CognitrexCancerDigest

In oral cancer, tumour depth matters more than its size. Over the past 30 years, staging of oral cancer was done by the size of the tumour. But the new staging system for head and neck cancer that will be effective from January 1, 2018, will include the depth of invasion. "This is an exciting time to understand the diagnosis, staging and to find appropriate treatment for oral cancer. Now, we have evidence that shows that the cure for cancer is dependent on how deep the tumour is growing, which might be more important than how big the tumour is on the surface," said Dr Terry Day, director, division of head & neck oncology, Medical University of South Carolina, US. He said the depth of invasion could sometimes predict how aggressive the cancer would be and predict whether it is spread to the lymph nodes or the blood stream. "The most important change in oral cancer is how deep the cancer has grown into the tissues," said Dr Day. India has the most cases of oral c...

Kenya is yet to identify a site where a cancer hospital and an oncology school can be set up, two years after a deal was reached between President Uhuru Kenyatta and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is despite Kenyans spending huge amounts of cash every year sending patients to India for medical treatment. “Fifty-four (54) countries were offered free money to come up with architectural plans in their respective countries where the facilities would be fully funded by India. Fifty-two (52) countries have since taken up the offer but Kenya remains undecided as no committee was formed at the Health ministry to pursue the offer,” said a medical facilities building specialist from India, Mr Sirtaj Singh Bedi. He spoke during a health tourism conference in Nairobi this week. In response, Dr Julius Muia, the director general of the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat, said a soon-to-be-formed committee will look into the issue as well as create a robust deci...

In an interview with ETHealthworld,  Dr Girish Chinnaswamy , Associate Professor ( Pediatric Oncology ),  Tata Memorial Hospital , Mumbai, talks on why pediatric oncology has still not developed as a specialty in India. Edited excerpts: Where does India stand in Pediatric Oncology when compared with the global scenario? Pediatric Oncology is a relatively new field in India and it is an upcoming specialty. The number of pediatric oncologists has only recently increased substantially. Bulks of pediatric oncologists are trained in the west because substantial oncology training was not existent in India till recently. The pediatric oncology training for doctors started as a short one year and two year fellowship programmes but they were not enough both in terms of number and depth of training which was done; hence the Medical Council of India has approved courses to start pediatric oncology three year DM programme which is the highest level of training you can get in India. There...

American  Oncology  Institute (AOI), a city-based chain of cancer hospitals announced the launch of comprehensive hemato-oncology and Blood & Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) programme in  Telangana  and  Andhra Pradesh . The AOI unit at  Nallagandla currently operates an end-to-end cancer care programme providing radiation oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology and comprehensive diagnostic services. With the increasing awareness about haematological diseases, many patients are opting for bone marrow transplant. In the Telugu states, approximately 4,000 thalassaemia patients are registered with various centres. For  haemophilia , 1,000 patients are registered with the Hyderabad chapter alone. "Majority of blood disorders patients report for treatment in advanced stages of the disease, resulting in delay of timely and quality medical treatment. With our comprehensive programme we would be able to meet this demand for precision-drive...

Looks like a ray of hope can be seen for the patients suffering from early stage  oropharyngeal carcinoma  (cancer of the mouth, neck and throat), in form of  robotic surgery . Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) piloted a first of its kind study on the oropharyngeal cancer patients Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) was conducted on 57 patients, under the leadership of Dr Surender Dabas, director, head, neck and thorax surgical  oncology , FMRI. This surgical technique is instrumental in healing patients suffering from  HPV  negative cancers, which are caused mostly due to tobacco consumption. A study, published in  'Oral Oncology' journal , was conducted between March 2013 to October 2015 on 57 patients suffering from early stage (I&II) oropharyngeal carcinoma, who underwent TORS robotic surgery. Out of these 57 patients, 48 were males and nine were females, who underwent TORS. When presented, the mean age of the 57 patients was 59....

India is a developed country in oncology care. Emerging Markets are looking at India to access the expertise and the advantage of affordable oncology treatment, said Dr. BS Ajaikumar, chairman and CEO, HCG Enterprises. The country is now envisioned to define the future of cancer care with the use of genomics which is revolutionising personalised medicine, said Dr. Ajaikumar at the inauguration of the Triesta Genomics and Translational Research Centre. Facilities like HCG through its 19 comprehensive cancer care centre across the country are extending the value-based medical attention at a fraction of the cost, he added. Developed countries cannot ignore this and India is on par with the western world in terms of expertise but way ahead in offering the economies-of-scale. This could be capitalised not just for treatment but for clinical research too. The new facility is positioned to offer targeted therapy with the usage of genomic data for better diagnosis. These will help in making t...

Envisioned to define the future of cancer care in India, Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd. - The Specialist in Cancer Care inaugurated the Triesta Genomics and Translational Research Center. It is a state-of-the-art Genomics Center offering comprehensive diagnosis by leveraging the latest and innovative technologies like Next-Generation Sequencing to all patients. Triesta Genomics and Translational Research Center will support an emerging medical discipline called Genomic Medicine that involves usage of genomic data of patients for better diagnosis. These will help in making therapeutic decisions more effective and help improve health outcomes for patients.  With the largest patient base in private cancer care, HCG - Triesta Genomics and Translational Research Center stands on a strong foundation based on their access to the availability of well-annotated tissue biorepository, clinical data along with a strong clinical excellence of oncolog...

About Erlonat Erlotinib 100mg Tablets Erlotinib is also known by its brand name, Erlonat . It is a treatment for • Pancreatic cancer that has spread – alongside the another chemotherapy drug • Non small cell lung cancer that has spread Erlonat Erlotinib 100mg Tablets Natco Brand Name : Erlonat Active Ingredients : Erlotinib Hydrochloride Manufactured by: Natco Pharma Ltd. Strength: 100 mg Form: Tablets Packing: Pack of 30 Tablets What are the possible Side Effects of Erlotinib? Erlotinib can cause serious side effects, including: Lung problems  : Symptoms of lung problems may include shortness of breath, cough, and fever. Erlotinib may need to be stopped if you have any of these symptoms Liver and kidney problems.  Some people had their kidneys and liver stop working. Speak your doctor know if you have a history of liver or kidney disease Stomach and intestinal problems (called gastrointestinal [GI] perforation).  A GI perforation is a hole t...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval to a treatment for patients whose cancers have a specific genetic feature (biomarker). This is the first time the agency has approved a cancer treatment based on a common biomarker rather than the location in the body where the tumor originated. Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is indicated for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with unresectable or metastatic solid tumors that have been identified as having a biomarker referred to as microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) or mismatch repair deficient (dMMR). This indication covers patients with solid tumors that have progressed following prior treatment and who have no satisfactory alternative treatment options and patients with colorectal cancer that has progressed following treatment with certain chemotherapy drugs. “This is an important first for the cancer community,” said Richard Pazdur, M.D., acting director of the Office of Hematology and Oncology...

 Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is "more effective" for throat cancers diagnosed in early stages, than radiation treatment, a doctor of a leading hospital in Delhi today claimed. Fortis Memorial Research Institute (FMRI) has piloted a first of its kind study on patients suffering from early stage oropharyngeal carcinoma (cancer of the mouth, neck and throat). The study was conducted on 57 patients, who have undergone TORS, under the leadership of Dr Surender Dabas, Director, Head, Neck and Thorax Surgical Oncology, FMRI. "This novel and path-breaking surgical technique is instrumental in healing patients suffering from HPV negative cancers which are caused mostly due to tobacco consumption. The study that got published in Oral Oncology journal was conducted between March 2013 to October 2015 on these patients suffering from early stage (I & II) oropharyngeal carcinoma who underwent surgery conducted with the assistance of a surgical robot to remove a tu...