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
Mrs Tulsi came to consult me on a Monday morning – “Doc, do you remember me?” It took me a moment to recollect her – “How are you Mrs Tulsi? It’s been a long time since I saw you. How is your mother-in-law?” “Oh, she passed away in 2020 due to COVID. She was 89 … Read more
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
How far will your doctor go for you – some, it appears, will even go even halfway across the world! Meet Dr. Vokwelly Evehe, a senior surgeon from Cameroon. When he advised his patient and friend of many years that he would require a complex surgery not done in Cameroon and would have to go … Read more
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
February 4th was observed as ‘World Cancer Day.’ The global theme for this year was ‘Close The Care Gap’ – overcoming socio-economic barriers and making cancer care accessible to all. Manipal Hospitals held an awareness program on account of World Cancer Day. While I had surgery scheduled, and could not be a part of the … Read more
In the current era of multi-modal cancer therapy, designing a personalized treatment plan for cancer is challenging. Patients, their families, and oncologists have to contend with a multitude of factors. These factors come under three categories – disease factors, patient factors, and environmental factors. Disease factors: the primary site of cancer, stage at diagnosis, type … Read more
Note by Dr Suraj Manjunath : This is a guest post by Haripriya Suraj. Haripriya is a wellness practitioner, author, and early childhood educator. As my better half, she has been my source of support and inspiration through our years together. During a brief visit to Manipal Hospital, Old Airport Road, I found myself thinking … Read more
41-year-old Ravindran had come down to Bangalore from San Francisco for a family visit. When he took his father for an annual health check-up, he thought he may as well get one himself. To his and his family’s surprise, a routine abdominal ultrasound showed that Ravindran had a 4 cm tumor in his right kidney, … Read more
Worldwide statistics indicate that currently two out of every three people diagnosed with cancer will have a long-term cure. Without doubt, cure is the most important outcome in cancer care. Having said that, it is also important to focus on outcomes beyond cure. Consider the following examples of people (names changed), all of whom have … Read more