Happy Ganesh Chaturthi!

All the hospitals I trained in during my days of surgical residency had a common feature – an altar of Lord Ganesha. Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, where I did my surgical oncology residence has a full-fledged large Ganesha temple in its premises. We residents prayed or meditated there from time to time, seeking support … Read more

Teacher’s Day Reminiscences

Today, a student of mine shared this throwback picture from 2013 – during my days of professorship at St. John’s Medical College Hospital. It shows myself and my faculty colleague Dr Shivakumar K sitting, while standing behind us are our students at that time. It is my pride that all our students have gone on … Read more

What’s New In Rectal Cancer Treatment?

Recently the Association of Medical Oncologists of India (AMOI) conducted a meeting to discuss and understand recent developments in the understanding and treatment of cancer of the rectum. I was privileged to be invited in my role as a surgical oncologist to share my views, especially regarding the newer trends in the surgical treatment of … Read more

The Heart of Surgical Technology

A quarter of a century ago, when I started my surgical residency training, surgical technology was in its infancy, at least in our part of the world. At the government (public) hospital where I worked, the only equipment that required electricity were the overhead operating lights. If a senior surgeon was performing a difficult operation, … Read more

“Our Nurses, Our Future”

Nurses are the heart and soul of medicine. Their tireless contribution to patient care is invaluable. May 12th, International Nurses’ Day, marks the birth anniversary of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. In 2023, the International Council of Nurses launched a global campaign around the theme “Our Nurses, Our Future”, about which you can … Read more

Beyond Diagnosis And Cure – A Surgeon’s Perspective

As surgeons, we train and hone our learning and skills throughout our career. We strive to do our best to meet the needs of our patients who put their lives in our hands. At different times, our roles are different – it could be trying to make an accurate diagnosis, coming up with a complex treatment … Read more

5-year Survival Rate In Cancer – What Does It Mean?

This article discusses the concept of 5-year survival in cancer, and addresses some common misinterpretations. Early on in my career, I was counseling Mrs T, a woman with stage I breast cancer. I explained the diagnosis and its implications, laid out the plan of treatment and then told her the prognosis – “You have a … Read more