Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prevalent and potentially fatal disease categorized based on its high incidences and mortality rates, which raised the need for effective diagnostic strategies for the early detection and management of CRC. While there are several conventional cancer diagnostics available, they have certain limitations that hinder their effectiveness. Significant research efforts are currently being dedicated to elucidating novel methodologies that aim at comprehending the intricate molecular mechanism that underlies CRC. Recently, microfluidic diagnostics have emerged as a pivotal solution, offering non-invasive approaches to real-time monitoring of disease progression and treatment response. Microfluidic devices enable the integration of multiple sample preparation steps into a single platform, which speeds up processing and improves sensitivity. Such advancements in diagnostic technologies hold immense promise for revolutionizing the field of CRC diagnosis and enabling efficient detection and monitoring strategies. This article elucidates several of the latest developments in microfluidic technology for CRC diagnostics. In addition to the advancements in microfluidic technology for CRC diagnostics, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) holds great promise for further enhancing diagnostic capabilities. Advancements in microfluidic systems and AI-driven approaches can revolutionize colorectal cancer diagnostics, offering accurate, efficient, and personalized strategies to improve patient outcomes and transform cancer management.

Tuberculosis (TB) and cachexia are clinical entities that have a defined relationship, making them often found together. TB can lead to cachexia, while cachexia is a risk factor for TB. This article reviews cachexia in Tuberculosis patients in Southeast Asian and African regions by conducting a comprehensive literature search across electronic databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Research Gate between 2013 and 2024 using keywords including ‘Africa’, ‘cachexia’, ‘prevalence’, ‘implications’, ‘tuberculosis’, and ‘Southeast Asia. This article utilized only studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria, revealing knowledge gaps and untapped opportunities for cachexia in TB across Southeast Asian and African regions. Many Southeast Asian and Western Pacific patients initially receive a tuberculosis diagnosis. Sub-Saharan African countries are among the 30 high TB burden nations, according to the WHO. Food inadequacy and heightened energy expenditure can impair the immune system, leading to latent TB and subsequently, active infection. Symptoms needing attention: shortness of breath, productive cough, hyponatremia at 131 mmol/l, hypoalbuminemia at 2.1 g/dl, elevated aspartate transaminase at 75 U/l, increased lactate dehydrogenase at 654, and normocytic anemia. Comorbidities, such as kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and asthma, can influence the nutritional status of individuals with TB. While efforts like screening, contact tracing, and utilizing gene Xpert to detect TB cases were implemented, only a few proved effective. It is essential to conduct further studies, including RCTs, in Southeast Asia and Africa to evaluate and manage cachexia in TB patients.

A document by Roshan Bhandari. Click on the document to view its contents.

A RARE CASE OF PRIMARY VAGINAL MALIGNANT MELANOMA-CASE REPORTShreya Singh Beniwal1, Rahul Chikatimalla2, Srikanth Dogiparthi3, Yukti Tomar4, Kiranmai Kanaparthi5, Vikaskumar Jitendrakumar Patel6, Roshan Bhandari71Lady Hardinge Medical College, Connaught Place, New Delhi-110001, India2Kamineni Institute of Medical Sciences, Narketpally, Telangana, India3St.Martinus University Faculty of Medicine, 122-124 Sta.Rosaweg, Willemstad, Curaçao4School of Medical Science and Research, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India5Malla Reddy Medical College for Women, Suraram, Hyderabad, Telangana, India6GMERS Medical College, Dharpur, Patan, Gujarat, India7Maharajgunj Medical Campus, Institute of Medicine, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu-44600, Nepal

Central nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-TB) comprises tuberculous meningitis (TBM), parenchymal tuberculomas, and spinal arachnoiditis. It accounts for 5% to 10% of extrapulmonary TB and is more common in immunocompromised individuals, particularly those with HIV. Despite early diagnosis and treatment, mortality remains high, exceeding 30% in TB meningitis, and, as a consequence, many survivors develop cognitive, motor, or visual deficits. Management has proven to be difficult due to the blood–brain barrier and blood–cerebrospinal fluid barrier, which limit drug penetration, especially in early or non-inflammatory stages. Even after disruption of these barriers owing to inflammation, drug delivery remains inconsistent and often fails to reach the required concentrations. Tuberculomas further compound this problem due to their granulomatous, avascular, and fibrotic architecture, which protects Mycobacterium tuberculosis from both host immunity and antibiotics. Magnetic resonance–guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) is an established, non-invasive neurosurgical technology that may offer a platform to transiently disrupt physiological barriers or modulate lesion structure using microbubble-mediated cavitation. Although MRgFUS is FDA-approved for movement disorders and under investigation in brain tumors, its application in CNS-TB remains entirely untested. Conceptually, MRgFUS could enhance drug delivery to protected CNS compartments, theoretically alter granulomatous architecture to improve antimicrobial penetration, and facilitate targeted delivery of immunomodulatory agents. This narrative and hypothesis-generating review explores the theoretical role of MRgFUS as an adjunctive strategy in CNS-TB, while explicitly acknowledging current evidence gaps and safety uncertainties.