Mumbai : Fortis Hospital, Mulund hosts Conference on Colorectal Cancer

Mumbai: Clinical experts at Fortis Hospital, Mulund,  hosted 1^st ever pan-India conference, on ‘Newer Perspectives & Clinical Updates in Colorectal Cancer’. Chaired by Dr Anil Heroor, HOD Dept. Colorectal Surgery and Dr Tejinder Singh, Oncologist, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, the conference included didactic presentations, in conjunction with lively and interactive discussions by the panel. Chief Guest Hon. Dr Deepak Sawant, Minister for Public Health and Family Welfare, Maharashtrawas joined by Mr Bhavdeep Singh, CEO, Fortis Healthcare, Padmashree Prof. Dr. Rajan Badwe, Director-THM (Tata Memorial Center), Prof. Avinash Supe, Director of Medical Education & Major Hospitals and Dean, KEM Hospital, Mr Manoj Nair, Assistant Editor, Hindustan Times and Bollywood Actor & Author Emraan Hashmi at the panel.

The panel discussion at the conference covered:

-        Evidence for Laparoscopic and Robotic Colorectal Surgery along with training strategies

-        Emerging role of the newer therapeutic agents and protocols including targeted agents

-        Dedicated Sessions-Molecular biology and role of Biomarkers in Colorectal Cancer

-        Session on the rising Colorectal Cancer incidence with strategies on early detection screening and cutting down healthcare costs

Speaking at the conference, the Chief Guest Hon. Dr. Deepak Sawant, Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, Government of Maharashtra, said “We appreciate Fortis Hospital, Mulund’s initiative to spread awareness on the incidence of Colorectal Cancer. It has been estimated that about a half of all Colorectal Cancer cases occur due to lifestyle factors and about a quarter of all cases are preventable. We would encourage citizens to go for regular check-ups, engaging in physical activity, consuming fiber-rich diet, and cut down smoking and alcohol consumption to decrease the risk. We, as an institution, are committed to better the health of the people of the state and will strive towards controlling and managing this life-threatening disease”.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr Bhavdeep Singh, CEO, Fortis Healthcare, said, “Fortis Healthcare offers comprehensive care for patients with Colon Cancer, including advanced diagnosis and offer best-in-class medical intervention. A team of Surgical Oncologists, Radiation Oncologists, Medical Oncologists and related medical specialties work together to deliver highest quality onco-care in a supportive and compassionate environment to all our patients. We will look forward to working in collaboration with the leading Oncology Centres, medical & non-medical stakeholders, policy makers and top medical institutions to gain better insights on incidence, diagnosis and treatment of CRC.”

 Talking about the incidence of CRC across countries, Dr Anil Heroor, HoD, Dept. Colorectal Surgery, Fortis Hospital Mulund, said,“Several developed Asians countries have surpassed the United States and other Western European countries in burden of CRC. Although the incidence of CRC in India has increased only marginally, it is now the 5th most common cause of cancer mortality among Indian men and women. There is also a rising incidence of CRC in young adults from diverse geographic and ethnic backgrounds – these alarming numbers need to be tackled. With the help of our panel today, we’ve managed to make headway in addressing the challenges in controlling the disease”.

On what role different players in the healthcare value-chain can play in containing the spread of the CRC, Dr Tejinder Singh, Medical Oncologist, Fortis Hospital Mulund, said, “Global Oncology societies, leading healthcare players and multinational organisations can play a vital role in increasing awareness, aggregating & analyzing data, and initiating, coordinating, and supporting efforts towards control and preventive strategies.”

Dr S Narayani, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, added, “This conference is being organized with an aim of educating our fraternity on the new emerging treatments, technology and therapies for the cure and management of Colorectal Cancer. Lead by stalwarts in the field of Oncology at Fortis Mulund, key policy & decision makers and non-medical stakeholders, we believe that such efforts will help drive better treatment, evaluation and management of CRC.”

18,000 - 1,00,000 cases of Colorectal Cancer (CRC) are diagnosed and treated in India every year. Incidences in India occur in age groups 10yrs younger that its western counterparts – enabling preventive intervention in many cases. Risk factors for CRC include - dietary changes, lifestyle changes, obesity and smoking. Standard treatments for CRC include surgery, Chemotherapy, Radiation Therapy, Cryosurgery, Radiofrequency Ablation, Minimal Invasive Surgery(Laparoscopic & Key Hole surgery) and Targeted Therapy.