Pregnancy is usually a time of happiness and hope, but it also brings in the unexpected. While there is much talk placed on the health of the expectant mother, the quality sperm coming from the father could dramatically change the outcome of pregnancy. The latest study suggests the risks of sperm DNA damage, even increasing the risks of complications preeclampsia and birth prematurity.

In a groundbreaking research study conducted by scientists from Lund University in Sweden, scientists discovered that DNA damage in sperm increases the risk almost up to double that of preeclampsia, this is a dangerous condition that may arise during pregnancies characterized by high blood pressure. In addition, DNA anomalies also increase the risk of premature births, and this further entails increased related adverse health outcomes for infants born through such conditions.

The next step would be to find out which group of men respond best to methods to prevent and treat sperm DNA damage, and to test these methods to prevent pregnancy complications," said Dr. Amelie Stenqvist, a lecturer at Lund University. According to this study, a significant message is put forward that paternal health assumes an important role in a successful pregnancy.

It focused its research on men, specifically whose sperm contained high levels of DNA fragmentation. For instance, some 20% to 30% of babies born via in vitro fertilization have fathers whose sperm contains damaged DNA. The DNA fragmentation index, an indicator to assess the percentage of DNA damage in sperm, indicated that when the percentage of sperm with a DFI above 30% was observed, they had almost no chance of resulting in natural conception. Even a DFI greater than 20% showed that the chances of getting pregnant are highly risky as the risk factor for pregnancy complications like preeclampsia is much high.

Uncommon Complications during Pregnancy

The most alarming complication during pregnancy is preeclampsia. It affects approximately 5% to 8% of pregnancies worldwide, which can cause fatal conditions for both the mother and the baby. The new findings now point out that sperm DNA damage may contribute to this condition, especially if it is due to assisted reproductive techniques such as IVF pregnancies. The research found that a DFI above 20% doubled the risk of preeclampsia from a mere 5% to almost 11% per.

Apart from causing preeclampsia, DNA fragmentation in sperm is also known to increase the risk for prematurity. Most premature babies experience respiratory, neurological, and developmental complications. Therefore, some degree of early intervention might be important for prospective parents.

Some of the rarer, though serious complications include placental abruption, which is the separation of the placenta from the uterine wall and intrauterine growth restriction, a condition by which the baby does not grow normally in the womb. These conditions though rare are potentially catastrophic both to the mother and the child. Results from this study may help in establishing the contribution of the father in such pregnancies.

Further study into sperm DNA damage is of urgent interest with regard to its consequences for pregnancy outcomes. According to Professor Aleksander Giwercman of Lund University in the field of Reproductive Medicine, "the analysis of DFI should be introduced as routine test in all fertility clinics.". "It could give answers to couples who are having difficulties with infertility, but our latest result also shows that DFI analysis can be a method to identify high-risk pregnancies, explained Giwercman.

For many, DNA fragmentation in sperm is often treatable. Common causes are oxidative stress, age, smoking, being obese, and infections. Addressing these elements will likely reduce DNA damage in sperm for men, raising the chances for a healthy pregnancy and baby.

Overall, the study importance should take into consideration paternal as well as maternal health towards reaching for a healthy pregnancy. Though DNA fragmentation in the sperm is supposed to increase the risk factors for complications in pregnancies, the advances into novel treatment approaches and tests are likely to alleviate complications in many families. Thus the findings of this study offer optimism and pave a pathway to more holistic fertility treatments in the future.

India is facing a significant and growing cancer burden, with the latest National Cancer Registry Programme study estimating that the lifetime risk of developing cancer in the country is 11% — about one in nine people.

The 2025 study also found that India ranks second in Asia and third globally in cancer incidence.

SC Directs States To Notify Cancer

Around 17 states in India have already made cancer a notifiable disease, while the Supreme Court in August directed the remaining 19 states and Union Territories to comply with the requirement, aimed at enabling early detection and proper care of patients.

The petition before the court argued that the continued non-notification of cancer, despite its alarming and escalating burden in India, amounted to a grave abdication of the state's constitutional duty under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. It said this denied uniform treatment to similarly situated citizens and undermined their fundamental right to health and a life of dignity.

The Supreme Court's order is legally binding on the remaining 19 states and Union Territories, which have until November 11, 2026, to comply with the directive.

By the deadline, the concerned administrations are required to transition cancer into a notifiable disease and formally submit their progress reports to the Supreme Court. States will also need to issue official Gazette notifications requiring public and private healthcare entities to report cancer cases and related data.

Why Cancer Notification Matters

Speaking to HealthandMe, experts said making cancer notifiable could strengthen cancer surveillance, improve data collection and support research and treatment planning.

Dr Karishma Kirti, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, said cancer should be treated as a notifiable disease, but through a system different from the traditional notification process used for infectious diseases.

How Cancer Registration Can Help

Dr Kirti told HealthandMe that mandatory registration of cancer cases could help India understand cancer trends and generate more real-world data to guide research.

“Mandatory registration of cancer cases will in the future help in understanding trends, generating real-world data early, and guiding research. Most of the evidence-based medicine and treatment that we recommend comes from Western data and mandating cancer registration will help India generate its own data and understand the inherent characteristics of Indian cancers better.”

Notifying Cancer Could Strengthen Cancer Care

Dr Harit K Chaturvedi, CEO & Clinical Head, Apollo Oncology Network, said making cancer a notifiable disease could help improve cancer care and research as the country's cancer burden rises.

“No two cancers are the same and the disease cannot be fought in silos. As the burden of cancer cases is increasing, wherein India is projected to record 1.5 million cases in 2026, declaring cancer as a notifiable disease can enable better cancer care and research across India,” he told HealthandMe.

Chaturvedi said notification of cancer would also give impetus to the decades-old National Cancer Registry Program and enable proper and mandatory record-keeping of cancer cases, as seen in many developed nations.

“By making cancer a notifiable disease, we can ensure that all cancer cases are reported and documented accurately, enabling us to track cancer incidence, mortality, and survival rates.”

Importantly, he said, notification would also enable policymakers, healthcare providers and researchers to work with real-time data, which could help bring more awareness, strengthen prevention and early detection, and improve treatment outcomes and quality of life.

Recurring abdominal pain is often dismissed as acidity or indigestion. This becomes a matter of concern when persistent pain reaches the back and causes vomiting and weight loss. These are symptoms of a more serious disease such as chronic pancreatitis.

A recent case highlights the importance of recognizing the condition early. A 35-year-old mother of two had been living with severe upper abdominal pain for nearly three years. She experienced episodes that required hospital admission. Upon detailed investigations, it was confirmed to be a case of chronic idiopathic calcific pancreatitis. Long-standing inflammation had caused stones to develop within the pancreatic duct, which blocked the normal flow of digestive juices and triggered repeated attacks of pain. The underlying problem remained unresolved. To the patient, the mental toll of being a daily-wage worker came with loss of income and disruption to family life.

Chronic pancreatitis is when repeated inflammation causes permanent damage to the pancreas. Gradually, the gland becomes scarred, the pancreatic duct narrows, and stones develop. Pressure within the pancreas increases, thereby causing recurrent abdominal pain. As the disease advances, patients may also develop difficulty digesting food, unintended weight loss, nutritional deficiencies, and diabetes due to loss of pancreatic function. There exist multiple causes of chronic pancreatitis such as alcohol, gallstones, smoking, genetic disorders, autoimmune diseases and certain metabolic conditions. In a proportion of patients, no definite cause can be identified despite extensive evaluation.

Diagnosis is made on clinical grounds and imaging modalities such as ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI, which are helpful in identifying changes in the pancreas and detecting ductal stones. Early diagnosis is essential to prevent further complications and long-term outcomes. Treatment is modified according to the severity of the illness and the patient's signs and symptoms. Initial management is done in the form of dietary modifications, enzyme supplementation, and avoidance of substances such as alcohol and tobacco. However, when pain persists despite medical treatment, surgery may be required to relieve the obstruction and restore pancreatic drainage. This also occurs when stones obstruct the pancreatic duct,

In this patient's case, the severity of the case warranted surgery in order to ensure the best chance of lasting relief. Prior to the surgery, the patient consulted multiple hospitals before treatment. She underwent a minimally invasive robotic-assisted procedure to remove the pancreatic duct stones and create a new drainage pathway for pancreatic secretions. She had been advised open surgery but delayed it because she feared the large incision and long recovery; before this, she was admitted every 2-3 months for severe pain. The surgery was performed through small incisions with reduced tissue trauma as compared to conventional open surgery. The recovery was unsuccessful, and the patient was discharged with pancreatic enzyme supplementation.

Three months later, she was free from the disabling pain that had dominated her life. She had returned to work and was able to resume her daily routine.

Available treatment options have increased due to minimally invasive and robotic techniques for selected patients, but they may not be suitable for everyone. The choice of treatment is dependent on multiple factors such as the stage of the disease, the anatomy of the pancreas, and the patient's overall condition.

The more important message, however, extends beyond surgery. Persistent pain should never be ignored or considered a common passing occurrence; neither should it be repeatedly treated with painkillers without identifying the cause.

Earlier diagnosis and timely referral can be encouraged by raising awareness amongst the general public to prevent recurring hospital visits. Awareness can make the difference between years of repeated hospitalizations and a return to a healthier, more productive life.

(Dr. Sreedhara V., Surgical Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospitals Bannerghatta Road, Bengaluru)

Liver cancer rarely announces itself. It creeps in without warning, and by the time symptoms surface, the disease has often progressed to a stage where treatment options shrink, and outcomes worsen. That's why doctors have long called it a "silent killer."

In India, the threat is growing. Rising rates of hepatitis infection, fatty liver disease, and lifestyle-driven risk factors are pushing the numbers up.

Data from the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) shows more than 40,000 new liver cancer cases reported in India, a figure that underscores a mounting public health challenge. The disease also carries a high mortality rate, largely because most cases surface only once treatment options have narrowed.

This fits into a much larger global picture: WHO's newly released Global Status Report on Cancer 2026 warns that annual cancer cases worldwide could climb from 20.6 million today to nearly 35 million by 2050 without urgent intervention, with infections like hepatitis B and C among the preventable risk factors driving a significant share of the burden.

Why Does Liver Cancer Stay Hidden?

The liver is a workhorse organ, filtering toxins, storing nutrients, and keeping the body running, and it can keep functioning almost normally even after cancer takes hold. That resilience is precisely what makes early detection so difficult. When symptoms do appear, they're vague enough to be mistaken for something else entirely:

• Unexplained weight loss
• Persistent fatigue and weakness
• Upper abdominal pain
• Loss of appetite
• Yellowing of the skin and eyes
• Abdominal swelling

Because these signs surface late, patients often delay seeking care, which is exactly why regular health checkups matter most for high-risk groups, including people with chronic liver disease, hepatitis infection, or fatty liver.

What's Driving the Risk?

Liver cancer doesn't appear overnight; it's the result of years of accumulated damage. Key contributors include:

• Chronic Hepatitis B and C infections, among the leading causes worldwide
• Liver cirrhosis, where scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue
• Fatty liver disease, increasingly common in India amid rising obesity and diabetes
• Excessive alcohol consumption, which steadily damages liver cells
• Family history of liver disease or cancer
• Exposure to toxins through contaminated food
• Smoking, which raises overall cancer risk

India's shifting disease landscape, sedentary routines, poor dietary habits, and metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes, means liver cancer is no longer just an infectious-disease concern. It's increasingly a lifestyle disease too.

Can It Be Prevented?

The good news: much of this risk is manageable.

• Get vaccinated against Hepatitis B to block the long-term viral infection that often leads to cirrhosis
• Maintain a healthy weight through diet and regular activity, as obesity is closely tied to fatty liver disease
• Manage diabetes and metabolic health, since insulin resistance accelerates liver damage
• Limit or avoid alcohol, a leading cause of cirrhosis
• Avoid tobacco, which compounds cancer risk
• Stay on top of routine screening if you're at risk; this is one of the most critical preventive steps and includes:
  • Liver function tests (LFTs) to catch early signs of inflammation or damage
  • Ultrasound scans every 6 months for those with cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B or C, or advanced fatty liver disease
  • Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) blood tests, used alongside imaging to flag early tumour changes
  • Advanced imaging (CT or MRI) for more detailed evaluation in high-risk cases

Paired with lifestyle changes and timely medical care, these steps can meaningfully lower the risk of developing liver cancer and support long-term liver health.

Know When to Seek Medical Help

Because liver cancer tends to progress silently, early detection is everything when it comes to improving outcomes. Doctors typically rely on a combination of diagnostic tools, ultrasound scans, AFP blood tests, CT or MRI imaging, and in some cases a liver biopsy, to catch the disease at a more treatable stage.

When caught early, treatment can significantly improve survival odds. The right approach depends on the stage of disease, liver function, and the patient's overall health:

• Liver resection, surgically removing only the cancerous portion of the liver, when the disease is localized
• Liver transplant, replacing the entire diseased liver with a healthy donor liver, in select cases
• Ablation, using radiofrequency or microwave energy to destroy cancer cells with heat
• Targeted therapy, drugs designed to attack specific cancer cells while sparing healthy ones
• Immunotherapy, strengthening the body's own immune system to identify and fight cancer cells

Liver cancer is serious and life-threatening, but early diagnosis through screening, paired with timely medical intervention, can meaningfully improve treatment success and survival rates.

(By Dr. Kundan, Consultant - Surgical Oncology, Manipal Hospital, Ghaziabad_