BENGALURU: Karnataka Health Department unveiled a nine-point strategy as part of the Bengaluru declaration of FICCI Cancer Care Task Force to reduce the state’s cancer burden.
Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said, “The increasing cancer incidence in the state is worrying. There is a need to prioritise treatment for cancer, as it is one of the deadliest diseases affecting both patients and their families. The treatment is expensive, and people are left dealing with the financial and emotional consequences.” He was virtually addressing the Regional Roundtable - ‘Road Map for Making Cancer Care Affordable and Accessible in India’ - organised in the city on Friday.
Oncologists requested the government to drive screening programmes for cervical, breast and oral cancers and embed a robust referral pathway for positive patients, and suggested that the treatment coverage under the Ayushman Bharat Arogya Karnataka (AB-ARK) scheme must also be expanded to include advanced treatment options.
Raj Gore, co-chair, of FICCI Task Force Cancer Care and CEO of Healthcare Global Enterprises Limited, said, “The war with the pandemic might have waned, but we are still far away from reducing the cancer burden. No other disease is comparable in its devastating impact as cancer. It is crucial for all stakeholders to join forces and make coordinated efforts to mitigate and control the cancer epidemic.”
EXPERTS BAT FOR CAR-T THERAPY
A 64-year-old man, who was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in 2015, underwent six cycles of chemotherapy, but it relapsed several times. Last year, he underwent Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T cell (CAR-T) therapy and has not showcased any evidence of cancer since then. On World Lymphoma Awareness Day, observed on September 15, the doctors at Narayana Health cited the example of CAR-T therapy showing positive results in patients with relapsed leukaemia and lymphoma. Since it relapses in 30-40 per cent of patients, experts bat for this therapy which might soon be available as a treatment for regular patients too.