Projects in the department

• A study to quantify the burden of insulin resistance in breast cancer women and its relation with other known prognostic and predictive factors of breast cancer

• An observational study from North India to assess the readiness and motivation of ASHAs towards NPCDCS services

• Effect of Smartphone application on breast self examination practice and adherence to follow-up screening schedule for female cancers: a pilot study

• Implementation Research to Enhance Screening, Early Diagnosis and Initiation of Treatment for Oral, Breast and Cervical Cancer in Selected Districts of India

• Early and Late development of Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer and its correlation with Androgen Receptor Ligand Binding Domain Mutations (PI).

• Clinico-genetic prognostic signatures for development of metastatic Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer.

• Genomics of Gall Bladder Carcinoma in Indian patients

• Repurposing of drugs against drug-resistant small cell lung cancer cell lines

• Identification of small immunogenic regions from SARS-CoV-2 spike protein for second generation vaccine development

• Comparative study of Genetics, Clinical and Epidemiological factors of breast cancer in Indian Population

• Detection of HPV circulating tumor DNA in cervical cancer patients before and after Chemoradiotherapy by Droplet Digital PCR.

• Examining Lysyl oxidase (LoX) and p53 interaction in the context of cervical carcinogenesis

• Repurposing of drugs against drug-resistant small cell lung cancer cell lines.

• Identification of small immunogenic regions from SARS-CoV-2 spike protein for second generation vaccine development

• Development and evaluation of a recombinant Mycobacterium indicuspranii (MIP)-based therapeutic vaccine against HPV to mitigate cervical cancer risk in women with established virus infection (funded by ICMR).

• Development and validation of a Laboratory Developed Test (LDT) for detection of high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) in patients with cancer and potentially malignant disorders of oral and oropharyngeal region (funded by Research Section, AIIMS New Delhi).

• Targeting multiple cancer antigens for cancer immunotherapy with a recombinant Mycobacterium indicuspranii (MIP)-based approach and its evaluation using mouse tumor model (funded by SERB).

   

Recent Publications:

Sakshi Gupta, SaurabhYadav, Pawan Kumar (2024). Efficacy of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin in Cancer Prevention and its Putative Mechanisms. Journal of Cancer Prevention 2024;29(1):1-10. 

Sujata Pathak. Induction of Apoptotic Signaling Pathways by 3’ methyl ATP in Different Malignant Cells: in vitro Study. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev., 2024 Aug. 25 (8), 2743-2750

Choudhury AR, Nagesh AM, Gupta S, Chaturvedi PK, Kumar N, Sandeep K, Pandey D. MicroRNA signature of stromal-epithelial interactions in prostate and breast cancers. Exp Cell Res. 2024 Aug 15;441(2):114171. 

Shukla P, Priya H, Meena JK, Singh S, Bairwa M, Saini A. Readiness and Motivation of ASHAs towards Their Participation in Non-Communicable Disease Control Programmein North India:A Cross Sectional Study. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2023 Sep 1;24(9):3235-3241. 

Neeta Singh, Yogita Dogra, Pawan Kumar, Sandeep Mathur,  Ashok Sharma, and Garima Patel (2023). Establishment of Cut-off Values for Uterine and Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells During the Peri-implantation Period in Fertile Controls and Women with Unexplained Recurrent Implantation Failure. Journal of Reproduction & Infertility 24 (4), 248-256

Pathak A, Tomar S, Pathak S. Epigenetics and Cancer: A Comprehensive Review. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Biology 16Mar.2023;8(1):75-79.

Shukla P, Vashist P, Suraj SS, Gupta V, Gupta N, Bharadwaj A. Effect ofintegrated people-centred eye care (IPEC) model on eye care seeking behaviour of community. Indian J Public Health. 2022 Jul-Sep;66(3):282-286.

Shukla P, Vashist P, Senjam SS, Gupta V, Gupta N. A study to assess theknowledge and skills of Accredited Social Health Activists and its retention after training in community-based primary eye care.Indian J Ophthalmol. 2022Jan;70(1):36-42.

Vashist P, Senjam SS, Gupta V, Gupta N, Shamanna BR, Wadhwani M, Shukla P, Manna S, Yadav S, Bharadwaj A. Blindness and visual impairment and their causes in India: Results of a nationally representative survey. PLoS One. 2022 Jul21;17(7):e0271736.

Manna S, Vashist P, Senjam SS, Shukla P, Gupta N, Bhardwaj A, Gupta V. VisionDelhi: A study of primary eye care model operational in urban slums andresettlement colonies of Delhi. J Family Med Prim Care. 2022 Jan;11(1):201-207.

Priya, Harsh; Bharathi, MP; Shukla, Pallavi1; Mishra, Deepika2. No more relay of the delay: Passing the baton to the digital technologies. Cancer Research, Statistics, and Treatment 5(3):p 617-618, Jul–Sep 2022.

Agarwal, Deepali; Purohit, Bharathi M.; Shukla, Pallavi1; Mishra, Deepika2; Priya, Harsh.Resurrection of tobacco cessation. Cancer Research, Statistics, and Treatment 5(3):p 618-619, Jul–Sep 2022.

Shukla P, Vashist P, Senjam SS, Gupta V. Evaluation of a training program onprimary eye care for an Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) in an urbandistrict.Indian J Ophthalmol. 2020 Feb;68(2):356-360.

GRID COVID-19 Study Group. Combating the COVID-19 pandemic in a resource-

constrained setting: insights from initial response in India. BMJ Glob Health.2020 Nov;5(11):e003416.

Shukla P, Vashist P, Singh SS, Gupta V, Gupta N, Wadhwani M, Bharadwaj A, Arora L. Assessing the inclusion of primary school children in vision screeningfor refractive error program of India. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2018Jul;66(7):935-939.

Wadhwani M, Vashist P, Singh SS, Gupta N, Malhotra S, Gupta A, Shukla P, Bhardwaj A, Gupta V. Diabetic retinopathy screening programme utilising non-mydriatic fundus imaging in slum populations of New Delhi, India. Trop Med IntHealth. 2018 Apr;23(4):405-414.

Pathak S, Bhatla N, Singh N. Inefficient one-carbon metabolism and promoter hypermethylation is associated with cervical carcinogenesis. Journal of colostomy and lower genital tract pathology.Published by Wolters Kluwer-Medknow. Page no 124

AAlam, MA Ansari, KF Badrealam, S Pathak. Molecular approaches to lung cancer prevention. Future Oncology 2022, 17 (14), 1793-1810, 2021

Bajpai D, Banerjee A, Pathak S, Thakur B, Jain SK, Singh N.Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the DNA repair genes in HPV-positive cervical cancer.Eur J Cancer Prev. 2016 May;25(3):224-31.

Pathak S, Alam A. Role of Biomarkers in Cancer Prevention and Therapy. In Toxicology and Human Health: Environmental Exposures and Biomarkers 2023 Jun 25 (pp. 179-195). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.

Choudhury AR, Nagesh AM, Gupta S, Chaturvedi PK, Kumar N, Sandeep K, Pandey D. MicroRNA signature of stromal-epithelial interactions in prostate and breast cancers. Exp Cell Res. 2024 Aug 15;441(2):114171. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2024.114171. Epub 2024 Jul 17. PMID: 39029573.

Role of green tea catechins in modulating stromal-epithelial interaction in prostate cells. Devi, Nandana; Nagesh, A Muni; Jala, Moses Azaraiah; Gupta, Surabhi; Chaturvedi, Pradeep Kumar; Kumar, Neeraj; Sandeep, Kumar; Pandey, Deepak. IJNPR Vol.13(4) [March 2023] 28-36

Kumar S, Sandeep K, Kumar R, Kumar A. Antimicrobial effect of pimozide by targeting ROS-mediated killing in Staphylococcus aureus. BiotechnolApplBiochem. 2023 Oct;70(5):1679-1689. Kumar L, Kumar S, Sandeep K, Patel SKS. Therapeutic Approaches in Pancreatic Cancer: Recent Updates. Biomedicines. 2023; 11(6):1611. https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines11061611

Srivastava S, Singh A, Sandeep K, Yadav D. Epigenetic Regulation of Gut Microbial Dysbiosis. Indian J Microbiol. 2021 Jun;61(2):125-129

Shankar  A , Roy S , Rath GK, Kamal VK,  Kharade V, Sandeep K. Carcinoma Uterine Cervix: Evolving trends and Impact of National Cancer Control Program in India. IJSPRO 2017; 1 (1), 16-22

Choudhury AR, Kumar N, Sandeep K, Pandey D (2017) Biotechnological Potential of Stem Cells. J Stem Cell Res Ther 3(1): 00090

DurgavatiYadav, Kumar Sandeep, Deepak Pandey, RanuKumariDutta (2017) Liposomes for Drug Delivery, J BiotechnolBiomater 2017, 7:4.

Kumar Sandeep, Interaction of liposomes with cancer cells: Influence of liposome surfaceproperties on cellular uptake. Int J Pharm Bio Sci 2016 Jan; 7(1): (P) 199 – 205.

Emran TB, Iyori M, Ono Y, Amelia F, Yusuf Y, Islam A, Alam A, Tamura M, Ogawa R, Matsuoka H, Yamamoto DS. Baculovirus-induced fast-acting innate immunity kills liver-stage Plasmodium. The Journal of Immunology. 2018 Oct 15;201(8):2441-51.

Yusuf Y, Yoshii T, Iyori M, Yoshida K, Mizukami H, Fukumoto S, Yamamoto DS, Alam A, Emran TB, Amelia F, Islam A. Adeno-associated virus as an effective malaria booster vaccine following adenovirus priming. Frontiers in Immunology. 2019 Apr 5;10:730.

Alam A. Laboratory diagnosis of malaria: an update. InFalciparum Malaria 2024 Jan 1 (pp. 41-58). Academic Press.

P Kumar, S Bhaskar (2016). Analysis of T Cell Proliferating and Polarizing Potential of Murine Dendritic Cells in Allogeneic-Mixed Leukocyte Reaction. Bio-protocol 6 (5), e1750.

P Kumar (2016).Adult pulmonary tuberculosis as a pathological manifestation of hyperactive antimycobacterial immune response.Clin Trans Med 5(38): 1-7.

P Kumar (2017).IFNγ-producing CD4⁺ T lymphocytes: the double-edged swords in tuberculosis. Clin Trans Med 6(21): 1-7.

P Kumar, V John , A Gupta, S Bhaskar (2018). Enhanced survival of BCG-stimulated dendritic cells: involvement of anti-apoptotic proteins and NF-κB. Biology Open, bio. 032045.

B Singh, M Saqib, A Gupta, P Kumar, S Bhaskar (2017). Autophagy induction by Mycobacterium indicuspraniipromotes Mycobacterium tuberculosis clearance from RAW 264.7 macrophages. PLoS ONE 12(12):e0189606.

P Kumar, G Das, S Bhaskar (2019). Mycobacterium indicuspranii therapy induces tumor regression in MyD88- and TLR2-dependent manner. BMC research notes 12 (1), 648.

P Kumar, S Bhaskar (2019). Myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)-deficient dendritic cells exhibit a skewed cytokine response to BCG. BMC Research Notes 12 (1), 52.

L Pal, R Nandani, P Kumar, B Swami, G Roy and S Bhaskar (2021). Macrophages Are the Key Players in Promoting Hyper-Inflammatory Response in a Mouse Model of TB-IRIS. Frontiers in Immunology 12:775177.

P Kumar (2021).A perspective on the Success and Failure of BCG. Frontiers in Immunology 12:778028. 

                                                                                   

 

 

Introduction: 2 Preventive Oncology plays a pivotal role in cancer prevention and early detection, offering both clinical and outreach services to diverse populations. Through its academic endeavors, it also contributes to the training of healthcare professionals and advances research in cancer prevention strategies. It functions as an essential part of a multidisciplinary approach to cancer control, working closely with other departments, public health organizations, and communities. The department focuses on various cancers, especially those that are preventable, and offers both clinical and outreach services. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in academics, contributing to the training of healthcare professionals and the dissemination of cancer prevention knowledge.

Key Objectives : Reduction in cancer incidence through prevention and education.   Early detection of common cancers, especially those with high mortality rates like oral, cervical and breast cancer.   Training healthcare workers in cancer prevention strategies.   Conducting community outreach to educate the public on risk factors and screening   Collaborating with national health policies and programs to reduce cancer burden

Research

• Cancer Epidemiology Research: Conducting studies to understand the patterns, causes, and risk factors of cancer in different populations, with a focus on high-risk groups.

• Community-based Research: Developing community-oriented research projects to assess the impact of outreach programs on cancer prevention and early detection.

 

2. Outreach Services:

 Outreach services focus on reaching underprivileged and rural populations where access to cancer screening and preventive care is limited. The key outreach activities include:

 

• Screening Camps: Organizing regular mobile camps in rural and underserved areas to screen for various cancers and provide early detection services.

• Awareness Programs: Conducting educational sessions in schools, community centers, and workplaces to raise awareness about cancer prevention, early signs, and risk factors.

• Vaccination camps: organizing regular vaccination drives, particularly focusing on HPV vaccines to prevent cervical cancer, targeting at-risk populations and ensuring broader community immunization against preventable cancers.

• Adolescent/students awareness: Focused initiatives are undertaken to educate adolescent students about cancer prevention, reproductive health, and lifestyle choices. The department conducts interactive workshops and school programs to empower young individuals with knowledge on cancer risks, screening, and prevention strategies.

• Tobacco cessation: The department actively engages in tobacco cessation programs, offering counseling, support groups, and resources to help individuals quit smoking and reduce their risk of cancer. These programs are integral to their broader public health efforts aimed at reducing tobacco-related cancer incidences.

• Collaboration with NGOs and Government Programs: Working with non-governmental organizations and government health programs to promote cancer prevention and screening at the grassroots level.

• Capacity Building for Healthcare Workers: Training local healthcare providers and community health workers on cancer screening techniques and the importance of early detection.

• Cancer Prevention Campaigns: Large-scale public health campaigns focusing on reducing risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity.

 

Faculty: 

Dr Pallavi Shukla

 Dr Pallavi Shukla is an accomplished medical professional specialized in Public Health. Currently serving as Associate Professor in Preventive Oncology at IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi. She completed her MBBS and MD in Community Medicine & Public Health from King George’s Medical University, Lucknow. She received her Doctoral Degree (PhD) from AIIMS. She was awarded Best PhD from R P Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences, AIIMS. Her priority research areas are epidemiological, programmatic and operational research in cancer care, non-communicable diseases, visual impairment and blindness and studies on high risk groups like FSWs etc. She is a member of Review Committee for the evaluation of Ayushman Bharat- Health & Wellness Centres under the Department of Health & Family Welfare, MoHFW, GoI. She was also instrumental in developing primary eye care guidelines for Health & Wellness Centres. She is a Technical Resource Person for National Programme for prevention and control of Non Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) for Delhi State She is member of various professional and academic bodies like ESMO, EORTC, IAPSM, IPHA, IEA, AOGIN- India, AIOS etc.

 

Scientists:

Dr Sujata Pathak

  

Dr. Sujata Pathak, has joined as Scientist at the Preventive Oncology department of Dr. BRA-IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi in 2016. She completed her bachelors, postgraduation and PhD (Biochemistry) from AIIMS, New Delhi. She was awarded the prestigious Shri Mohan Lal Wig Gold Medal for Best Work in Clinical Research in 2012. Her area of research interests includes the molecular biology of cancer, particularly cervical and other preventable cancers. She has been actively involved in cancer prevention and awareness programs.After joining Preventive Oncology, she has worked extensively on community outreach initiatives, including vaccination drives, screening camps, and health awareness programs, aimed at early detection and reducing the burden of cancer, especially among underprivileged communities. She is an active member of several professional bodies, including the Indian Association of Cancer Research (IACR), American Association of Cancer Research (AACR), and the Asia-Oceania Research Organisation in Genital Infection and Neoplasia (AOGIN).

 

 

Dr. Kumar Sandeep

 Dr. Kumar Sandeep obtained his PhD from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi in 2013. After completing his Ph.D. he has worked as Scientist at ICMR. Dr. Kumar has joined as Scientist at the Preventive Oncology department of Dr. BRA-IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi in 2016. His area of interest includes prostate cancer, early detection of cancer, and cancer awareness program. He is involved in community outreach efforts, including vaccination campaigns, screening programs, and health education initiatives, all designed to promote early detection and reduce the overall impact of cancer.

 

 

Dr. Asrar Alam

 

 Dr. AsrarAlam received Ph.D. degree from International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi. After PhD., he worked as postdoctoral scientist at Seattle Biomedical Research Institute, USA, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai and Kanazawa University, Japan (JSPS Fellowship). His major research interest is molecular and biochemical characterization of proteases in various diseases with the aim to develop drugs and diagnostic tools. His other area of interest is characterization of vaccine candidate proteins against various diseases.

 

 

 

 

 

Academics

The academic arm of Preventive Oncology is focused on education, and training in the field of cancer prevention. Its activities include:

• Ph.D. Programs: Offering structured training for medical residents, fellows, and healthcare professionals in preventive oncology, focusing on both theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

• Observership Programs: An observership program in Preventive Oncology offers participants the opportunity to gain hands-on exposure to cancer prevention, screening, and early detection strategies. During the program, observers can learn about public health approaches to cancer prevention, including vaccination programs, risk factor assessments, and health promotion activities. Additionally, participants get insights into the latest research, clinical protocols, and community outreach initiatives aimed at reducing cancer incidence and improving outcomes.

• Inter and intradepartmental seminars/teaching: the department is involved in inter and intradepartmental teaching at BRA-IRCH.

• Public Health Training: Collaborating with public health institutions to train professionals in cancer epidemiology, prevention strategies, and policy-making.