Early detection and treatment key to battling cancer: Experts

Bhubaneswar, Feb 4: Early detection and treatment is the key to deal with cancer, eminent experts said at the World Cancer Day celebration organised at the Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, the faculty of medicine of Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) here, on Thursday. Evolving technology has made it easier to detect the onset of cancer in the human body and infrastructure is being added to ensure better treatment of patients, Prof. Ashok Kumar Mahapatra, SOA’s Vice-Chancellor and eminent neurosurgeon told a gathering of cancer patients, survivors, social workers and medical professionals. A national cancer hospital with 1000 beds was being set up at the AIIMS, New Delhi but there was need for palliative hospitals and the latest equipment to diagnose and treat cancer, he said. Prof. (Dr.) Pusparaj Samantasinhar, Medical Superintedent of IMS and SUM Hospital, reiterated that early detection was the key to combating cancer while pointing out that comprehensive cancer treatment was available in SUM Hospital. “We have all the required technology to correctly detect and treat cancer,” he said. He also congratulated the doctors, nurses and paramedics of the hospital for their role in battling Coronavirus as SOA managed four standalone government-run Covid Hospitals and Covid Care Centres with more than 2200 beds. “You’re a highly efficient workforce and worked like superhumans,” he said. Prominent Odia film star Sabyasachi Mishra, who graced the occasion as the chief guest, described cancer survivors as ‘Ambassadors of Hope’ saying they had been infusing other afflicted persons with positive spirit to fight the condition. “The need is to spread positive spirit around to enable the affected persons to rise above their situation and combat the disease. They must be told that the disease can be defeated,” Mishra said. Dr. Sunil Agrawal, Head of Surgical Oncology department and Dr. Saroj Panda, Head of Pediatric Oncology department also addressed the gathering. Dr. Agrawal said people should take proper care of their health while being careful of their choices. “You must be careful about what you eat and how you think,” he said.