SRINAGAR: The theatre play Fataah was an adaptation of Shankar Shesh’s play Fandi that artists from SR Theatre Ganderbal exhibited in the just concluded theatre festival at Tagore Hall. It linked interesting extremes to tell the story of death, poverty and the rule of law.
The play opens with a group of prisoners doing a traditional performance Dambael while the group is consoling a person in the middle of the circle formed by their lyrics Ma Bhar Cxe Gham (avoid stress). The person is the main character, Fataah who has been awarded a death sentence. A lawyer, Rustom Rahman has been appointed by the court, an amicus curie, to fight Fataah’s case as she could not afford one.
The court had chosen Rustom as his lawyer merely because he shares his name with his father. However, Rustom Rahman has never won any case before and is apparently a kind-hearted person who wills to help Fataah.
Fataah is hopeless. In the conversation with his friends and well-wishers, Fataah denies meeting him and accepts him as his lawyer as he thinks nothing can save him. Finally, however, he somehow agrees to it.
The story unfolds gradually. The reason behind his imprisonment is gradually unfolded in their conversation, so it does create a little suspense in the audience. Fataah has been charged with the killing of his father who was battling cancer. He had strangulated his father to death only to relieve him of the pain on repeated requests by his father as they could not afford the injections any longer. Fataah had taken debt from someone.
The lawyer plan to do a rehearsal of the next day’s court trial in which they both imitate the possible witnesses in favour of Fataah. Fataah himself plays the role of judge, the debtor, his wife and other witnesses. It seems as if they win, but it doesn’t happen. All the witnesses speak lies against Fataah and even his wife could not make it to court due to an accident.
Artists who were part of the theatre play, Fataah that was shown in Tagore Hall Srinagar as part of Kashmir Theatre Festival 2023. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur
Rustom helps to get him another lawyer who luckily does not charge any fee. The conversation after the next trial (The trial isn’t shown in the play) reveals that the lawyer has done well in the court but could not save him. They again rehearse for the next hearing and the play ends with that only without showing whether Fataah will win or lose. The decision is left for the audience to decide.
Fataah is a family man. The play sequences suggest he can not be the person who can kill his father. He had done so, however, to end his father’s pain. The main theme of the play is mercy killing and poverty. There are people who can’t afford the treatment of certain fatal diseases and they tend to die one day or another. Fataah was trapped in the same conundrum until he choked his father to death.
The role of Fataah was played by Sahil Shafi, who did a commendable job of playing different characters. He changed his articulation, enunciation, tone and draping style within seconds to shuffle from one character to another. The set-up was given a touch of Kashmir by choosing the props traditional to Kashmir.
The play is originally written by Shankar Shesh and adopted by Raja Maqbool. It was directed and designed by Sahil Shafi. The character of the lawyer is played by Ashraf Nago, the warden by Aaquib Hameed and Fataah by Sahil Shafi. Dambael was sung and presented by Nazir Ahmad, Bilal Ahmad, Hilal Ahmad, Sahil Meghraj, Shakeel Sheikh, Mohsin Qadir, Shahzad Ahmad, Aqib Nazir Paray, Maroof Majeed and Syed Imtiyaz. The backstage management was done by Mohsin Qadir, Nazir Ahmad, Hilal Ahmad, Aaquib Hameed, Masoom Mumtaz Khan, lights by Manzoor Ahmad Mir, Props by Haider, make-up by Rasid, Stage by Sahil and Ashraf.
A junior scientist at SKUAST-K, Dr Khalid Zaffar Masoodi is an award-winning biotechnologist who has been working on cancer biology. Founder of Kashmir’s first faculty-led biotech company of Kashmir, Cashmir Biotech Pvt. Ltd, he has been working on low-cost, healthy, non-toxic, and safe designer foods to cure and prevent various disorders including cancer through futuristic functional foods. Currently, his laboratory’s research is related to the identification of anticancer molecules for prostate cancer from medicinal plants endemic to Kashmir. In a freewheeling interview with Masood Hussain, he offers his knowledge about awareness to deliver and contribute new innovations in biotechnology and research on the causes, treatment and prevention of cancer through anticancer functional foods, designer foods, and superfoods.
TheNewsCaravan (KL): The conventional wisdom is that local issues have local solutions. Can we have local solutions to local health issues as well?
Khalid Z Masoodi (KZM): There are more than 200 types of cancer throughout the world and we can classify cancers according to where they start in the body, such as breast cancer ovarian cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer etc. We can also group cancer according to the type of cell they start in and these cancers are increasing day by day worldwide. 20 per cent of these cancers are genetic in origin according to studies and 80 per cent are caused by environmental factors, food habits and lifestyle changes. These factors mutate the DNA and cause changes in normal cell growth.
For example, our bodies intake 210 mcg per day of cancer-causing hormone-disrupting chemical phthalates found in every soft and flexible plastic we use in our daily life. The beverages in the plastic bottle are injurious as these plastic containers have phthalates that bind to endocrine receptors and overexcite them resulting in malignancies.
In dark chocolates toxic metals are lurking, it is a state of serious concern as they cause cancer. Preservatives used in foods contain carcinogenic components. Every single person consumes 150 pounds or 60-88 kg of preservatives in a year. Most of the preservatives’ in vogue contain acrylamide which is carcinogenic. The most popular fast food of today’s generation is French fries, potato chips, pizza, and cold drinks in which the presence of Acrylamide and glycidamide has been found. Burgers contain Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HCAs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Studies show HCAs and PAHs cause changes in DNA that may increase the risk of cancer. Pizza preservatives – TBHQ and BHA, has been identified as human carcinogen. 1n 2016 as we all know potassium bromate used to soften bread and in many other food items was banned in India as they were found carcinogenic during the course of research.
The estimated numbers of cancer in 2022 were 17 per cent in the case of breast cancer, 14 per cent in prostate cancer, 4.9 per cent in thyroid cancer, and lung cancer was estimated to be 14.3 per cent worldwide. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths and the primary diagnosed cancer in men. No defined therapy against prostate cancer is present. Drugs cease to function after treatment in most cases. There is a need to cure and prevent deadly diseases with a healthier approach.
We define here the concept of Designer Foods that have added health benefits. Designer foods are normal foods fortified with health-promoting ingredients. These foods are similar in appearance to normal foods and are consumed regularly as a part of the diet. These foods are safe, non-toxic, organic, are cost-effective while the drugs available are cost-extensive and unaffordable by the majority classes of society and have added off-target effects.
We believe that a smart diet containing anticancer small molecules and molecules that can treat these disorders can help prevent these disorders The changing food habits of the modern world have changed, from green food (green vegetables), and herbs, to fast food, which is the main concern. We have experimentally shown that these greens, underutilised plants have high antioxidant properties. Some of our studies found some Haakh varieties have high anticancer potential against prostate and lung cancer cells.
KL: Can you tell us about your academic journey?
KZM: I completed my schooling at Burn Hall School, Srinagar and continued further studies at AMU. I completed my BSC (Hons) in Botany from AMU and pursued MSc and PhD in Plant Biotechnology from Jammu University under the mentorship of Prof Manoj K Dhar, former VC, University of Jammu, which I completed in 2010.
KL:What were the takeaways from your PhD?
KZM: During my PhD, I worked on the reconstruction of carotenoid biosynthetic pathway genes from purple-black carrot (Daucuscarota L). We successfully engineered E Coli that produced Lycopene and beta-carotene. Besides, we increased the production of these carotenoids using the Amplification Promoting Sequence, which increased the copy number of genes and hence their transcription and translation. We also worked on anthocyanins that act as effective natural food bio-colourant and real-time indicators of food spoilage that later helped in developing a smart gel that changes colour with a change in pH and can be used in food industries, biomedical industries and agriculture industries. Synthetic food colours pose a greater threat to humans and are responsible for causing various types of cancers and cardiovascular diseases.
KL: You continued your post-doctorate in the same field or we changed the subject?
KZM: The main expertise in cancer biology was gained during my post-doctoral associateship at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. There, I simultaneously worked on many projects related to gene and drug discoveries against prostate cancer.
We found the role of many genes in prostate cancer progression like ELL2, DHX15, PABPCA, EAF2, PRP8 etc. I also helped discover new androgen receptors targeting small molecules. I also increased the efficacy of IADT, the study which came out in the Journal of Urology, Journal of Endocrinology, Oncogene, Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, and PLoS One.
After my return from the USA, I worked as a Senior Resident at SKIMS, Soura for a short time before joining the Division of Plant Biotechnology, SKUAST-Kashmir as an Assistant Professor. The takeaway for me was that cancer cells are smart and if you try to target them through inhibition of the AR pathway they will salvage their survival through the PI3Kinase pathway. In metropolitan India, prostrate is now the third diagnosed cancer.
KL: You worked on cancer and then joined SKUAST-K which is all about agriculture. Is not it an interesting twist in the story?
KZM: It is always a challenge but biotechnologists revolve around the central dogma of molecular biology so DNA, RNA and proteins are the same which makes every organism. Upon my joining SKUAST-K, I surveyed various regions of Jammu and Kashmir to utilize the rich flora for new therapeutics against cancer.
It is very important that we do translational research that can result in an end product that can be commercialized and can be more useful than a mere publication or a patent. We knew that 60 per cent of the drugs in the market are plant-based or their analogues.
A rich repertoire of around 3054 medicinal and aromatic plant species (MAPs) are endogenous to Kashmir but were not explored for anticancer properties against prostate cancer through transcriptomics and AR targeted approach earlier. In a drug discovery programme initiated at SKUAST-K funded SERB, we screened 25,000 medicinal plant extracts from Kashmir’s around 350-400 medicinal plants. It resulted in the discovery of 16 new anticancer molecules against prostate cancer. Of these 16 molecules, five were from edible underutilised plants. Our laboratory has filed eight patents in the last three years.
Dr Khalid Zaffar Masoodi (SKUAST)
KL: Is there something that you can share with us about the new molecules you discovered?
KZM: The molecule SKIDDDL-1 present in the TaxO was the best among all the edible plants, which has been consumed for ages in Kashmir as a food supplement and as a vegetable. Over time, however, its use has diminished. This molecule effectively targeted androgen receptors in prostate cancer and decreased cellular progression, cancer cell migration (metastasis) in vitro and reduced tumour volume, and doubled the life expectancy in the mice xenograft model. A smart diet may help reduce the risk of developing prostate cancer, slow the progression of the disease, and prevent invasiveness and metastasis.
Awaiting a patent, we designed Magic Foods – a range of safe, non-toxic, plant-based anti-prostate cancer futuristic functional foods fortified with our secret TaxO that can be consumed on daily basis by populations worldwide that are at high risk of getting this peculiar cancer. The technology is cheap, safe and has no side effects.
Since SKUAST-K is the first Farm University to implement NEP 2020, now the faculty is permitted to have a start-up. I was joined by my two MSc students as directors of the faculty-led start-up. They are still studying but are job providers at the same time.
When we were doing this research, we had a great visitor from the University of Buffalo, Prof Samina Raja. We thought we can give something better to humanity if we worked together. So we have one collaborative project Haakh.
I am glad to share that soon you will have an anticancer Haakh variety. We are in the final stages of assessment and experimentation and after a thorough study of about 70 different variants of haakh we found some variants that have good activity against lung and prostate cancer.
The American University provided us with a small grant which we utilised in DNA bar-coding our Haakh, which can be accessed through GenBank. SERB, DST, Government of India has been kind enough and given me three successive grants without which what we did would not have been possible. My NC has always been my great support.
KL: Kashmir is India’s main apple basket. Have you worked on apple scab?
KZM: For Kashmir, agriculture is the backbone, especially the apple. The scab results in almost 30-40 per cent loss in apple. To prevent it we use around Rs 325 crore worth of fungicides which eventually go into our bodies through water and food. That is why people living around apple orchards have a higher incidence of endocrine-related issues.
We have worked on biotechnological approaches to scab pathogens in which we have identified new genes that can be used for producing cisgenic apples for scab resistance. This study was also published in one of the reputed high-impact journals. We used comparative transcriptome technology (RNA-Seq) for research that showed some genes expressed in the Maharaji apple and wild-type genotypes like Florina are not expressed in red delicious, so these genes can be transferred into red delicious to make the variety scab resistant. The process of producing cisgenic apples and breeding both techniques is underway.
KL:You have also identified some new wilt-causing pathogens. Tell us something about this.
KZM: One of my PhD scholars, Dr Tasmeen Parihar has identified six new Fusarium spp infecting solanaceous crops that were not earlier known to cause wilt in chilli, brinjal, tomato and capsicum. These findings came out recently in reputed journals.
We have many scientists in collaboration within and outside institutes. I am lucky to have good collaborations with Dr Zahoor A Bhat (Plant Pathology), Dr Khalid Bhat (Fruit Science), Dr Khursheed (Vegetable Sciences), Prof Mudasir Andrabi (Animal Biotechnology), Dr Tawheed Amin (FST) and many more.
KL: There is a major ethical debate regarding biotechnology, especially GM foods.
KZM: In biotechnology, we always have to face challenges related to transgenic plants but the fact is that in the near future (2050) breeding techniques will not be able to fulfil the need of the growing population. We will have to move towards biotechnology to feed the growing population of around 10 billion.
CRISP-Cas technology will enable us to knock out the antibiotic genes used in transgenic progress and we will have transgenic plants with only the gene of interest and not these antibiotic-resistant genes. Besides, we also use recombinant-based excision repair to make Cisgenic Apple. Since this research is going on we will have soon some good results.
Bengaluru: Excessive consumption of red meat, refined sugar, and spicy food increases the risk of colorectal cancer, as per experts.
According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) data, colon cancer is the fourth most prevalent cancer in Indian males and the fifth most common cancer in Indian women.
Dr Sandeep Nayak P, Director – Department of Surgical Oncology and Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru states that Indian colorectal cancer scenario is different from that of the West.
“We have more rectal cancer (64 per cent) than colonic cancer (36 percent). Incidences are the exact reverse of this. This could be due to genetic differences between the Indian and western populations. However, what this means is that many more patients would be offered a permanent stoma (bag to drain stools) than in the west,” Dr Sandeep Nayak P. states.
“It is well established that diet affects the risk of colorectal cancer. In a study that I conducted between 2003 and 2005, I found consumption of red meat, refined sugar, and spicy food increased the risk of colorectal cancer,” Dr Sandeep Nayak explains.
Subsequently, many international studies showed similar results. The World Health Organization has declared refined sugar and processed meat like sausages as carcinogens (cancer-causing agents). This is an important development as many food items use a large quantity of sugar to improve the taste. People should be careful about what they eat.
Dr Sandeep Nayak stated, unlike colon cancer, rectal cancer requires a distinct treatment plan. In most cases, radiation therapy is required before surgery for the rectal. By having this procedure, the anus is typically saved and a persistent stoma is avoided. Stoma can be avoided in more than 75 per cent of rectal cancer patients as per many researches that have been conducted.
However, it is unfortunate to note that most patients end up with a permanent stoma as the skills required to perform this sphincter-saving surgery called ISR are lacking in most of the centers. We need to build the skill among the surgeons to perform such complex work. In the past two years, we have performed more than 50 ISRs, and the patients are happy to have their natural passage saved, he explained.
Dr Pragna Sagar Rapole S, Consultant – Radiation Oncology, CARE Hospitals, HITEC City, Hyderabad, states that colorectal cancer is a serious disease that can have devastating effects on the lives of those who are affected by it. It is a type of cancer that develops in the colon or rectum, and it can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner.
Fortunately, there are many steps that individuals can take to reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet, engaging in regular exercise, and avoiding unhealthy habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption can significantly lower the risk of developing this disease, Dr Pragna Sagar explains.
It’s important to note that although colorectal cancer is a common disease, it is not always easy to detect. Symptoms may not appear until the cancer has progressed, making early detection even more critical, Dr Pragna warns.
That’s why it’s essential for individuals to discuss screening options with their healthcare provider and be vigilant about any changes in their digestive health. By taking proactive steps to reduce risk factors and undergoing regular screening, individuals can take charge of their health and reduce their risk of developing colorectal cancer. Remember, early detection and prevention are key in the fight against this disease, Dr Pragna advises.
Dr Govind Nandakumar, Consultant – Surgical Gastroenterology, Laparoscopic, GI Onco Surgery, Manipal Hospital Yeshwanthpur and Millers Road says, colorectal cancer is a cancer that can be prevented and cured, and early detection is key.
Symptoms may include bleeding with bowel movements, constipation, change in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, and anaemia, Dr Govind Nandakumar states.
By performing a simple colonoscopy early on, we can remove polyps and prevent colorectal cancer from developing. If diagnosed early, colon cancer can be cured with surgery. Minimally invasive laparoscopic and robotic surgery techniques have made it possible for patients to be discharged early, and recovery time is shortened, he said.
Even if the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver, or peritoneum, there is still hope for a cure. It’s important not to ignore any warning signs or symptoms of colorectal cancer, Dr Nandakumar says.
March is celebrated as the Colorectal Cancer awareness month.
The controversial British-American kickboxer turned social media influencer Andrew Tate, who has been detained in Romania since December, has denied having lung cancer.
This comes after a copy of his medical file went viral on social media platforms and also came after his manager, The Sartorial Shooter took to Instagram on Friday to inform that the news was true.
Now, Tate has denied the news and called it rumours. Taking to Twitter, he said his lungs have the capacity of an “Olympic athlete”.
“I do not have cancer. My lungs contain precisely 0 smoking damage. In fact, I have an 8L lung capacity and the vital signs of an Olympic athlete,” Andrew Tate tweeted.
“There is nothing but a scar on my lung from an old battle. True warriors are scarred both inside and out,” he added.
He believes that “As one of the most influential men on the face of the planet, it is important for the good of humanity that I live as long as possible. At my current strength levels, I estimate to survive at least 5,000 more years.”
“It is important for the good of humanity that I live as long as possible. At my current strength levels, I estimate to survive for at least 5000 more years. With this in mind, I take my medical care extremely seriously,” Tate continued in a Twitter thread.
Moreover, he mentioned his health check before his arrest in Romania.
“I had a regular checkup organized in Dubai pre-detention. The doctors were extremely interested in the scar on my lung. They do not understand how I survive without treatment. They do not know the secrets of Wudan. But this battle has long passed,” the influencer concluded.
I do not have cancer.
My lungs contain precisely 0 smoking damage.
In fact,
I have an 8L lung capacity and the vital signs of an Olympic athlete
There is nothing but a scar on my lung from an old battle.
Dubai hospital condemns leak of Tate’s medical letter
In response to a leak of the letter, King’s College Hospital in London where Tate was receiving treatment said, “We confirm that the letter, which details Mr Tate’s visits at our hospital in Dubai Hills, and the Medical Centres in Dubai Marina and Jumeirah, as well as the diagnostic tests he underwent was issued by one of our family medicine practitioners Dr Ali Razzak.”
Razzak is the medical director of King’s Dubai Marina Medical Center and Tate’s primary care physician, according to the statement.
Regarding the leaked documents, the hospital “strongly condemned” it and reiterated that the leak did not happen on their end.
Tate is a British-American citizen known for his misogynistic views. He has 5.1 million Twitter followers.
He was arrested on December 29, 2022, when authorities descended on his property north of Bucharest. His brother, Tristan, and two Romanian women are also in detention in the same case. None of the four has been formally charged.
Hyderabad: A 300 bedded new block is all set for inauguration in Mehdi Nawaz Jang (MNJ) Cancer Hospital to provide speciality treatment to needy patients on March 13.
Constructed at a cost of around Rs 40 crores the new facility is in line with contemporary requirements, increasing the number of beds in this hospital to 700.
Additional beds will solve the issue of overcrowding of patients who approach the hospital for speciality cancer treatment at a reasonable cost.
Keeping in mind the expected increase in the number of patients once this new block is fully operational, the Telangana government has taken concrete steps to improve the medical infrastructure by acquiring modern medical equipment and setting up modular operation theatres.
The state government has also decided to allot 2 to 3 acres of land near the hospital for future expansion keeping in mind the increasing number of cancer patients being referred to MNJ hospital.
The director of MNJ Hospital Dr Jayalatha said that a few construction delating works are pending and would be completed within a week.
The controversial British-American kickboxer and internet personality Andrew Tate, who has been detained in Romania since December, is saif to be battling lung cancer.
Andrew Tate is currently in Romanian police custody after he was accused of human trafficking. Tate was taken from his Romanian estate in the last week of December 2022. Since then, there have been several conflicting reports about how his health has deteriorated.
Meanwhile, Tate’s manager, known as The Sartorial Shooter, addressed the lung cancer rumors and claimed that the diagnosis was indeed true.
“Okay a lot of people are asking me if Tate lung cancer story is true,” he wrote in a post via his Instagram stories on Friday, March 3.
“Yes, it’s true. I was the one driving him to and from the hospitals in Dubai. I don’t have any more specifics to share,” he added.
On Thursday, March 2, CT report was leaked on Twitter by investigative journalist Suleiman Ahmed.
“Andrew Tate – Medical Update possible Cancer. The CT report is extremely alarming. Andrew Tate may have lung Cancer. Urgent biopsy needed & a 6 month delay could be fatal There are reports he lost 10kgs in weight which is also a sign of cancer. Cancer could be incurable now”
According to the documents, Andrew Tate was being treated at King’s College London Hospital in Dubai. They suggest that there may be a tumor in his lungs. He was also scheduled to have an emergency procedure in January 2023, something he was unable to achieve, possibly due to being detained by Romanian authorities.
Ahmad called the health crisis a death sentence because untreated lung cancer can be fatal.
“If it’s lung cancer its a death sentence. Waiting additional six months on top of that & it’s over. Medical team have said URGENT investigations needed at start of January. It’s now March.”
Andrew Tate – Medical Update possible Cancer
The CT report is extremely alarming. Andrew Tate may have lung Cancer.
Urgent biopsy needed & a 6 month delay could be fatal
There are reports he lost 10kgs in weight which is also a sign of cancer.
The biopsy results come about three weeks after President Joe Biden went to Walter Reed Medical Center for his second annual physical since taking office. | Susan Walsh/AP Photo
The White House on Friday confirmed President Joe Biden’s skin lesion that was removed during his physical last month was basal cell carcinoma — a very common and treatable skin cancer. All cancerous tissue was removed and no further treatment is required, his doctor said.
In a memo on Friday, the president’s doctor noted that basal cell lesions “do not tend to ‘spread’ or metastasize,” as other serious skin cancers do. During Biden’s physical last month, the area of the skin on his chest was removed via electrodesiccation and curettage, a common skin cancer treatment that involves scraping and removing the skin with a sharp instrument and a high-frequency electric current. The doctor sent the lesion for a biopsy on Feb. 16.
“The site of the biopsy has healed nicely and the President will continue dermatologic surveillance as part of his ongoing comprehensive health care,” Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, wrote Friday.
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#Biopsy #Bidens #skin #lesion #common #skin #cancer #White #House #doctor
( With inputs from : www.politico.com )
After spending a lot of time trying to locate the particular molecules that play a role in diverse cancers, Dr Zahida Qamri changed her career path and started studying the quick response of societies to impactful science. She is currently working with JK Scientists where they handhold talent and guide the students in academics and research
TheNewsCaravan (KL): How you managed clinical trials during the Covid19 lockdown in the US?
DR ZAHIDA QAMRI (DZQ): In the Covid19 spread, the United States of America (USA) was taken off-guard. The healthcare system was not ready and we witnessed a healthcare crisis. The pandemic put the health systems under immense pressure and stretched them beyond their capacity. The disruption of the supply chain from China greatly affected the functioning of health institutions.
However, the experts successfully carried out vaccination trials in a considerably brief period of time. After clearing the phase-1 and phase-2 trials, the vaccine finally got FDA approval. Critically ill patients were given preference for receiving the vaccine dose. The government of the United States funded laboratories to get the vaccine ready in a minimum time span and the initial focus remained on genome sequencing. Researchers used to work day and night to find a single molecule, against which the vaccine could be produced. A Turkish couple finally succeeded in making the vaccine.
KL: What is your story from Kashmir to Ohio?
DZQ: My elementary education was completed at Netaji Memorial School in Balgarden. My high school years were spent at Caset Experimental School. Following that, I attended Kothibagh Higher Secondary School and then Women’s College on MA Road, where I earned my Bachelor’s degree. I then travelled to Delhi to further my education.
In the 1990s, moving to other states for studies was not an easy option in Kashmir, especially for women. But my family was very supportive towards my studies. Being the youngest among my siblings, I witnessed unparalleled encouragement. With the help of my siblings, I moved to Delhi, applied for the entrance test at Aligarh Muslim University and got into Jamia Hamdard. My initial years in Delhi didn’t go as I expected. It was a cultural shock, and added to it was the monsoon season. I had to stay at our principal RN Koul’s house for a year because I was unable to get hostel lodging. During that time, I had to commute between Faridabad to Delhi. So, it was quite challenging initially. However, with time I coped with the challenges and environment as well. I completed my master’s in Biochemistry. It was followed by a doctoral programme at Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
KL: What was your PhD thesis all about?
DZQ: In the Indian sub-continent, diarrhoea is one of the major health problems in children under one year of age. The diarrhoea-causing bacteria have various strains, among which few could turn out to be fatal. During my doctoral programme, I examined the stool of the children and developed DNA fingerprinting of the bacteria found. The purpose of my study was to identify and characterize the bacterial strains, which cause diarrhoea in infants. I also studied drug resistance among diarrhoea-causing bacteria.
KL: What were the major takeaways from your study?
DZQ: I discovered a small probe that could be used as identifying probe for bacterial strains and how to treat specific strains.
KL: Not all PhDs end up in discoveries. But there is a chain of follow-up studies. Has your PhD proven to be one?
DZQ: Yes, this topic was worked on under the guidance of my PhD supervisor until he retired. Much work has been done in this area in other parts of the world. In science, each investigation or study is an additional item to solve the puzzle and takes years to complete. Only then, can we get a clear picture of things.
KL: What did you do in your post-doctoral research?
DZQ: During my doctoral programme in microbiology, I developed an interest in oncology. I was selected in Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi as a research scientist, where we worked on breast cancer. During our research, we hoped to identify a cancer-causing gene in the north Indian population. If we locate that gene in any person during genome sequencing, we can inform them about their propensity for cancer. It was during that time that there was a job opening at the Harvard Medical School for breast cancer. Since I had all the qualifications, I was called there. My first post-Doc was at Harvard Medical School.
Post Doc is basically a training that makes you think and analyse critically. It helps broaden our vision. As, I had studied breast cancer at Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, I incorporated brain and lung cancer in the study during my postdoc at Harvard. It was a great opportunity. I started drawing experiments and writing grants independently.
I spent 2.5 years at the Harvard Medical School. Then our lab was shifted to Ohio State University. I worked for 10-12 years as a postdoc there. However, due to a lack of funding, I was unable to get grants. So, I decided to get a master’s degree in Clinical and pre-clinical research from Ohio State University. The programme helped me to get into a new field of managing clinical research and locating the impact of the work in laboratories on common people.
Dr Zahida Qamri
KL: What is the status of cancer research? How long will cancer be a challenge to humanity?
DZQ: In this part of the world, cancer is seen as taboo. People suffering from cancer can’t reveal their condition to others because it is treated as an infectious disease. However, in western countries, a person mandatorily undergoes an annual check-up for cancer. So, if we are able to detect cancer at its early stage, we are able to cure the person. But the lack of pre-screening practice makes a large chunk of our population vulnerable to this deadly disease because the patient only comes to know about it when cancer overtakes his body. It is one of the reasons for the high mortality rates here. There is a need for awareness among the general population and to encourage them to go for annual check-ups. This can help us deal with the disease a little better.
KL: How relevant is the subject of clinical trials here? What are the new subfields of biochemistry that have better demand in the market?
DZQ: Clinical trials are a new and emerging discipline. For better management, Western countries are outsourcing the field. To enter the field, you do not require a specialist degree. Clinical trials are managed in a variety of cities in India, including Bangalore and Hyderabad. I am working with JK Scientists and we have conducted a few programmes on clinical studies and how our youngsters can look towards this area as their career. You may even participate from home. Internet access and electricity are two fundamental requirements in this field.
KL: A number of top professionals are serving major medical institutions across the world. Can there be some kind of outreach centre back home?
DZQ: Yes, of course, that is possible, but it requires infrastructure. The government must take the lead and provide the necessary infrastructure.
KL:Did you see any changes in Kashmir’s education system from the days when you were a student?
DZQ: Our youth are still confused about their education and employment. They do not have a long-term goal. I find it similar to what I witnessed 15-20 years ago. Our youth require suitable guidance on maintaining their attention on the good things.
Scientific findings take time to land on the street. About 17 years old, the researchers calculate. And when the evidence does come into practice, it does not always penetrate satisfactorily. “The impact of an intervention depends on the effectiveness of the intervention and the reach of the population,” explains María Fernández, director of the Center for Health Prevention at the University of Texas School of Public Health, during a scientific seminar organized by the Catalan Institute of Oncology, in Barcelona. The researcher (Washington DC, 56 years old), an expert in the development and evaluation of health promotion interventions, spoke to EL PAÍS after recounting, in front of a room full of young researchers, the challenges of implementing science in prevention of cancer.
Ask. In his conference, he talked about the gap between what they know and what it costs to put it into practice. Regarding cancer, what example is there of something that you know works, but it hasn’t made it to the street?
Answer. In the United States, for example, we know that the use of physician reminders works to increase colorectal cancer screening, but it is not being used in clinics and many physicians may not remember. And patient reminders work too. We also know that there are interventions that increase children’s physical activity, such as active learning, in which those interventions teach teachers to teach while moving the children around. Another example is that we know that if the doctor recommends the papilloma vaccine while he is recommending the other vaccines, it works better than giving a separate recommendation.
Q. In his conference, he also mentioned fear as a factor that can play a double role: it can be used to get citizens to participate in some strategies, such as screening, but if you go too far, they can reject these measures. How is balance achieved?
R. With this example I was hitting the key point that it is very important to work with expert patients because people identify with other patients. But it is also important to work with people who know about health psychology because there are different things that influence whether or not a person listens to a message and whether or not the message motivates them. One way to handle it is to be realistic with the risk there is, but give hints about what they can do: never just give a message of fear.
Q. Is the population being scared too much with cancer?
R. I don’t know… I think it’s important that people know they’re at risk, but that they know there are things they can do. A person is not going to make an effort to do something if they think that “it will not happen to me” or that “if it happens to me, there is nothing I can do, I cannot survive”.
Q. What barriers are there to improve prevention?
R. In cancer, there are several things that can reduce your risk and others that you can do to detect it early. People perhaps do not pay attention to the recommendations or do not believe them and think that it does not matter what they do because it will not happen to them or it will happen to them anyway: that determinism, that fatalism, can be a barrier. But the most important thing, without a doubt, is tobacco: if a person does not smoke, eats well, and takes the tests that are due, it is the best way to prevent cancer.
Q. It has long been known that smoking is very bad for health and causes cancer. Why hasn’t tobacco been removed from the equation?
R. One of the problems is that there are programs that work, but they are not integrated as much as possible and that means that people do not have access to them. The programs have to be powerful, they have to work; it is not worth giving pamphlets. In the United States we have a telephone line to help people quit smoking: they give advice and access to medicines.
In lifestyles it is something in which we are failing: people eat worse and worse, exercise less and continue to smoke”
Q. Precisely in tobacco consumption there is a gradient of social inequality: people with fewer resources smoke more. How much does social inequality weigh in the fight against cancer?
R. It weighs a lot. In Spain you have it much better in terms of access, there are not as many inequalities as in the United States, but they still exist. Sometimes it is inequality in the sense that educated people understand more about the risks or where they have to go to access it. [al sistema]; this, for a migrant or person with less education or resources, is very difficult. And then the day-to-day influences: if a person is thinking about how to pay for food this week, it is much more difficult, because of that day-to-day struggle, for them to say: ‘I’m going to take care of myself, I’m going to the doctor or I’m going to to participate in this community program’.
Q. It is more difficult for them to worry about their health.
R. Clear. But what frustrates me, sometimes, when we talk about inequality, is that the controversy always goes to the person, to what they care about or to their motivation. And this seems super unfair to me. It is not that the person does not care about their health, it is that what they have to solve that day is more urgent.
Q. Regarding tobacco and other risk factors, the scientific community says that around 40% of tumors could be prevented. What is wrong with citizenship?
R. In lifestyles it is something in which we are failing: people eat worse and worse, exercise less and continue to smoke. But there are also screenings that can prevent cancer and we have to use them. Accessibility and motivation must be increased.
Q. How is he motivated?
R. This depends on what are the reasons or determinants of that behavior. And there are different. Some may not feel susceptible; others may think that the tests are not effective or that they do not want to know if they have cancer… The knowledge and beliefs in each population must be understood to focus education on the barriers they have.
Q. About the importance of the information that is given, how much do the fake news to prevention strategies?
R. It affects us a lot. She went through a lot with the covid. In the United States they say ridiculous things, like that vaccines are made with aborted fetuses or that vaccines cause autism. The fake news they create fear and a certain fear of vaccines and that is very worrying: the vaccine against the papilloma virus, for example, is incredible technology and that we have a vaccine that prevents cancer is something we dreamed of. But that people don’t like it because they say it’s very new, worries us.
Q. What is the great enemy for you, who are dedicated to cancer prevention? What is the most difficult for you to fight?
R. The enemies in this are misinformation and marketing of the tobacco industry. It is very difficult to combat this and public health does not have the resources to do so.
The ‘fake news’ creates fear and a certain fear of vaccines and that worries a lot”
Q. Does the tobacco industry put a lot of pressure on you?
R. Yes, but I think it is much worse in other countries than in the United States because in the United States there are more rules: you cannot have signs, for example, near schools, although this is different in each state.
Q. Even if it is more regulated, how far does its power reach?
R. They still have quite a bit of power. What the tobacco companies have done is diversify and sometimes you don’t know who you’re dealing with. I think they still have a lot of influence and although certain things are regulated, the marketing is strong. What seems worst to me is the approach [que están haciendo] in developing countries, which have fewer resources, to get people hooked and also expanding the types of products they use.
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Panaji: Yoga guru Ramdev on Saturday claimed that cancer cases increased in the country after the COVID-19 pandemic, but medical experts said there was no correlation between the two and the rise in cases was a normal phenomenon.
Cancer cases have been rising by five percent every two years and it has nothing to do with the pandemic, a renowned oncologist said here.
Ramdev made the remark while speaking before a gathering early morning at Miramar beach in Goa where his Patanjali Yog Samiti hads organised a yoga camp.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was also present with him on the stage.
“Cancer has increased a lot. The cases of this disease have gone up after the COVID-19 pandemic. People have lost their eyesight, their sense of hearing .,” he said.
But renowned oncologist and former chief of the Indian Medical Association’s Goa unit Dr Shekhar Salkar said the number of cancer cases is on the rise with the increase in population across the world.
Every two years there is a five percent increase in cases, he said.
“Cancer cases are not going to come down. But at the same time, you cannot attribute it to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr Salkar who also heads the medical cell of the Goa BJP.
Without naming Ramdev, he said, “Celebrities should make statements responsibly as people have faith in their words.”
India has 104 cancer patients per lakh of population, an increase from 85 patients per lakh in 2018, Dr Salkar noted.
“But at the same time, we are much better than the USA which has the rate crossing 500 patients per lakh,” he added.
India might surpass the US’s cancer rate if we do not correct our lifestyle, he said.
Dr Shredharan N, a surgical oncologist, also said that a five percent rise in the number of cancer patients is a normal phenomenon.
“There is no data to say that cancer has increased after COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
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