Acute leukemias are the most common diagnostic group of childhood cancer. This review summarizes the published literature on reported current outcomes of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) from India. Overall survival in ALL ranged from 45% to 81% (commonly >60%) and event-free survival ranged from 41% to 70% (commonly >50%). Outcome data for AML was patchy with varying duration of follow-up, but it can be inferred that 50-80% of treated patients had experienced an event (toxic death, refractory disease or relapse). It is imperative that going forward focus should be on collaborative efforts, which promote treatment of patients on risk-stratified adapted protocols based on local infrastructure, improvement in supportive care and encourage prospective multi-center clinical trials.

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Gynecological cancers are among the most common cancers in women and hence an important public health issue. Due to the lack of cancer awareness, variable pathology, and dearth of proper screening facilities in developing countries such as India, most women report at advanced stages, adversely affecting the prognosis and clinical outcomes. Ovarian cancer has emerged as one of the most common malignancies affecting women in India and has shown an increase in the incidence rates over the years. Although cervical cancer is on a declining trend, it remains the second most common cancer in women after breast cancer. Many researchers in India have published important data in the field of gynecologic oncology, covering all domains such as basic sciences, preventive oncology, pathology, radiological imaging, and clinical outcomes. This work has given us an insight into the in-depth understanding of these cancers as well as the demographics and survival rates in the Indian population. This aim of this review is to discuss the important studies done in India for all gynecological cancers.

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Smoking tobacco, both cigarettes and beedis, is the principal risk factor for causation of lung cancer in Indian men; however, among Indian women, the association with smoking is not strong, suggesting that there could be other risk factors besides smoking. Despite numerous advances in recent years in terms of diagnostic methods, molecular changes, and therapeutic interventions, the outcomes of the lung cancer patients remain poor; hence, a better understanding of the risk factors may impact the preventive measures to be implemented at the community level. There is a lack of comprehensive data on lung cancer in India. In this review, we attempt to collate the available data on lung cancer from India.

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The Incidence of breast cancer has been steadily increasing in the last two decades, more so in urban areas of the sub-continent. Cancer ceters across the country have large numbers of patients being treated with multiple publications in this field. Inspite of paucity of prospective data and randomised clinical trials from India, there are large number of retrospective publications on various aspects of the disease including pathology, radiology, surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, palliative care and alternatitive treatment modalities. These published data provide an insight into the trends of breast cancer in the country and this comprehensive data review of Indian data will provide a basis for designing trials relevant to our population and planning health care.

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Head and neck cancers (HNCs) are the most common malignancies worldwide. Asian populations bear major burden of this disease, with certain unique characteristics. Although significant research in HNCs is ongoing globally, many clinical issues still remain unanswered. We performed a literature search to find noteworthy Indian studies that changed practice of HNC as well as to look for areas for further research in this field. Many randomized controlled trials as well as large patient series are reported in the field of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgical management of HNC. Still, many areas such as palliative therapy, targeted agents, and newer chemotherapeutic agents remain unexplored. Planned collaborative research is need of the hour to provide more evidenced based.

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Tumors of the genitourinary system are one of the most common tumors encountered in clinical practice. The associated morbidity and mortality and the significant proportion of affected middle-age individuals have a major bearing on the death-adjusted life years compared to other malignancies. Genitourinary system tumors encompass a very broad spectrum with regard to age, location, histology, and clinical outcomes. Advances in diagnostic imaging, surgical techniques, radiotherapy equipment, and generation of newer chemotherapeutic and targeted agents over the past few years have helped improving treatment outcome. Several focused groups within India have been working on a range of topics related to genitourinary system tumors, and a significant body of work from India in the recent years is being increasingly recognized throughout the world. The present article summarizes the key published work related to the epidemiology of genitourinary system tumors in the Indian setting. A PubMed search was made for locating and selecting articles relevant to the topic.

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Tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) constitute approximately 2% of all malignancies. Although relatively rare, the associated morbidity and mortality and the significant proportion of affected young and middle-aged individuals has a major bearing on the death-adjusted life years compared to other malignancies. CNS tumors encompass a very broad spectrum with regards to age, location, histology, and clinical outcomes. Advances in diagnostic imaging, surgical techniques, radiotherapy equipment, and generation of newer chemotherapeutic and targeted agents over the past few years have helped improving treatment outcome. Further insights into the molecular pathways leading to the development of tumors made in the past decade are being incorporated into routine clinical practice. Several focused groups within India have been working on a range of topics related to CNS tumors, and a significant body of work from India, in the recent years, is being increasingly recognized throughout the world. The present article summarizes key published work with particular emphasis on gliomas and medulloblastoma, the two commonly encountered tumors.

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Chronic myelogenous leukemia (LML) was recognized as a distinct entity in the mid-1800s. Since Nowell and Hunagerford initiated their research on CML in1960 our understanding in CML has been increasing. Imatinib became the preferred treatment from 2000 onwards as a result of its unprecedented success. The lack of structured Indian data on CML led to the formation of a CML data cansortuim which invited CML data albiet retro spartive form around the country including major cancer service providers both government and private. We provide a summary of published Indian data on CML here.

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Bone sarcomas are rare tumors, approximating 0.2% of all cancers, with osteosarcoma (OGS), chondrosarcoma, and Ewing sarcoma being the most common cancers in this subset. The formation of disease management groups/clinics focused on sarcomas has resulted in better understanding and management of these uncommon tumors. Multiple large-scale retrospective data from Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) and All India Institute of Medical Sciences have reported outcomes comparable to Western data in the field of OGS and Ewing sarcoma, with interesting prognostic factors identified for further evaluation. Soft tissue sarcomas are a rare heterogeneous group of tumors, more than 50 different tumor entities. The common subtypes identified in India include Ewing sarcoma and synovial sarcoma. Valuable work regarding brachytherapy has been done by radiation oncologists from the TMH, especially in pediatric patients.

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GI cancer is not one cancer but is a term for the group of cancers that affect the digestive system including gastric cancer (GC), colorectal cancer (CRC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), esophageal cancer (EC), and pancreatic cancer (PC). Overall, the GI cancers are responsible for more cancers and more deaths from cancer than any other organ. 5 year survival of these cancers remains low compared to western world. Unlike the rest of the world where organ based specialities hepatobiliary, pancreatic, colorectal and esophagogastric exist , these cancers are managed in India by either a gastrointestinal surgeons, surgical oncologist, or a general surgeon with varying outcomes.The aim of this review was to collate data on GI cancers in indian continent. In colorectal cancers, data from tertiary care centres identifies the unique problem of mucinous and signet colorectal cancer. Results of rectal cancer resection in terms of technique (intersphincteric resection, extralevator aper, minimal invasive approach ) to be comparable with world literature. However long term outcome and data regarding colon cancers and nationally is needed. Gastric cancer at presentation are advanced and in surgically resected patients, there is need for a trial to compare chemoradiation vs chemotherapy alone to prevent loco regional recurrence. Data on minimal invasive gastric cancer surgery may be sparse for the same reason. Theree is a lot of data on surgical techniques and perioperatve outcomes in pancreatic cancer. There is a high volume of locally advanced gallbladder cancers with efforts on to decide whether neoadjuvant chemotherapy or neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy is better for down staging. Considering GI cancers, a heterogeneous disease with site specific treatment options and variable outcomes, the overall data and outcomes are extremely variable. Young patients with pathology unique to the Indian subcontinent (for example, signet ring rectal cancer, GBCs) need focussed attention. Solution for such pathology needs to come from the Indian continent itself. Joint efforts to improve outcomes for GI cancer can be integrated under the national cancer grid program.

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