28 Feb Self-Sampling for Cervical Cancer Screening and Common STIs Testing in India During and After COVID-19 Pandemic.

Posted at 09:28h in Cancer Awareness, Partners Column by
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Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in India and the fourth most common cancer affecting women worldwide with a disproportionate mortality occurring in developing countries (Globcon, 2012). HPV is considered as one of the major etiological factors for cervical cancer along with other factors (Neyaz MK, et al. 2010).

Screening for cervical cancer with Pap smear test has become widely accepted. However, a number of problems with cytology test have been described including sensitivity, subjectivity of reading of slides, quality of samples leading to greater number of interpretive errors. HPV DNA testing offers a viable and validated approach for screening and management of women with/ without cytological abnormalities (Cox T, et al. 2006).

Offering self-collection of samples can improve delivery of common STIs testing services especially in rural area. Self-sampling approach for HPV testing may increase the cervical cancer screening rate in rural community, particularly among women who have not undergone routine cervical cancer screening ever. For STIs, there are now kits which allow people to collect their own samples to be tested as per their convenience and privacy.

Can Human Papillomavirus DNA Self-sampling be an Acceptable and Reliable Option for Cervical Cancer Screening in India?

Self-collected HPV DNA testing has been considered as an effective alternative tool among women coming from infrastructural barriers and individual barriers as nature of gynecological examination may be embarrassing and culturally unacceptable for them. Besides this most of the times Indian women do not get time to travel to physician due to having huge responsibility for home and work. In case of self-collected HPV DNA testing could prove itself a boon and it will also decrease out of pocket cost due to no need of traveling to avail these facilities.

HPV self-sampling can increase cervical cancer screening uptake compared with standard of care, with no negative effect on linkage to clinical assessment/treatment (Ogale Y, etal., 2018). HPV Self sampling could be used to increase the participation of non-attenders in the cervical cancer screening program during and after COVID-19 pandemic.

Author

Dr. Md. Kausar Neyaz, Ph.D

Founder & Managing Director at ABSF (Aabir Bio-Services Foundation)

References:

1. Neyaz MK, Hussain S, Hassan MI, Das BC, Husain Bharadwaj M. Novel missense mutation in FHIT gene: interpreting the effect in HPV-mediated cervical cancer in Indian women. Mol Cell Biochem. 2010; 335:53–58.

2. Cox T, Cuzick J. HPV DNA testing in cervical cancer screening: from evidence to policies. Gynecol Oncol. 2006; 103(1):8–11.

3. Yasmin Ogale, Ping Teresa Yeh, Caitlin E Kennedy, Igor Toskin and Manjulaa Narasimhan, Self-collection of samples as an additional approach to deliver testing services for sexually transmitted infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. http://orcid.org/0000-0002- 7425-0382.



He initiated TQM as a management way in SRF and the Company has so far earned the Deming Prize for two of its businesses, for the tyre cord in 2004 and for the Chemicals Business in 2012.

Mr. Bharat Ram was elected President of Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) during 2000-2001 and continued to play important roles as Chair and Member of various council of CII till March 2015. He co-chaired the Indo German Consultative Group (IGCG) which consisted of eminent citizens from both the countries from 2002 till 2014.

Mr. Bharat Ram is actively involved in social development activities. Currently he is Chairman of:

  • SRF Foundation, the social wing of SRF, which manages its own schools and also supports education in villages;
  • The Lady Shri Ram College (LSR) for Women in Delhi which has consistently been rated as one of the two best colleges of India;
  • The Shri Ram Schools; and
  • CAF (India) – Charities Aid Foundation (India); and
  • A governing body member of CAPED– a registered Society for spreading cancer awareness program

He is on the governing body of SPIC Macay, a society for the promotion of the Indian Classical Music. He is himself an accomplished sitar player, having learnt it from Pt. Ravi Shanker.

Mr. Arun Bharat Ram has won many awards and accolades, The Jamshedji Tata Award, which was conferred on him by the Indian Society for Quality (ISQ) for the year 2006 and the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Merit, presented by the Federal Government of Germany in 2008. Mr. Bharat Ram schooled at the Doon School, Dehra Dun and graduated in Industrial Engineering from the University of Michigan, U.S.A.

Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Vaid practiced and coordinated the Department of Medical Oncology at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Centre (RGCI) in Rohini, Delhi, India. In addition to his active medical oncology practice, Dr. Vaid has participated in many national and international clinical trials as a principal and sub-investigator. His clinical interests include Hemato-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant. He has also taken keen interest in treating breast cancer, lung cancer and genitor-urinary cancers.

Dr. Vaid established the bone marrow transplant services in the private sector in Delhi starting with Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre during the last decade and has cumulatively carried out the largest number of bone marrow transplants in the private sector in Delhi. Currently at Medanta, he leads a large team which comprises of hemato-oncologists, pediatric transplant specialists, hemato pathologists specializing in transplant pathology, transfusion specialists, and molecular pathologists required for HLA typing and post transplant chimerism monitoring.

Dr. Vaid lectures nationally and internationally and has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and abstracts. His work has appeared in Journal of Clinical Oncology, Journal of Thoracic Oncology, World Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatobiliary Pancreatic Diseases International. Dr. Vaid currently chairs the Indian Council of Medical Research Subcommittee on formulating guidelines for treatment of Hodgkin’s Disease in India. He is recognized as Teacher and Examiner for superspeciality course of Medical Oncology by National Board of Examinations and the Bombay University and a reviewer of thesis for award of PhD degree in Life Sciences, Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University, Kanpur, India. He is an editorial board member for the following journals “Research & Reviews: A Journal of Medicine” and “Research & Reviews: A Journal of Toxicology”, and “South Asian Journal of Cancer”.

He was conferred the prestigious “Padma Shree” Award, one of the highest civilian award in India, by the President of India in 2009 for his contribution to the field of medicine on 14th April, 2009.
Prior to Stellaris, Alok was a Partner at another VC firm, Helion Ventures, where he led enterprise software and services investments. Before his career in venture capital, Alok was the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SAP India and had been associated with SAP since the year 2004 in various leadership roles in the United States and in India. Before SAP, Alok also worked with Siebel Systems, The McKenna Group, McKinsey & Company and Cadence Design Systems.

Alok has completed his MBA from INSEAD (France), MS in Computer Sciences from University of Texas, Austin and his B.Tech in Computer Science from IIT Delhi.

Alok is interested in cricket, light & classical Indian music, hiking and long distance running. In addition, Alok is passionate about mathematical puzzles and used to run a weekly blog at http://alokgoyal1971.com/.

Alok’s association with cancer started in 2007 when his mother was diagnosed with a late stage Ovarian Cancer. He saw his mother battle with cancer for more than four years, during which time he was the primary care giver.

Committees / Ambassador Radhika is a part of many committees in CII and is also Pinkathon Ambassador. Social Initiatives

  • Radhika has participated in plays as a lead singer to raise funds for NGO’s like Azad Foundation and CAPED.
  • Mamma Mia Again, ABBA songs Musical, was staged at The Shri Ram Center, Delhi in December 2016 to raise funds for Azad Foundation.
  • I have a Dream, ABBA songs Musical, was staged at Apparel House, Gurgaon to raise funds for CAPED in April 2017.
  • I have a Dream, ABBA songs Musical, was staged at The Shri Ram Center, Delhi to raise funds for CAPED in December 2017.
  • She was also instrumental in staging a play, Khushi Ek Ehsaas, by the visually impaired children of JPM School to raise funds for Blind Relief Association at Kamani Auditorium in January 2016.

Hobbies

  • Radhika learns music at Theme.
  • She also loves to run and has completed 3 half Marathons in India in 2017.

Amitav worked for Bristol Myers Squibb based in Princeton for 5 years. He has been involved with his family-run business since 1994.

Amitav was educated at the Doon School and went on to study Economics at St. Stephens College, Delhi University. He has an MBA from UNC Chapel Hill, USA. He sits on the board of Central Square Foundation, AVPN India and several other non/for-profit organisations in India.

In 2010, he became an Aspen Fellow, in 2015 he became an Ashoka Fellow and 2017 he was incubated as an N/Core Fellow.

Organizational Positions
  • Vice President, Fertility Preservation society of India/ 2014 – 2018
  • Coordinator, Deptt of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon, April 2007 – Nov 2009
  • Coordinator, (North India), Clinical Research Committee, Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecology Society of India (FOGSI) 2003-2008
  • Executive Member, Adolescent committee, Association of Obstetrics & Gynaecologists of Delhi (AOGD ) 2006 – 2007
  • Executive Member, Association of Gynaecologic Oncologist of India,2009 -2011
  • Chairperson, Gynaec. Oncology Committee, Gurgaon Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society, 2011
  • Executive Member, Gynaec.Oncology Committee, Association of Obstetrician & Gynaecologists of Delhi (AOGD) 2012 -2014
  • Executive Member, Gurgaon Obstetrics and Gynaecology Society (GOGS), 2012 -2013
  • Coordinator – Young Women Club ( National Project under the aegis of National Adolescent Health Committee, FOGSI) 2012 -2013
  • Treasurer, Asia Oceania Research Organization in Genital infections and Neoplasia ( AOGIN) –India, 2011 -2015
  • Executive member, Gynaec Oncology Committee, Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecology Society of India (FOGSI).2012 -2015
  • Peer Reviewer for the Journal of Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecology Society of India (FOGSI).
  • Peer Reviewer for The Indian Journal of Gynaecologic Oncology.
  • Invited as a trainer by Vattikuti Foundation, Michigan, USA for – Gynaec. Robotic Surgery Training of Gynaecologists at KIMS Vattikuti Institute of Robotic Surgery, Hyderabad
  • Executive member, AOGD(Association of Obsterician and Gynaecologist of Delhi ) 2013 – 2014
  • Executive member, AOGD(Association of Obsterician and Gynaecologist of Delhi ) 2014-2015
  • Executive member,GOGS 2013
  • Executive member, Gynaec.Oncology Committee, Association of Obstetrician & Gynaecologists of Delhi (AOGD) 2013 -2014
  • Executive member, Gynaec.Endoscopy Committee, Association of Obstetrician & Gynaecologists of Delhi (AOGD) 2013 -2014
  • Executive member, International academic exchange committee(FOGSI) 2013 – 2015
  • Executive member, Delhi Society of Gynaec endoscopists.2014- 2015
  • Co-Chairperson, Gynaec.Oncology Committee, Association of Obstetrician & Gynaecologists of Delhi (AOGD) 2015 -2016
  • Executive member, Gynaec Oncology Committee, Federation of Obstetrics & Gynecology Society of India (FOGSI).2015 -2017