New techniques offering minimally invasive approaches to cancer treatment were being deliberated at a three-day oncology summit organised by Varian Medical Systems in Mumbai last week. Advances in radiation therapy and radio surgery for cancer treatment were other major highlights of the summit.

Affordability and availability of cancer treatment according to experts is the need of the hour considering the scenario of around 2.5 million people affected by cancer every year and 10 lakh new cases being detected coupled with 5 to 6 lakh deaths. There are 30 lakh prevalent cases of which tobacco related cancers are about 40 per cent and 2/3rd of cases are in the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. There is a need for diagnosis at an early stage through initiatives from the government in cancer cases related to head and neck, abdomen, thoracic, cervical and breast cancer across the country.

In 2030, this figure will treble. The scenarios is bad globally too with the low and middle income countries reporting the worst rates.  

John R Adler, MD, professor, Neurosurgery at Stanford University and vice president and chief of new clinical applications, Varian Medical Systems informed "Advances in radiation oncology are changing the way cancer is treated around the world. Modern medical devices have ushered in a period of personalized medicine, enabling doctors to target tumours non-invasively, with high precision."

It was deliberated that cancer treatment has to be made more accessible and both government and private institutions have to recognize this. Not just government, entrepreneurs are also getting into this field and the mindset is changing rapidly. Insurance has also pushed up and surgeons are using radiotherapy equipment and making government also chip in.

"Since India has an estimated one million new cases of cancer diagnosed in the country each year, embracing the latest advancements in radiotherapy and radiosurgery for treatment of cancer is just what we need in India. These new devices enable clinicians to deliver radiation accurately and quickly, making this not just more efficient but also a cost-effective treatment. Many more patients can be treated with a single machine than was previously possible," concludes Prof Ramesh S Bilimagga, president, Association of Radiation Oncologists of India (AROI).