GD Hospital & Diabetes Institute

Abstract Background: Breast cancer is the leading cancer among Indian women, yet the national 5-year survival rate remains below 65%, largely due to delayed presentation and high rates of treatment non-completion. Historical Indian studies report treatment adherence rates between 55-70%, with dropout rates as high as 30-40%, especially in rural and low-income settings. To address these challenges, we piloted a survivor-led patient navigation model grounded in community participation, digital supervision, and sustainability. Methods: A five-phase pilot program was implemented at two tertiary hospitals in West Bengal, India. Fourteen breast cancer survivors were recruited and trained through a structured 4-week online course. After simulation-based assessment, they began navigating real patients, supported via moderated WhatsApp groups that included the patient, navigator, and treating clinician. Navigators from one hospital were assigned to patients from the other to maintain neutrality. Results: Over a 6-month period, navigators supported 82 newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. Compared to historical Indian data indicating adherence rates of ∼65%, the pilot demonstrated a treatment completion rate of 89.0%, with a dropout rate of 11.0%—representing a ∼60% relative reduction in dropout. Navigators helped patients overcome key psychosocial and logistical barriers, including fear of surgery, misinformation about chemotherapy, financial uncertainties, and loss to follow-up. Patient-reported feedback indicated increased trust, better communication, and improved emotional resilience throughout treatment. Conclusion: This low-cost, survivor-led patient navigator model significantly outperformed historical national benchmarks in terms of treatment adherence and retention. The model is scalable, culturally adaptive, and resource-appropriate for LMICs. It aligns with the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative goals and presents a strong case for integration into India’s National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPCDCS). Citation Format: S. Das, T. Mandal, A. Mallick, R. Agarwal, P. Basu, R. Jena. A Survivor-Led Patient Navigation Model to Improve Breast Cancer Treatment Adherence in India: Results from a Pilot Project [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2025; 2025 Dec 9-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2026;32(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PS5-10-28.

The authors declare no conflicts of interest. The peer review history for this article is available at https://www.webofscience.com/api/gateway/wos/peer-review/10.1111/dom.70370. The data that supports the findings of this study are available in the Supporting Information of this article. Data S1. Supporting Information. Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.

Clinical Diabetology is a bimonthly, open access journal of scientific and educational profile, which was created by combining the scientific assumptions of Experimental and Clinical Diabetology (Diabetologia Doświadczalna i Kliniczna)

SummaryType 2 diabetes (T2D) is an escalating concern in South Asia, with prevalence surging over the past two decades. Family members often significantly influence T2D outcomes and management, yet involvement remains informal, unstructured, and unrecognized within healthcare systems. This viewpoint calls for a more structured, equitable approach to family engagement in T2D care, outlining three models (family-supported, family-wide, and family-led) that can optimize the role of family in T2D care. Given the diversity of household structures, interventions must be adaptable to varying family dynamics. While family involvement can enhance care, challenges such as cultural barriers, gender and age disparities, and inconsistent healthcare guidance must be addressed. Providers need training and clear protocols to engage families, while policies must ensure that caregivers are equipped with adequate support. Digital tools, including social media and telemedicine, offer promising ways to enhance family support in T2D management. Ultimately, South Asia must move beyond reliance on informal care to system-integrated family engagement that recognizes and empowers those often at the frontlines of care.

To estimate the burden of vitamin D deficiency and its association with chronic diseases in patients visiting a private endocrinology clinic in an urban setting. The retrospective study was conducted at the Medicell Institute of Diabetes Endocrinology & Metabolism, Karachi, and comprised medical records of adult patients of either gender between January 2000 and December 2019.Vitamin D status of the patients and its association with various chronic disorders were investigated. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. Of the 2,854 patients with mean age 40.87±15.1 years, 2,302(80.7%) were females, and 552(19.3%) were males. There were 1055(37%) patients with vitamin D deficiency, 1,040(36.7%) with severe deficiency, 462(16.2%) with insufficiency, 295(10.3%) with normal status, and 2(0.1%) with vitamin D toxicity. Vitamin D deficiency was observed more frequently in those aged<40 years, and the deficiency was significantly related to type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, dyslipidaemia and autoimmune disorders (p<0.05). The burden of vitamin Deficiency was found to be alarmingly high at a private endocrine and medicine clinic serving a middle and upper socioeconomic class population in an urban setting.

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Background: EBF for 6 months is a challenge for many mothers. The WHO reported the prevalence of EBF lasting at least 6 months as 38% in 2013 and most recently reported as 44% in 2021. As a result, the WHO has set strategic goals for 6-month EBF to achieve 70% prevalence worldwide by 2030. Methods: Descriptive survey research design was used, with the variables as sustainability of Exclusive Breast Feeding among 100 postnatal primi gravida attending a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India. Sampling technique was Systemic random sampling technique. Standardized tool (Feed Cat Tool) was used as a data collection instruments. Results: 93% mother fed exclusively their infant with breast milk whereas 5% fed their infant both with breast milk and formula milk and 2% did not fed their infant with breast milk they gave only formula milk to their infant upto 1.6 months of their infant age. At 3 months, 81% fed exclusively their infant with breast milk only whereas 17% fed their infant both with breast milk and formula milk At 6 months 73% fed exclusively their infant with breast milk whereas 24% fed their infant both with breast milk and formula milk. Conclusions: The sustainability of Exclusive Breast Feeding reduces with the increase in infant’s age. The study had limitations like, the data were collected after their discharge form hospital stay during their follow up visits and by interview technique only which may lead to inaccurate evaluation.

Obesity, prediabetes, and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) pose a triple burden in India. Almost two-thirds of people with diabetes (PWD) in India are found to have suboptimal glycemic, blood pressure, and lipid control. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) in diabetes has emphasized on the amount and type of carbohydrates for years. However, protein, an important macronutrient in diabetes management, needs to be focused upon, especially in India, where the consumption is found to be lower than the recommendations provided by most guidelines. An expert committee attempted to review the role of dietary protein in the management of T2DM, arrive at a consensus on the significance of increasing dietary protein for various benefits, and offer practical guidance on ways to improve protein intake among Indians. A total of 10 endocrinologists and diabetologists, one nephrologist, and three registered dietitians representing four zones of India formed the expert committee. An in-depth review of literature in the Indian context was carried out, and the draft document was shared with the expert committee, and their views were incorporated into the same. The expert committee then assembled virtually to deliberate on various aspects of the role of protein in T2DM management. The experts from various specialties gave their valuable inputs and suggestions from their extensive personal clinical experience and research work, which helped to reach a consensus on the role and significance of protein in the management of T2DM and its complications in India. There is abundant evidence that MNT is essential for the prevention and management of T2DM and its complications. Experts agreed that increasing protein intake offers myriad health benefits, namely reducing glycemic variability, improving glycemic control, increasing insulin sensitivity, improvement in lipid profile and immunity, and helping in weight management and preservation of muscle mass in PWD. The expert committee suggested aiming for an increase in protein intake by at least 5-10% of the current intake in lieu of carbohydrates in PWD. Experts also highlighted the need for more data quantifying the unmet protein needs in the Indian PWD, especially among vegetarians. Randomized controlled trials to study the effect of protein in diabetes complications such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and comorbid conditions such as sarcopenia among the Indian population are also warranted. Increasing protein quantity and quality in the diets of Indian PWD could significantly contribute to positive health outcomes. Increased protein intake, preferably through dietary sources to meet the requirements and, when required using diabetes-specific protein supplements (DSPS), is recommended in the prevention and control of T2DM.