Bangalore is cancer capital of India

Bangalore is cancer capital of India
TNN | Feb 23, 2013, 03.14 AM IST

My comments as follows:

Indeed, spreading of Cancer amongst all strata of population is fast paced than the advent of latest electronic gadgets.

The idea of organizers to conduct more awareness to common public is great and appreciated. However, the organizers and organization of conferences such as Afro-Asian Conference of Transitional Research in Oncology (ACTRO) should consider several important facts.

All proposed innovative and methodological treatment plans should be carried out with due approval and recognition from the Ministry of Health and regulatory bodies including Drug Contoller and Indian Medical Association. There should be a centralized data register for cancer patients and treatment plans. Personalised treatment and clinical trial experimentations by pharmaceutical companies in co-ordination with famous cancer treatment centres like HCG should be monitored thoroughly by these authorities. Monthly monitoring of such data by a governing body taking closer look at the patient data like, sex, age, stage of cancer he or she started receiving the trial medication, period of treatment, variation in condition during the course of treatment, acceptance rate, failure rate, mortality rate, conditions at which the patient failed etc, are all to be carefully monitored, registered and documented by these governing bodies. In addition, a major review of the cost of cancer medicines and treatment should be carried out by the authorities and a strict control should come on the pricing on medication and treatment.

Last but not the least, hygiene aspects prevailing in these cancer treatment facilities should be given a high priority and ICUs, radiation and testing units should be always maintained with highest level of cleanliness and standards.

I am writing this as a feedback of my own personal experience had to go through during the hospitalization, treatment and demise of a close relative in one of the famous cancer hospitals in Bangalore, which was way beyond the standard they project, projected and even now projects by promoting such conference. Let improvements begin at home.