In a major effort to increase the quality of life and ensure patients revert to productive life, oncologists across the country are emphasizing that the best survival chance for cancer patients is the present access to advanced imaging,  radiation techniques and a number of novel molecules including oral chemotherapy agents.

The World Cancer Day, observed annually on February 4, aims to portray the new developments in imaging and in radiation techniques with CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System and the Proton Therapy Centre in the country.

The theme of 2013 is ‘Disperse the myths and misconceptions about Cancer’ and oncologists are now fuelled by optimism that high precision radiotherapy and treatment of cancer has advanced by leaps and bounds over the last few decades and current gold standard management of most cancers involves judicious use of multiple modalities for optimal results.  Capecitabine and Temozolomide in addition to several monoclonal antibodies have reached from bench to bedside and transformed the treatment scenario for malignancies like colorectal,  brain tumours, renal cell carcinoma and non small cell lung cancers, said Dr. Ayan Basu, Head of Radiation Oncology, HCG Cancer Centre, Chennai.

Apollo Specialty Hospital, Chennai, HealthCare Global (HCG), Bengaluru, and most recently BLK Super Speciality Hospital and Medanta – The Medicity, Delhi NCR are treating cancer patients with the CyberKnife System and have all of these advanced imaging and radiation techniques.

Dinesh Madhavan, director healthcare services, Health Care Global Enterprises Limited, said that  CyberKnife has contributed significantly to high quality cancer care in our hospital. We are now able to treat certain cancers which were previously considered untreatable. Many of the complications associated with other conventional cancer therapies are  minimized with CyberKnife.  Moreover, the technology delivers high doses of radiation with great accuracy in 1 to 5 sessions, unlike 30 to 40 sessions for conventional radiotherapy resulting in minimal or no side effects as compared to earlier procedures.

According to Dr S Nirmala, chief radiation oncologist, BGS Global Hospitals, the key objective of observing world cancer day is to create awareness in the community on the various risk factors leading to cancer like tobacco usage, lifestyle disorders and importance of early detection of cancer through various screening programs and also rehabilitation of the cancer survivors.

Quoting reports on cancer incidence, Madhavan said that between 2008 and 2030, the global population is projected to grow by 20 per cent, from 6.7 billion to 8.1 billion people. A major shift is currently underway in the overall disease burden in the world. The National Cancer Registry Project, India, reports that more than 60 per cent of cancer patients are in late stages due to poor awareness of symptoms. Early detection and timely treatment are important and best defense against cancer.

There is a need to disperse myths about cancer because it is seen as a contagious disease and a reluctance to even mingle with these patients who need more of moral support and care. Even treatment modalities like radiotherapy are seen an electric current and chemotherapy viewed as dangerous because of side effects and surgery as mutilating one.  With these misconceptions, patients and their relatives fail to approach doctors on time. Our goal this year therefore is to work towards dispersal of misconceptions and myths so that public and patients join hands with oncologists in cancer control programs towards success, added Dr Nirmala.