Open Up to Right Cancer Treatment

Cancer is the fastest growing non communicable disease in India. Infant, Cancers are the third most common cause of deaths due to non infective reasons in our country, with Cardiac and Respiratory disorders being first and second respectively. Misinformation and late diagnosis are the two most common causes for higher cancer related death rates in our country. It is imperative that we keep ourselves updated to latest happening in the management of cancer so that we dont fall prey to this deadly disease.

OPEN UP TO POSSIBILITY OF A CANCER

Many of us feel that cancer is such a topic that the less it is discussed, the better it is. Infant they don’t want their doctor to even discuss it or consider it as a possibility. Cancer is considered a taboo and people fret in taking its name. The truth is that closing your eyes to the possibility of cancer, will not make it go away. On the contrary, if you get yourself tested for cancer, you might diagnose it early and get the correct treatment for it. When your doctor suggests any tests for cancer, don’t shy away from them.

OPEN UP TO REGULAR SCREENING TESTS

It is a known fact that the earlier you detect a cancer, the better you can treat it. Unfortunately, many a times cancers do not cause any symptoms in the early stages and by the time they make themselves heard it is usually too late. There are some routine tests that can be done for common cancers which can help us detect them in the initial stages. These include Mammography for breast cancer and low dose CT scan for lung cancer in high risk individuals. Mammography can help us detect cancers even before they become palpable as a lump whilst CT screening has shown that deaths due to lung cancer can be reduced as much as 20%.

OPEN UP TO BETTER SURGERY

Surgery for cancer has made great strides in the last two decades. Organ preservation is the new buzz word and the aim is to be minimalist without compromising on oncological safety. Minimal access surgery (MAS) with combination of laparoscopic and robotic surgery is the cornerstone of this policy. MAS allows us better control and greater precision which leads to better cancer clearance. Postoperative hospital stay is reduced and earlier return to work offsets the cost.

OPEN UP TO BETTER COSMESIS

Cancer surgery no longer justifies having ugly scars and misshaped body. Integration of plastic surgery while planning the main surgery allows us to maintain aesthetics and giver better cosmetic result. Oncoplastic reconstruction during surgery for breast cancer helps us to maintain the shape of the breast while ensuring whole of the cancer is safely removed. Even if the whole of the breast is removed, we can reconstruct the breast by taking tissue from the back or the abdomen.

Similarly in head and neck cancers, microvascular anastomosis allows us to take tissue from distant sites and recreate the tongue or lower jaw that has to be removed for cancer.

OPEN UP TO CORRECT DECISION MAKING

Cancer treatment is all about correct decisions. There are no rights or wrongs in cancer treatment but definitely there is a path which is better that other. It is essential that the patient should be guided on this path by the correct team of doctors. Surgery requires meticulous planning and it needs to be supplemented by other modalities like chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Right decision at the right time can help you defeat cancer.

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