- Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the 6th most prevalent cancer in India – Globocan 2008
- Personalized treatment for CRC can improve overall long-term outcomes for patients
- Leading Oncologists across South India participated in the program
Chennai April 21, 2012: Colorectal Cancer is the sixth most prevalent cancer in India, with an estimated 41,535 patients in 2011. With the objective to create a platform for dialogue, best practice sharing and education, Apollo Cancer Institute, Chennai in collaboration with European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) organized the ESMO Asia CME Program on Colorectal Cancer at the Hyatt Regency today. This scientific initiative is supported by Merck Serono – the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a global pharmaceutical and chemical company.
This is the first of its kind of a partnership by ESMO with Indian Oncology Hospitals on providing oncology education in Colorectal Cancer. The collaboration sees the establishment of a new, world-class medical education platform that will give oncologists access to the latest scientific knowledge and information on patient-centric care strategies, with the aim of improving care for colorectal cancer patients at every stage of their treatment journey. Chennai is the third city where the program has been rolled out, first two being Delhi and Mumbai.
As per Globocan 2008, the projected incidence for Colorectal Cancer in India is 44,508 cases by 2015. Worldwide approximately one million patients suffer from this disease.
‘Personalized Treatment for Colorectal Cancer’ was one of the key topics of discussion. Noted oncologist, Prof. Claus – Henning Kohne, Director of Klinik for Oncology and Hematology (Germany) and Dr. T Raja, Program Director, Apollo Cancer Institute, Chennai, an ESMO ASIS CME Partner Centre shared information on principles of diagnostics and staging of colorectal cancer, adjuvant treatment for colon cancer and management of metastatic colorectal cancer. The program provided an East meets West platform for knowledge sharing and collaborations among oncology professionals in Europe and Asia. It promotes Continuing Medical Education (CME) in colorectal cancer management in oncologists, thereby ensuring high quality cancer care to be provided to patients.
Speaking at the occasion, Prof. Claus-Henning Kohne, Director of Klinik for Oncology and Hematology (Germany) said, “The ESMO ASIA education initiative is unique because it brings together all of the medical experts involved in treating the patient and draws upon their specific experience at each stage in the delivery of treatment. This multi-disciplinary approach is part of a broader move to develop more patient-centric treatment strategies in order to improve both the patient’s quality of care and quality of life. In 2012, ESMO ASIA plans to establish further educational platforms across the region with a localised curriculum for each country.”
Dr. T Raja, Program Director, Apollo Cancer Institute, Chennai elaborated upon the problem of Colorectal Cancer in India that requires much attention. Addressing the eminent group of oncologists, he said, “Colorectal Cancers needs multidisciplinary management to achieve better outcome in these patients He further stressed upon to deliberate on the recent treatment advances in this field and its application in Indian Scenario.”
Colorectal cancer (CRC) – also commonly called bowel cancer – is a disease in which malignant cells grow in the tissue of the colon or rectum, forming tumors. In the early stages of CRC, surgery alone may be curative. However, symptoms of CRC are often vague and – despite it being one of the most common cancers worldwide – public awareness of the disease is low. As a result, one in four patients is diagnosed when the cancer has already spread (metastasized), via the bloodstream and lymph nodes in the bowel, to other organs in the body. This advanced stage of the disease, which is known as metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), is difficult to treat and is associated with low survival rates.
The latest research demonstrates that Personalized Treatment for CRC by identification of specific molecules (also called ‘biomarkers’) can help physicians identify which patients are most likely to benefit from a specific treatment. This breakthrough enables oncologists to select the most appropriate treatment for patients from the point of diagnosis and thus improves their overall long-term outcomes.
About The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)
The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) is the leading European professional organization, committed to advancing the specialty of medical oncology and promoting a multidisciplinary approach to cancer treatment and care. Since its founding in 1975 as a non-profit organization, ESMO’s mission has been to advance cancer care and cure. This is achieved through fostering and disseminating good science that leads to better medicine and determines best practice.
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