Light at the end of the tunnel

It is not hard to list some of the profound effects COVID-19 has had on the specialty of plastic surgery. World-wide many of our colleagues have suffered serious illness and many have died. Even in countries like Australia and New Zealand, relatively spared from the ravages of the disease, we have all had significant disruptions to our lives and practicesLimitations on elective surgery during lockdown, reduced rates of screening for breast cancer and melanoma (Figure 1), consulting with masks—all affect our ability to provide a safe and effective service for our patients. Eminent plastic surgeons choosing to take early retirement is a great loss of institutional memory. Opportunistic governments and administrators taking advantage and using COVID-19 as an excuse to push through ‘urgent’ changes challenge our ability to provide a safe and effective service

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SILAGE: THE RESEARCH VIEWPOINT

Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association ◽

10.33584/jnzg.1966.28.1209 ◽

1966 ◽

pp. 154-162

Author(s):

R.J. Lancaster

Keyword(s):

New Zealand ◽

World Wide ◽

Great Merit

IN 1958, there was available commercially in Britain and Australia a vacuum silage kit which was expensive and useless. It had one redeeming feature, however. It inspired Jean Doutr-e to work on the vacuum idea, and, in collaboration with George Jowsey, to develop the technique which has captured world-wide interest. It is' relatively inexpensive for this approach to silage making and is practical. It has the great merit that it can be built into the existing New Zealand silage-making procedures without any modifications to those procedures.

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Formulation of Nidana Panchaka in Breast Cancer

Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences (JAIMS) ◽

10.21760/jaims.4.1.17 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dr.Seethal Peenikkal ◽

Dr.K.Savitha R. Shenoy ◽

Dr.Sri Nagesh K.A.

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Detailed Analysis ◽

World Wide ◽

Indian Woman ◽

Basic Tool ◽

Current Increase ◽

Basic Principles ◽

The World ◽

Current Article ◽

Technical Terms

Breast Cancer is one of the most common types of malignancy among Indian woman currently. The current increase in the world wide prevalence of this disease suggests an urgent need of detailed analysis, diagnosis and treatment line through Ayurvedic principles. As cancer is least understood in technical terms of Ayurveda, Nidana Panchaka a basic tool to understand and diagnose a Vyadhi, is used to analyze it. Even though a direct diagnostic correlation of breast cancer is not available under the major Vyadhi classifications, it is possible to elicit and formulate Nidana Panchaka based on the references of Sthana Roga, Shopha, Granthi, Arbuda etc. The current article is an effort to formulate Nidana Panchaka for Breast Cancer, from the background of basic principles of Ayurveda, for a better analysis and diagnosis of the Vyadhi.

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Associated Factors and Survival Outcomes for Breast Conserving Surgery versus Mastectomy among New Zealand Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18052738 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (5) ◽

pp. 2738

Author(s):

Mohammad Shoaib Abrahimi ◽

Mark Elwood ◽

Ross Lawrenson ◽

Ian Campbell ◽

Sandar Tin Tin

Keyword(s):

Breast Cancer ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

New Zealand ◽

Early Stage ◽

Breast Conserving Surgery ◽

Early Stage Breast Cancer ◽

Clinical Factors ◽

Breast Cancer Specific Mortality ◽

Specific Mortality ◽

Cancer Specific Mortality

This study aimed to investigate type of loco-regional treatment received, associated treatment factors and mortality outcomes in New Zealand women with early-stage breast cancer who were eligible for breast conserving surgery (BCS). This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the Auckland and Waikato Breast Cancer Registers and involves 6972 women who were diagnosed with early-stage primary breast cancer (I-IIIa) between 1 January 2000 and 31 July 2015, were eligible for BCS and had received one of four loco-regional treatments: breast conserving surgery (BCS), BCS followed by radiotherapy (BCS + RT), mastectomy (MTX) or MTX followed by radiotherapy (MTX + RT), as their primary cancer treatment. About 66.1% of women received BCS + RT, 8.4% received BCS only, 21.6% received MTX alone and 3.9% received MTX + RT. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify demographic and clinical factors associated with the receipt of the BCS + RT (standard treatment). Differences in the uptake of BCS + RT were present across patient demographic and clinical factors. BCS + RT was less likely amongst patients who were older (75+ years old), were of Asian ethnicity, resided in impoverished areas or areas within the Auckland region and were treated in a public healthcare facility. Additionally, BCS + RT was less likely among patients diagnosed symptomatically, diagnosed during 2000–2004, had an unknown tumour grade, negative/unknown oestrogen and progesterone receptor status or tumour sizes ≥ 20 mm, ≤50 mm and had nodal involvement. Competing risk regression analysis was undertaken to estimate the breast cancer-specific mortality associated with each of the four loco-regional treatments received. Over a median follow-up of 8.8 years, women who received MTX alone had a higher risk of breast cancer-specific mortality (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.38, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05–1.82) compared to women who received BCS + RT. MTX + RT and BCS alone did not have any statistically different risk of mortality when compared to BCS + RT. Further inquiry is needed as to any advantages BCS + RT may have over MTX alternatives.

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