi (3.22), and decrease in the incidence of cervical cancer, with the highest decrease in Mumbai (−1.21). Conclusion: There has been an exponential increasing trend in breast cancer and a steep declining linear trend in cervical cancer, conferring an inverse relationship between the two cancers. This trend is present in all the major cancer registries.

Background Role of Oral Contraceptive (OC) as a risk factor for cervical cancer remained controversial and unclear. Objective To evaluate risk of cervical cancer in OC users and non-users through a comprehensive systematic review. Search strategy Literature search conducted in databases from January 1990 till August 2019 using various search terms. Selection criteria Primary research studies that evaluated and assessed the association of OC use with cervical cancer with study design of case control or cohort types published in English language. Data collection and analysis PRISMA guided review was done by two independent researchers. Effect size estimated by pooled Odds ratio with 95 % Confidence Interval (CI) in random effect models on OC pill use for the risk of cervical cancer. Results Review included 19 studies. Overall risk of invasive cancer on OC use was found to be significant with unknown status of HPV OR (95 % CI) as 1.51 (1.35, 1.68) and for unknown HPV as 1.66 (1.24, 2.21). Adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and carcinoma in situ had significant association with OR (95 % CI) of 1.77 (1.4, 2.24), 1.29 (1.18, 1.42) and 1.7 (1.18, 2.44) respectively. Conclusion OC pills use had a definite associated risk for developing cervical cancer specially for Adenocarcinoma and longer duration of OC pills use.

Background: Incidence of common types of skin cancers in India is not reported and its comparison with global load would be helpful statistics. Aim: The aim of this study is to summarize and report recent skin cancer incidence in India and to compare it with the incidence globally. Materials and Methods: Age-specific rates and age-adjusted rates (AARs) of the incidence of skin cancer for all ages (0–75 years) were collected from India and the world, respectively, from the National Cancer Registry Programme and GLOBOCAN 2018. Results: The AAR per 100,000 of melanoma of the skin was highest in the North region of India for both males and females with 1.62 and with 1.21, respectively. The incidence of nonmelanoma of the skin or other skin cancers for males was highest in the East region with 6.2 and for females in Northeast with 3.49. Among nonmelanoma, northeast region showed the maximum incidence for both male (75.6) and female (43.6) sexes. Globally, AAR of melanoma of skin for males was highest in the Western Pacific region with 36.9 and for the females; AAR was highest in the European region with 31.7. The incidence of nonmelanoma of the skin or other skin cancers for males was highest in the Western pacific region with 225.4 and 68.6 for females. Conclusion: Summary of the incidence rates of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancers which shows that though there are regional variations of incidence in India is lower than that of in the West.

Objective: The ASCO/CAP guidelines for reporting HER2 in breast cancer, first released in 2007, aimed to standardize the reporting protocol, and were updated in 2013 and 2018, to ensure right treatment. Several studies have analyzed the changes attributed to 2013 updated guidelines, and majority of them found increase in positive and equivocal cases. However, the precise implication of these updated guidelines is still contentious, in spite of the latest update (2018 guidelines) addressing some of the issues. We conducted systematic review and meta- analysis to see the impact of 2013 guidelines on various HER2 reporting categories by both FISH and IHC. Materials and Methods: After extensively searching the pertinent literature, 16 studies were included for the systematic review. We divided our approach in three strategies: (1) Studies in which breast cancer cases were scored for HER2 by FISH or IHC as a primary test concurrently by both 2007 and 2013 guidelines, (2) Studies in which HER2 results were equivocal by IHC and were followed by reflex-FISH test by both 2007 and 2013 guidelines, and (3) Studies in which trends of HER2 reporting were compared in the two periods before and after implementation of updated 2013 guidelines. All the paired data in these respective categories was pooled and analyzed statistically to see the overall impact of the updated guidelines. Results: In the first category, by pooled analysis of primary FISH testing there has been a significant increase in the equivocal cases (P < 0.001) and positive cases (P = 0.037). We also found 8.3% and 0.8% of all the negative cases from 2007 guidelines shifted to equivocal and positive categories, respectively. Similarly by primary IHC testing there has been a significant increase in both equivocal cases (P < 0.001) and positive cases (P = 0.02). In the second category of reflex-FISH testing there was a substantial increase in the equivocal cases (P < 0.0001); however there is insignificant decrease (10% to 9.7%; P = 0.66) in the amplified cases. In the third approach for evaluating the trend, with the implementation of 2013 guidelines, there was increase in the equivocal category (P = 0.025) and positive category (P = 0.0088) by IHC. By FISH test also there was significant increase in the equivocal category (P < 0.001) while the increase in the positive category was non-significant (P = 0.159). Conclusions: The updated 2013 guidelines has significantly increased the positive and equivocal cases using primary FISH or IHC test and with further reflex testing, thereby increasing the double equivocal cases and increasing the cost and delaying the decision for definite management. However, whether the additional patients becoming eligible for HDT will derive treatment benefit needs to be answered by further large clinical trials.

Background Earlier studies are mostly based on the first three National Family Health Surveys (NFHSs) for estimating and comparing prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among Indian women and lack the information on latest survey. Objectives The objective of this work was to study and compare the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity among Indian women using the updated data from different NFHSs. Materials and methods Data collected under three surveys – NFHS-2, NFHS-3 and NFHS-4 – from different states of India were arranged according to geographical regions. Data on age, marital status, area of urban or rural, education, religion and wealth index were also collected. Body mass index (BMI) less than 18.5 kg/m2 was labelled as ‘underweight’, 25–30 kg/m2 ‘overweight’ and greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 ‘obese’. Results Overall prevalence of underweight in Indian women reduced to 22.9%, while overweight (15.5%) and obese (5.1%) increased over different survey years. There was a decline in prevalence of underweight (−17.1%) and increase in prevalence of overweight (7.3%) and obese (2.3%) among illiterate. The urban areas showed comparatively higher burden of obesity (9.1%) than the rural areas (3.1%), but there was not much change (4.8–6%) over years. Prevalence of underweight remained higher in rural areas (26.7%) although there was apparent decline (13.8%). The states/union territories (UTs) belonging to Central (25.3%–28.3%) and Eastern regions (21.3%–31.5%) of India showed higher prevalence of underweight. Conclusion Indian women are recovering from throes of underweight, but a rising trend in overweight and obesity is a great concern.

SIGNIFICANCEStudies reporting the prevalence and associated risk factors of myopia among schoolchildren in India are limited. Knowledge about the prevalence and the modifiable risk factors associated with myopia development will help in planning cost-effective strategies to prevent its progression i

Cancer of unknown primary (CUP) origin is cancer in which malignant cancer cells are in the body but the site of cancer where it began is unknown. Detailed incidence and time trends of these cancers, specific to various regions in India is needed. This paper aims to summarize and report the incidence of other and unknown (OU) cancers across India in 27 population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) and to study the trends among these cancers using joinpoint regression analysis.Data on the incidence of CUP were obtained from the published reports on 27 PBCRs of the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). A joinpoint regression model was used to analyze the long-term trends of incidence related to CUP based on published data from PBCRs between 1986 and 2014. Annual Percent Change (APC) in incidence rate was estimated for various registries.The northeast region had the highest age-adjusted rate (AAR) for both men (1.76-29.7) and women (1.99-14.68). Age-specific rate (ASR) for both men (39.8-855.7) and women (48.2-470.4) was highest in the northeast region. There is an increase in the incidence rate for all six major registries over the past decade with an exception of women in the Delhi Cancer Registry. There is a decline in incidence rate by 0.14 during 1990-2012 in the female population of the Delhi registry.The increasing incidence trends of CUP is a matter of concern for the healthcare professionals and researchers. There is a need for research and advanced and improved diagnostic tools for the improvement of the status of OU cancers.

Background: Repeated cross-sectional serosurveys in the same geographic area establish the trend of the evolving pandemic. We present the findings of the third round of a national serosurvey to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among the general population and health care workers of India. Methods: We conducted the third population-based serosurvey between Dec 18, 2020 and Jan 6, 2021 in the same 700 villages or wards from 70 districts in 21 states across India, which were selected for the first and second serosurveys. We enrolled from each district, at least 400 individuals aged ≥ 10 years from general population and 100 HCWs from sub-district level public health facilities. Serum samples from general population were tested for the presence of IgG antibodies against nucleocapsid (N) and spike protein (S1-RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 using the Abbott and Siemens assays respectively, whereas sera from HCWs were tested for anti-S1-RBD. For general population, sera positive for either of the antibodies were considered positive, while sera positive for anti-S1-RBD were considered as positive for HCW. Weighted seroprevalence estimates were adjusted for sensitivity and specificity of respective assays. Findings: Of the 28,598 sera from general population, 4585 (16%) had IgG antibodies against N, 6647 (23.2%) against S1-RBD and 7436 (26%) against either. The weighted and assay characteristic adjusted seroprevalence against either of the antibodies was 24.1 (95%CI: 23.0% to 25.3%). Seroprevalence was lower in rural areas (21.4%, 95% CI: 20.3% to 22.6%) compared to urban non-slum (29.4%, 95% CI: 26.9% - 32.1%) and slum areas (34.6%, 95% CI: 31.0% to 38.3%). Among 7385 HCWs, the seroprevalence of anti-S1-RBD IgG antibodies was 25.6% (95% CI: 23.5% to 27.8%). Interpretation: Nearly one in four individuals aged 10 years or older from general population as well as HCWs were exposed to SARS-CoV-2 by December 2020 amounting to 271 million infections in India. Funding Statement: Indian Council of Medical Research Declaration of Interests: All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare no competing interests Ethics Approval Statement: The project was approved by Institutional Human Ethics Committee at ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology.

Background: India witnessed a severe second wave of COVID-19 during March and June 2021. We did the fourth nationwide serosurvey to estimate prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in the general population aged >=6 years and health care workers (HCWs). Methods: We did a cross-sectional study between 14 June and 6 July 2021 in 700 clusters in the same 70 districts across 21 states/Union Territory. From each district, a minimum of 400 individuals aged >=6 years from general population and 100 HCWs from the district public health facilities were included. The serum samples were tested for the presence of IgG antibodies against S1-RBD and nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 using chemiluminescence immunoassay. We estimated the weighted and test adjusted seroprevalence of IgG antibodies against S1-RBD and/or nucleocapsid protein along with 95% CI. Findings: Of the 28,975 sera tested, the weighted and test adjusted prevalence of IgG antibodies against S1-RBD and/or nucleocapsid protein among the general population aged >=6 years was 67.6% (95% CI: 66.4 – 68.7). The seroprevalence increased with age and was not different in rural and urban areas. Compared to unvaccinated adults (62.3%, 95% CI: 60.9 – 63.7), seroprevalence was significantly higher among individuals who received one (81.0%, 95% CI: 79.6 - 82.3) and two doses (89.8%, 95% CI: 88.4 - 91.1). The seroprevalence of IgG antibodies among 7,252 health care workers was 85.2% (95% CI: 83.5 - 86.7). Interpretation: Nearly one third of the population is still seronegative. It is necessary to accelerate the coverage of COVID-19 vaccination among adults and continue adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions. Funding: Indian Council of Medical Research. Declaration of Interest: None to declare. Ethical Approval: The Institutional Human Ethics Committee of the ICMR National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai approved the study protocol.

Introduction/Background There are a few scattered primary level studies from various regions of the globe proving impact of co-morbidities on survival in ovarian cancer patients. In last 20 years, there has been improvement in survival among ovarian cancer patients. Radical surgical approaches and advancements in chemotherapeutic agents have primarily contributed for same. Pre-existing uncontrolled co-morbidities impact ovarian cancer survival directly and indirectly. This affects the performance status of the patient leading to delay in treatment or aversion from radical surgical approaches thereby not achieving the goal of optimal treatment. It may also lead to a less aggressive chemotherapeutic modifications of using lower doses or single agent chemotherapy. The objective of this study was to systematically review the literature and summarize prevalence of various comorbidities with evaluation of impact of the Charlson Co-morbidity Index (CCI) on survival in ovarian cancer patients. Methodology Primary studies were identified by following a defined search strategy on the prevalence of co-morbidity and survival pattern among ovarian cancer patients. This study has been conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines for systematic review. Co-morbidity assessment in the included studies had been done through the Charlson Co-morbidity Index (CCI) tool. Qualitative summarization of data from included studies for prevalence of various co-morbidities and influence of CCI score on survival in ovarian cancer patients has been performed. Results Common co-morbidities prevalent in ovarian cancer patients were hypertension (11% to 26%), cardio vascular disease (4.5% to 12%) and diabetes (2.5% to 8.3%). Less commonly occurring co-morbidities were liver disease, renal disease, neurological problems and collagen vascular disease. Majority of ovarian cancer patients lie in CCI score 0 (68% - 76%). The range for one year% survival for CCI score 0 was 73 to 80%, for CCI score 1–2 : 58 to 71% and CCI score 2+ : 43 to 53%. The range five year% survival for CCI score 0 was 37 to 43%, for CCI score 1–2 : 24 to 30% and CCI score 2+ : 12 to 23%. Conclusion Co-morbidities plays an important role in survival outcomes among ovarian cancer patients. Overall one year% and five year% survival decreases with increase in the CCI index score. Disclosures The authors have no conflict of interest.

Background & objectives: Population-based seroepidemiological studies measure the extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection in a country. We report the findings of the first round of a national serosurvey, conducted to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among adult population of India. Methods: From May 11 to June 4, 2020, a randomly sampled, community-based survey was conducted in 700 villages/wards, selected from the 70 districts of the 21 States of India, categorized into four strata based on the incidence of reported COVID-19 cases. Four hundred adults per district were enrolled from 10 clusters with one adult per household. Serum samples were tested for IgG antibodies using COVID Kavach ELISA kit. All positive serum samples were re-tested using Euroimmun SARS-CoV-2 ELISA. Adjusting for survey design and serial test performance, weighted seroprevalence, number of infections, infection to case ratio (ICR) and infection fatality ratio (IFR) were calculated. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with IgG positivity. Results: Total of 30,283 households were visited and 28,000 individuals were enrolled. Population-weighted seroprevalence after adjusting for test performance was 0.73 per cent [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34-1.13]. Males, living in urban slums and occupation with high risk of exposure to potentially infected persons were associated with seropositivity. A cumulative 6,468,388 adult infections (95% CI: 3,829,029-11,199,423) were estimated in India by the early May. The overall ICR was between 81.6 (95% CI: 48.3-141.4) and 130.1 (95% CI: 77.0-225.2) with May 11 and May 3, 2020 as plausible reference points for reported cases. The IFR in the surveyed districts from high stratum, where death reporting was more robust, was 11.72 (95% CI: 7.21-19.19) to 15.04 (9.26-24.62) per 10,000 adults, using May 24 and June 1, 2020 as plausible reference points for reported deaths. Interpretation & conclusions: Seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 was low among the adult population in India around the beginning of May 2020. Further national and local serosurveys are recommended to better inform the public health strategy for containment and mitigation of the epidemic in various parts of the country.

Objective: To study and compare the national and regional incidences and risk of developing of neoplasms of individual urogenital sites using 2012 – 2014 reports from the National Cancer Registry Programme (NCRP) data. Materials and Methods: A number of incident cases, age-adjusted rates (AARs), and cumulative risk (0 – 64 years) pertaining to urogenital neoplasms, along with the ICD-10 codes, were extracted. Data on indicators, namely number of incident cases, AARs and one in a number of persons develop cancer were summarized for both the sexes in each of the cancer registries and presented region-wise in the form of ranges. Results: The proportion of all urogenital neoplasms in comparison to all cancers was 12.51% in women and 5.93% in men. Risk of development of urogenital cancers for women was maximum (1 in 50) in the North-eastern region, followed by Rural West, South, and North. For men, the risk of developing neoplasms of urogenital sites was highest (1 in 250). For the neoplasms of the renal pelvis and ureter, both the incidence and risk were quite low for all genders across all the regions. Cervical neoplasms had the highest incidence (4.91 – 23.07) among female genital neoplasms, while prostate had the highest incidence (0.82 – 12.39) among male genital neoplasms. Conclusion: Making people aware of urogenital neoplasms and their risk factors are important for the public health awareness point of view. Centers that deal with either management of urogenital cases or/and screening of genital neoplasms could serve as the designated centers for creating such awareness.

Introduction Smokeless tobacco products have been linked to precancerous and cancers of oral cavity for long. Evidence was available on the association between smokeless tobacco (SLT) products and oral cancers at regional but not at global level. Present meta-analysis is aimed to evaluate the risk of oral cancer with the use of SLT products among “ever” versus “never” users. Method Studies published for the period (1960–2016) are retrieved using Pubmed, Indmed, EMBASE, and Google Scholar search engines for the subject “ever” versus “never” users of SLT products and estimated the risk association with oral cancer. Summary odds ratios (relative risk) are estimated and meta-analysis was performed using random-effects model. Results Thirty-seven studies from four of six WHO regions, Southeast Asia region (SEAR), the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), Europe, and region of Americas (North and South) are included in the analysis. Significant risk with SLT products with oral cancer was found for SEAR (4.44, 95% CI = 3.51 to 5.61) and for EMR (1.28, 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.56). Significantly higher risk (p < .001) was found for females (5.83, 95% CI = 2.93 to 11.58). Product wise analysis for different SLT products revealed various levels of risk viz. gutkha (8.67, 95% CI = 3.59 to 20.93), pan tobacco / betel liquid (7.18, 95% CI = 5.48 to 9.41), oral snuff (4.18, 50% CI = 2.37 to 7.38), Mainpuri tobacco (3.32, 95% CI = 1.32 to 8.36), and snus (0.86, 95% CI = 0.58 to 1.29). Conclusion A significant positive association was observed between SLT use and the risk of oral cancer, in SEAR, EMRs, and among women users. Implications The present meta-analysis demonstrates SLT product use and the risk of oral cancer at global level. Moreover, the present analysis provided data on the risk associated with individual SLT product. The results fulfil the gap in the data on independent effect of individual SLT product use on the outcome of oral cancer at global level, conclusively. Chewing SLT products was associated with higher risk of oral cancer than other types of SLT. This can serve as a useful tool for policy makers in forming strict policies in controlling SLT menace. Hence, we propose that in addition to smoking, efforts should be directed towards SLT product cessation as well in reducing oral cancer incidence.

Background: Tobacco use is the leading global cause of preventable death. There is estimation that three quarters of these deaths will be in low and middle income countries. Very few studies were available on the tobacco habit of transport staff from India. Aims and Objectives: Prevalence of habits for various tobacco products and initiating/ quitting patterns of these habits in Drivers and conductors. Material and Methods: Cross sectional survey was conducted on the staff of drivers conductors, technicians of government bus depot. Out of total 903 staff 702 could be contacted and surveyed. Results: The mean age was 36.4 ± 10.3 years. The mean age of initiation was 10-15 years. This have very high rate (77.9%) of tobacco and alcohol use. As a single habit chewing was more popular compared to smoking followed by alcohol. More than half of the chewers consume more than 4 pkts (20-25 grams in weight) of Gutka per day an even 30 to 40 pkts of Gutka consumption in a single day was reported by some staff. Addiction was a common feature for tobacco habit in this community for tobacco use (97%). Peer group pressure was the most important single cause of initiation of tobacco habits. Nearly half (44.3%) tobacco users want to quit the habit. Most common symptoms which tobacco users have were burning sensation in stomach or acidity. Conclusions: Repeated awareness programmes about the ill effect of tobacco and counselling/ de-addiction programmes are very much needed from the transport department and government are needed to improve the situation

Background: The first round of national serosurvey in India was conducted in May-June 2020 among adults from 21 States. The second serosurvey was conducted in August-September 2020 to estimate the nationwide seroprevalence for SARS-CoV-2 infection in the general population aged ten years and above. Methods: The household serosurvey was conducted among individuals aged ten years and above in the same 700 villages and wards from 70 districts selected during the first serosurvey. Blood samples were tested using the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG assay. Seroprevalence was estimated after applying the sampling weights and adjusting for clustering and assay characteristics. In order to compare the adult seroprevalence between the two surveys, we randomly selected one adult serum sample from each household. Findings: The weighted and adjusted prevalence of infection among 29,082 individuals aged ten years and above was 6·6% (95% CI: 5·8% - 7·4%). The seroprevalence among adults was 7·1% (95% CI: 6·2% – 8·2%). Seroprevalence was similar across age groups, sex, and occupation. Seroprevalence was highest in urban slum areas followed by urban non-slum and rural areas. We estimated a cumulative 74·3 million infections in the country, with 26 – 32 infections for every reported COVID-19 case by August 2020. Interpretation: Nearly one in 15 individuals aged ten years and above had SARS-CoV-2 infection by August 2020. The adult seroprevalence increased ten times between May and August 2020. Lower infection to case ratio in August compared to May reflects a substantial increase in testing across the country. Funding: The study was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India. The study sponsor was involved in reviewing the study design, writing of the manuscript and the decision to submit the paper for publication. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: The authors obtained written informed consent from individuals aged 18 years and older. We obtained assent from children aged between 10–17 years, and written informed consent from their parents or guardians prior to the survey. The Central Ethics Committee of Health Research of Indian Council of Medical Research and the Institutional Human Ethics Committee of ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology, Chennai approved the study protocol.

Introduction Various primary studies and systematic reviews have been conducted to explain the association between smokeless tobacco and oral cancer. This study aims to consolidate and summarize the risk estimates from various systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis to provide the spectrum of estimates on the association between smokeless tobacco use and oral cancer. Methods A comprehensive literature search was done on various databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, IndMED, and TOXLINE) by two of the authors independently. Both qualitative and quantitative data extraction and analysis were performed for the included systematic reviews. Range of risk estimates was obtained and analyzed as quantitative findings due to the limitation of an overview of reviews for the pooled estimates. CASP (Critical Appraisals Skills Programme) and AMSTAR 2 (A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews) tools were used for the quality assessment of the studies included. Results In total, 12 systematic reviews with or without meta-analysis were included in the review. There was a positive and strong association of Smokeless Tobacco (SLT) use with oral cancer irrespective of gender, region, and type of smokeless tobacco. The risk estimate for the South-East Asia Region (SEAR) ranged 4.44-7.90, for Gutkha it was 8.67, while for Paan it ranged 6.3-7.90 and for overall SLT it ranged 1.36-7.90. Risk estimate for females ranged 5.83-14.56. Conclusions The study confirmed the association between SLT use and oral cancer. These findings are of high importance, especially to the South-East Asia Region.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is the second-most common cancer among women in the developing world and approximately 500,000 cases are diagnosed each year. In developed countries, cervical cancer (CCa) accounts for only 3.6% of newly diagnosed cancers. OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to identify the most effective barriers associated with CCa screening uptake in low and middle-income countries (L and MICs) and aid to adopt effective measures to overcome prevailing barriers to the attainment of CCa uptake in the community. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Health sciences electronic databases like MEDLINE, PubMed, Cochrane library, and Google Scholar were searched for studies published until August 2017. Keywords used for the search were (“cervical cancer screening”), (“barriers”), AND (“low income countries” OR “Middle income countries”). Articles were reviewed and data were extracted by using Mendeley Desktop Software (V-1.17.10). Income-level classification of countries was done as per the World Bank 2017 report. Statistical software like SPSS-V.23 and Medical-V.14 were used for the statistical application. RESULTS: A total of 31 studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 25,650 participants. The sample size of the included studies ranged from 97 to 5929 participants. Articles majorly reported data on participants from African region (51.6%) and minimally in the Western Pacific region (3.2%). Sampling methods among studies varied from convenience sampling-12 (39.7%) to consecutive sampling-1 (3.2%). Besides, two studies (6.5%) did not discuss their sampling procedures. It was observed that “Lack of information about CCa and its treatment” (Barrier of lack of knowledge and Awareness); “Embracement or shy” (Psychological Barrier); “Lack of time” (structural Barrier); and “Lack of family support” (Sociocultural and religious barrier) were the most commonly reported among all 22 barriers. CONCLUSION: There is a need of policies advancement of CCa screening programs by focusing on aspects of accessibility, affordability, CCa education, and the necessity of screening to improve screening uptake to control the CCa morbidity and mortality rate in L and MIC's.

Tobacco use is the most common cause of non-communicable disease related morbidity and mortality worldwide despite being preventable. Almost fifty percent or more than seven million tobacco users get killed each year and about 13 percent of them are non-smokers being exposed to second hand smoke (1). According to the recent National family health survey (NFHS-4) study for the year 2015-16, there were 38.9% men who use any kind of tobacco in urban while 48% in rural areas of India. On the other hand, 4.4% of women in urban and 8.1% in rural use any kind of tobacco. Prevalence of tobacco use in the ages of 13-15 among boys was 19% and girls 8.3 % according to global youth tobacco survey of 2009. The tobacco dependence was considered as disease by the international classification of diseases (ICD 10). Proportion of tobacco related cancers in comparison to all other cancers were reported to be as high as 25% in men and 18% in women (2).

Background: Tobacco related cancers (TRC) account for major share of all cancers and updated of incidence data are helpful in policy changes. The aim was to present an update of TRCs on age-adjusted incidence data and corresponding lifetime risk of developing TRC for different regions of the country. Methods: The data for this study were obtained from published reports of 25 population-based cancer registries (PBCRs) in India. The PBCRs in different parts of India were divided into seven regions such as North, South, Central, Northeast, West, Rural West, and East. Data indicators such as age-adjusted rates (AARs) of incidence and the cumulative risks of TRCs up to the age of 64 years for each of the 10 TRC sites of either sex in each of 25 registries were obtained from the National Cancer Registry Programme reports. Results: Among all TRCs, esophagus, lung, hypopharynx, and mouth are the leading sites for both males and females. Males in Northeast region had the highest risk 1 in 27 of developing esophageal cancer, 1 in 67 for cancer of lungs and hypopharynx, followed by 1 in 143 for both mouth and tongue cancers. Females also had the highest risk of esophagus and lungs (1 in 63 female) and cancer of mouth (1 in 250) in Northeast region. Proportion of TRC in comparison of all cancer ranged from 11–25% for men and 3–18% for women. Conclusions: Proportion of TRC in relation to all cancers was still high in different registries of India including the Northeast region.

Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) is recommended as a primary screening tool for cervical screening. Assessment of age-specific performance of newer HPV careHPV DNA testing is important as risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) varies at different ages. We aim to evaluate care HPV in comparison to Papanicolaou (Pap) test and visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid (VIA) cervical screening tests for the detection of high-grade CIN. Methods The cross sectional study was conducted in a rural population of North India. Ever-married women 30–59 years of age were invited for screening by careHPV (self-collected vaginal and physician-collected cervical samples), Pap test and VIA. Associations for trend in age for detecting histological-confirmed CINII+ and CINIII+ for each screening test were evaluated. Age-specific association with each screening test was evaluated. Results Of a total of 7761 women invited, 5032 were screened and analysis was performed on 4658 with all screen test results. No significant (p>0.05) association of age for any screening test in the detection of CINII+ or CINIII+ was observed. For the older age group, cervical HPV (CHPV) showed high sensitivity and specificity for CINII+ detection. Specificity of CHPV or vaginal HPV (VHPV) was equal or higher than Pap in all age groups. Conclusions Cervical screening options of CHPV or VHPV, or Pap, performed equally in the younger age group while CHPV might be an option for all ages in the detection of high-grade CIN.

Objective To evaluate the performance of careHPV DNA testing for human papillomavirus (HPV) on cervical and vaginal samples (CHPV and VHPV respectively) in adjunct screening together with visual inspection of the cervix by acetic acid (VIA) or Papanicolaou (Pap) tests in the detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Subjects and methods A cross-sectional study examined 4658 women 30–59 years of age by performing screening tests for HPV using careHPV on cervical and vaginal samples together with Pap and VIA. The CHPV and VHPV test results were presented as a ratio of viral load expressed in relative light units (RLUs) to the mean RLU from a positive control set at 1 pg/mL cut-off (CO). Performances of various pairs of screening tests in parallel and sequential settings were computed through the detection rates of CIN, percentages of unnecessary colposcopic referrals of screen positives, and compared with stand-alone tests. Results The screening positivity of CHPV, VHPV, Pap and VIA ranged from 2.4% to 5.5%. The highest sensitivity (72%) was observed for the combination of CHPV and VIA in parallel, followed by 65.6% for CHPV and Pap, and 59% for all other combinations (VHPV and Pap, VHPV and VIA, and VIA and Pap). The percentage of unnecessary colposcopic referrals in the parallel setting of CINII+ detection ranged from 2.8% to 6.0%. Sequential testing of CHPV or VHPV with other tests yielded very low sensitivities with a reduction in unnecessary colposcopic referrals. Conclusion Cervical careHPV testing (CHPV) in parallel with VIA was the option that performed best in the detection of high-grade CIN and could be a feasible option for low-resource countries (LRCs).

Introduction: Co-testing performance for detection of high grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN) has not been adequately addressed from Low Resource Countries (LRCs). Where isolated tests do not have adequate performance, further explorations are recommended. Aim: To evaluate the co-testing of conventional cervical screening tests such as Papanicolaou (Pap) and Visual Inspection Cervix with Acetic Acid (VIA), with care HPV on Cervical Samples (CHPV) or on Vaginal Samples (VHPV) in the detection of high grade CIN. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted on ever married women of age 30 to 59 years in a rural community of Dadri. Women were screened by CHPV, VHPV, and Pap and VIA methods. Confirmation of screen positives was done by histology. Sensitivity, Specificity and likelihood ratios of different combinations of test determined to evaluate the performance. Results: Total eligible women, 66.2% (5032/7604) responded for screening. Analysis was performed on 4658, after excluding those who did not complete all screenings. Co-testing of CHPV (OR=246) or VHPV (OR=278) with Pap had highest association. Positive likelihood ratios of CHPV and VHPV with Pap in CIN II+ detection rates were 13.0 and 11.8 and in CIN III+ the detection rates were 18.0 and 16.0 respectively. Higher sensitivities and specificities were observed in co-testing for CIN III+ detection as against CIN II+ lesions. Conclusion: Choice of co-testing in a pair of tests for detection of high grade CIN is likely to depend on whether screening is targeted for developed or low resource country. VIA in isolation might not yield optimal results for LRCs.

To compare viral load on careHPV DNA testing in self-collected vaginal (VHPC) and clinician-collected cervical (CHPC) samples for the detection of high-grade cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN).Cross-sectional study. Ever-married women aged 30-59 years were targeted for cervical screening. On attendance for screening, vaginal self-sampling was performed by the woman, and an auxiliary nurse midwife subsequently performed a per-speculum examination, collected a CHPV sample and a Pap smear, and made a visual inspection of the cervix with acetic acid. The ratio of viral load expressed in relative light units to positive controls set at a cut-off of 1pg/ml was used for careHPV quantitative assessment. The median viral load was compared using non-parametric tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed for the detection of CINII+ and CINIII+ in CHPV and VHPV samples.Overall, the median viral load in the 4658 women screened was higher in CHPV samples compared with VHPV samples (9.8-fold higher in cases of high-grade CIN). The median viral load was significantly higher among Pap-positive women compared with Pap-negative women in both CHPV and VHPV samples (p0.01). Assessment by ROC analysis for the detection of high-grade CIN did not differ significantly between CHPV and VHPV samples.Viral load on careHPV testing was comparable between self- and clinician-collected samples for the detection of high-grade CIN. The self-sampling approach may be an option for screening in low-resource countries.

Objective To compare cervical care HPV screening in a rural community setting with other methods of cervical screening for the detection of high-grade cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN). Study design: Cross-sectional study. All ever-married women aged 30–59 years surveyed in an administrative area of Uttar Pradesh, India were targeted for screening by care HPV (cervical and vaginal samples), Pap test and visual inspection of the cervix following application of acetic acid (VIA). Women who screened positive were referred for colposcopy and the results were confirmed histologically. Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values for the detection of histological CINII+ and CINIII+ were assessed for each screening test. Results Sixty-five percent (5032/7704) of the women invited for cervical screening agreed to participate in the study. Screen-positive rates for cervical care HPV, vaginal care HPV, Pap test and VIA were 3%, 2%, 3% and 6%, respectively. Data for women who did not complete all screening modes, women lost to follow-up and women with missing histological results were excluded before data analysis, resulting in a final sample size of 4658. Cervical care HPV had high sensitivity (85%) for the detection of CINIII+ lesions and moderate sensitivity (53%) for the detection of CINII+ lesions. Sensitivities for the detection of CINIII+ and CINII+ were 54% and 41% for vaginal care HPV, 62% and 44% for Pap test, and 8% and 22% for VIA, respectively. Conclusion Cervical care HPV testing is superior to VIA and Pap test for the detection of high-grade CIN in a rural community setting.