Background:Breast cancer has emerged as a leading site of cancer among women in India. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has been routinely applied in assessment of breast lesions. Cytological evaluation in breast lesions is subjective with a “gray zone” of 6.9–20%. Quantitative evaluation of nuclear size, shape, texture, and density parameters by morphometry can be of diagnostic help in breast tumor.Aims:To apply nuclear morphometry on cytological breast aspirates and assess its role in differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions with derivation of suitable cut-off values between the two groups.Settings and Designs:The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study of nuclear morphometric parameters of benign and malignant cases.Materials and Methods:The study included 50 benign breast disease (BBD), 8 atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), and 64 carcinoma cases. Image analysis was performed on Papanicolaou-stained FNAC slides by Nikon Imaging Software (NIS)–Elements Advanced Research software (Version 4.00). Nuclear morphometric parameters analyzed included 5 nuclear size, 2 shape, 4 texture, and 2 density parameters.Results:Nuclear morphometry could differentiate between benign and malignant aspirates with a gradually increasing nuclear size parameters from BBD to ADH to carcinoma. Cut-off values of 31.93 μm2, 6.325 μm, 5.865 μm, 7.855 μm, and 21.55 μm for mean nuclear area, equivalent diameter, minimum feret, maximum ferret, and perimeter, respectively, were derived between benign and malignant cases, which could correctly classify 7 out of 8 ADH cases.Conclusion:Nuclear morphometry is a highly objective tool that could be used to supplement FNAC in differentiating benign from malignant lesions, with an important role in cases with diagnostic dilemma.

Cancer is a big problem in the developed world as well as in developing countries. Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 3% of adult malignancies and 90-95% of neoplasms arising from the kidney. RCC is more common in men than in women (2:1), and it most often occurs in patients between the ages of 50-70 years. In all cancers the cancerous cells release particular kind of proteins (called tumour markers) and blood tests are used to detect the presence of these markers. These tumour markers nowadays are an area of interest for oncologists who search for a possible solution in the detection and treatment of RCC. Different kinds of biochemical and molecular markers such as ferritin, MN/CA9, apoptotic index, p53, IL-2, gamma-enolase, CD44, CD95, chromosome instability and loss of heterozygosity have been tested in RCC, but so far no marker fulfils one or the other criteria to be considered as an ideal marker for RCC. This review gives basic and updated information about the different kinds of biomarkers studied in RCC and about the role implementation of genomics and proteomics in RCC.

Background:Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a simple, rapid, inexpensive, and reliable method of diagnosis of breast mass. Cytoprognostic grading in breast cancers is important to identify high-grade tumors. Computer-assisted image morphometric analysis has been developed to quantitate as well as standardize various grading systems.Aims:To apply nuclear morphometry on cytological aspirates of breast cancer and evaluate its correlation with cytomorphological grading with derivation of suitable cutoff values between various grades.Settings and Designs:Descriptive cross-sectional hospital-based study.Materials and Methods:This study included 64 breast cancer cases (29 of grade 1, 22 of grade 2, and 13 of grade 3). Image analysis was performed on Papanicolaou stained FNAC slides by NIS –Elements Advanced Research software (Ver 4.00). Nuclear morphometric parameters analyzed included 5 nuclear size, 2 shape, 4 texture, and 2 density parameters.Results:Nuclear size parameters showed an increase in values with increasing cytological grades of carcinoma. Nuclear shape parameters were not found to be significantly different between the three grades. Among nuclear texture parameters, sum intensity, and sum brightness were found to be different between the three grades.Conclusion:Nuclear morphometry can be applied to augment the cytology grading of breast cancer and thus help in classifying patients into low and high-risk groups.

Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium is a rare entity with primary endometrial squamous cell carcinoma in-situ being more uncommon. We report a 60-year-old multiparous post-menopausal woman who presented with a lower abdominal swelling alongwith difficulty in urination for five months. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy showed an enlarged uterus with pyometra. A diagnosis of primary squamous cell carcinoma in-situ of the endometrium was made on histopathology.

A complete plant regeneration system has been developed using mature seeds as explants. Mature embryos were used for induction of callus and regeneration of finger millet GE-3885 genotype. Highest callus induction and proliferation was found with MS + 1.5 mg/l NAA and MS+0.5 mg/l NAA respectively. Somatic embryos were obtained in MS + 0.5 mg/l 2,4-D. Histological analysis of somatic embryos revealed globularshaped structure. Plantlets attained good length of shoots and roots on MS + 1.5 mg/l BA and MS + 1.5 mg/l IBA respectively, and were acclimatized under glasshouse conditions after proliferation of roots in hydroponics system.