This department deals with the diagnosis, treatment, health education, prevention and rehabilitation of cancer patients. We treat patients with chemotherapy (drugs) and we treat cancers like Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma and other solid tumours like breast, Gastro intestinal tracts and Ovary and paediatric tumours. Combined modality treatment has become the gold standard in the treatment of cancer. So chemotherapy along with radiotherapy and surgery has increased the response rates of treatment and survival rates have increased with a good amount of quality of life.
The treatment options of each patient are discussed in the tumour board, which comprises of Medical Oncologist, Surgical Oncologist, Radiation Oncologist and Pathologist. The department works in harmony with the other departments to ensure proper patient care.
Day care units for chemotherapy have become very convenient for the patients, as they need not get admitted. They can finish the chemotherapy procedure in 3-4 hours time and get back home.
Lot of new drugs has become available in the recent days, showing some good results. We are also using some drugs which were available in oral form and has shown a very good response rates in various clinical settings.
Clinical trials have increased in numbers in the last year. This has been a boon to the patients who have no treatment for their disease. Some of the drugs have shown good response rates, which looks really, really promising. This is a welcome situation in India for the cancer patients
The department of Surgical Oncology routinely performs radical procedures in patients with head and neck, breast, gynaecological malignancies and soft tissue tumours. All cases are planned by the tumour board, which is a multi-disciplinary board including Radiation and Medical Oncologists. We follow evidence based management protocols which are accepted worldwide.
Head and Neck Surgery
Head and neck malignancies refer to a broad group of malignancies arising from the mucosal surface of head and neck area. These types of malignancies typically are squamous in nature. The number of head and neck cancers is on the rise and currently is the leading cause of death among men affected with cancers. Head and neck cancers encompass a diverse group of uncommon tumors that frequently are aggressive in their biologic behavior. We do a wide variety of radical procedures and the commonest procedures done are highlighted:
Breast Malignancies
Breast cancers are rising in incidence throughout the developing world. Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, accounting for 32% of all female cancers. Breast cancer also is responsible for 15% of cancer deaths. Our department offers screening for asymptomatic women provides counseling for high risk individuals and guides them regarding various risk reducing interventions. The commonest procedures done in our department for breast malignancies are as follows:
Gynaecological Malignancies
Cervical cancer is the leading cause of death, due to malignancy in women. We provide screening for early detection as well as vaccination for primary prevention in selected individuals. Surgery alone is curative in early stages of cervical carcinoma.
The incidence of Ovarian cancer is on the rise and usually present at an advanced stage. With the recent advances in chemotherapy, we can salvage even advanced cases by giving neoadjuvant therapy and planning surgery after achieving a response. The surgeries that are performing for gynecological malignancies are as follows
Skin and Soft tissue tumours
Skin malignancies usually occur in cases of chronic sun exposure, persistent irritation and in immunodeficient states. Sarcomas are rare (<1% of all malignancies) mesenchymal neoplasms that arise in bone and soft tissues. Sarcomas are one of the most common solid tumors of childhood and are the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths in children. Sarcomas may be divided into two groups, those derived from bone and those derived from soft tissues. The surgeries for skin and soft tissue tumors are as follows:
Thoracic Malignancies
Lung cancer ranks among the most common and most lethal malignancies worldwide. Most Lung cancers are directly attributable to cigarette smoking. Early detection of Lung cancer offers a high chance of cure with surgery as the main stay of treatment. Malignant pleural effusions are best palliated by Intercostal drainage followed by pleurodesis. The following surgeries are performed for Thoracic malignancies
Urological Malignancies
In India, Urologic malignancies account for about 20% of all cancers in men and <3% in women. A standard treatment approach is the key for appropriate management. We perform the following radical procedures for Urologic malignancies
GI Malignancies
Gastrointestinal cancers are common diseases worldwide. Management options for patients with GI cancer have undergone dramatic changes in the past decade. The following radical surgeries are performed in our department: