Health

A population-based study in Japan has revealed a gradual increase in the rates of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia (tAML) in recent years, especially after breast cancer treatment, a study showed on Monday.  The findings, published by Wiley online in Cancer, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, showed that some therapies used to treat cancer may increase the risk of later developing cancers that affect the blood. “tAML” is an aggressive cancer of the blood and bone marrow that develops after prior chemotherapy or radiation for an earlier, primary cancer, likely arising in part due to DNA damage from these treatments.  “The study provides an important step towards better understanding how the nature of tAML is changing with the increasing number of cancer survivo...

Financial protection gap for critical illnesses is widening even as employers and insurers ramp up preventive care and cost sharing mechanisms to shield workers and families from rising treatment costs, a report said on Monday on eve of World Health Day, celebrated on April 7 around the globe.  The professional services firm Aon said that employers in India are increasingly investing in preventive care, outpatient benefits, and digital health and wellness solutions, reflecting a broader shift toward proactive health management due to this gap. "Employers are increasingly recalibrating plan structures, introducing cost-sharing mechanisms such as voluntary top-ups, co-pay models, and employee-funded riders," the report said. The firm highlighted that India’s protection gap is high when co...

The government of Telangana has declared cancer a notifiable disease, making it mandatory for all government and private hospitals to report all cases of cancer. The Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare issued a Government Order in this regard on Tuesday, April 7, providing a mandatory reporting mechanism for all diagnosed cancer cases in the state to ensure availability of reliable and timely data for public health action. As per the order, all cases of cancer including in situ and invasive cancers, diagnosed or registered at any healthcare facility, laboratories, or Registrar of Births and Deaths in the state must be reported within one month of such diagnosis or registration, through the portal in the prescribed format. The objective of making cancer a notifiable disease ...

The French Ministry of Health has updated its official position on smokeless tobacco products following a recent report by the French Agency for Food Safety, Environment, and Occupational Health (ANSES).  After reviewing more than 2,500 scientific publications, the agency concluded that while smokeless tobacco products are not risk-free, their harm levels are considerably lower than those of conventional cigarettes. For India, this development merits careful consideration within the country`s broader public health context. The central finding from ANSES rests on a straightforward but important distinction- smokeless tobacco products do not burn and therefore do not produce smoke. It is combustion that generates more than 7,000 toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke, including aldehydes...

A woman in her 60s who was suffering from progressive Parkinson’s Disease for several years has shown significant improvement after advanced brain surgery. Mumbai doctors gave her hope after conducting a Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) surgery. It was by Dr Manish Baldia at Wockhardt Hospitals in Mumbai Central, following initial diagnosis and treatment by Dr Prashant Makhija, consultant neurologist. The patient initially presented with gradual slowing of movements, difficulty in walking, reduced speech clarity, and tremors in her limbs.  Like many patients, she initially attributed these symptoms to ageing and consulted multiple physicians before being evaluated for a neurological condition. Upon consultation with Dr Makhija, she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and started on medi...

Gurgaon doctors have given renewed hope to a 30-year-old married working professional (who wished to not be named), who had been struggling with severe period pain for two years, unaware that the underlying cause was severe endometriosis. Her symptoms gradually worsened to the point where routine daily activities became extremely difficult during her menstrual cycle. Multiple ultrasounds showed large ovarian cysts, around 10 centimeters on both ovaries, which were stuck to her uterus. The woman had been referred to several centres, but doctors often suggested removing the ovaries if surgery was performed. She underwent laparoscopic endometriosis cystectomy, where only the diseased portions of her ovaries were removed while preserving the healthy tissue. Complete clearance of such extensiv...

A routine task of cleaning a home aquarium turned into a medical emergency for an Indore family after a fish jumped into their toddler`s throat. Doctors surgically removed the fish from the one-year-old boy, officials said on Thursday. The freak incident occurred on April 3, when the child`s elder siblings were cleaning their aquarium and playing with ornamental fish kept in a net. A fish suddenly jumped out of the net and fell into the toddler`s mouth while he was laughing loudly, officials said. Panicked family members rushed the boy to the Government Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MYH). Head of the ENT department at MYH, Dr Yamini Gupta, told PTI, "The nearly three-inch fish was alive and flapping vigorously as it was stuck in his throat. It caused injuries, and blood mixed with sa...

A new study has found high levels of lead contamination in soil near battery recycling units across Delhi-NCR, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, raising concerns about public health and environmental safety. The analysis, `Soiled with Lead: from Battery Recycling,` was carried out by Toxics Link, an environmental research and advocacy organisation, and published on Wednesday. The authors examined 23 soil samples collected near lead-acid battery recycling units in selected cities, including locations close to residential areas, local communities, and primary schools. "All samples showed evidence of widespread lead contamination ranging from 100 parts per million (ppm) to 43,800 ppm," said the analysis. With reference to the Environment Protection (Management of Contaminated Sites) ...

In India, cancer cases are surging across all age groups, raising serious public health concerns. Lifestyle changes, environmental factors, and improved diagnostics are factors causing this rise in cancers. Greater awareness, preventive action, and timely treatment are now more important than ever. In children, there is a noticeable rise in leukaemia cases, although recent trends suggest some reduction. Among young adults, there has been an increase in oral, thyroid, breast, and colorectal cancer. These cancers reflect current lifestyles, which include unhealthy diet, tobacco and alcohol consumption, and rising obesity levels. In the older population, colorectal, renal, and pancreatic cancers are more common. Individuals above 60 years are prone to cancer and more so because of longer lif...

Eight out of ten Indians currently lack the financial safety nets required to manage sudden medical emergencies, even as climate change and environmental volatility emerge as primary drivers of national anxiety. According to the `a Nishchit Index 2.0` by Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance, India`s national uncertainty score has reached 79, reflecting a deep-seated concern over the intersection of health and financial stability. The study, based on a survey of 3,583 respondents across 20 towns, suggests that health is no longer viewed as an occasional medical concern but as a continuous financial risk. Approximately 81 per cent of the population expects pollution levels to worsen, while 82 per cent worry about how rising healthcare costs will impact their long-term financial security. Envir...