CHENNAI: APOLLO Hospitals on Monday inaugurated a centre for colorectal diseases on its Greams Road campus, which the hospital officials said is aimed at giving quality care for colorectal diseases such as cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
The centre brings together flagship programmes such as a one-stop colorectal clinic, colorectal cancer screening, a pelvic floor centre for disorders like faecal, urinary leakage, difficulty in emptying the bowel and a minimally invasive robotic colorectal surgery programme.
Stressing the need for a specialised colorectal centre, senior consultant Dr K R Palaniswamy, said, “The incidence and mortality rate of colorectal carcinoma in India are increasing because of a lack of awareness and screening.” The hospital staff were addressing a press meet on the centre’s launch.
Colorectal cancer is said to be the secondmost common cancer in women and the third in men worldwide. “The diagnosis can be made using colonoscopy, a simple procedure by which the entire colon can be viewed,” Palaniswamy said.
Those suffering from rectal bleeding, constipation or diarrhea, anaemia or weight loss, abdominal mass or have a family history of colorectal cancer are advised to take a screening test.
“We have a multi-disciplinary team and robotic colorectal programmes to deliver the best colorectal care in Chennai,”said Dr Venkatesh Munikrishnan, consultant colorectal surgeon.
Preetha Reddy, executive vice-chairperson of the hospital, said that their mantra has been to keep people out of hospitals, emphasising the importance of the colorectal prevention programme.