Top oncologists call for tech-based medical produces for cancer treatment

Global health experts and leading oncologists called for greater adoption of technology-enabled medical procedures to improve cancer treatment in India.

Deliberating on cancer treatment at fourth annual conference of the Oncology Forum, organised jointly by Oncology Forum and Fortis Cancer Institute, Delhi, these experts laid emphasis on the need for collaborative efforts to bring globally acclaimed treatment solutions for patients suffering from cancer and address the clinical challenges.

Cancer has emerged as the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in India in the past 10 years, and poses a major public health threat. Available data shows India recorded around 1.3 million new cases of cancer in 2020 and the number of related deaths is estimated at 8.5 lakh.

Dr Bishnu Panigarhi, the head of Medical Strategy & Operations Group at Fortis Healthcare said India has made significant progress in early diagnosis and treatment of cancer with greater adoption of tech-enabled medical procedures.

“Recent developments and investments made to strengthen cancer care in India has brought hope for patients suffering from this life-threatening disease. With that said, there is an urgent need of clinical trials and research and development to establish new treatment options,” Dr Panigrahi said.

The doctor outlined that the Oncology Forum was established in 2013 with an aim to find treatment solutions, create guidelines that can ensure uniformity of care across the board, opportunities for new researches and make cancer treatment accessible and affordable to one and all.

The annual conclave focused on encouraging timely screening along with early diagnosis of cancer, bringing precision in treatment of newly diagnosed cancers, developing evidence-based treatment solutions, improving treatment approach and increasing access to comprehensive cancer care in India.

The conclave saw virtual and physical participation from more than 500 delegates with representatives from all private and government institutes in Delhi and the national capital region.

Oncologists from National Cancer Institute, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi State Cancer Institute, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, Max Healthcare were present at the conclave. Eminent doctors from Fortis Healthcare included Dr Vinod Raina, Dr Amit Aggarwal, Dr A K Anand, Dr S Hukku, Dr Muneesh Gairola, Dr Kishore Singh, Dr Vineet Talwar, Dr Gagan Gautam.

Some of the discussions revolved around making robotic surgery more acceptable and affordable to patients, and how chemotherapy can be made cheaper by introducing daycare chemotherapies, introducing Indian drugs etc.

The experts also discussed on topics ranging from feasibility of MR Lineac to advantages of tomotherapy, from the mechanics of robotic surgery to the economics of India-made staplers and biosimilars. Hindustan Times