Breast Cancer Awareness and Action Programme at RRMCH
On the 15th of October, a lamp was lit in Kadamba hall as a pledge to move from breast cancer awareness to breast cancer action. The dignitaries that graced our stage that day were pioneers of clinical, surgical, and molecular oncology. Amongst them was Bhagyashree, a BSc student, who presented a room full of budding doctors a periscope to the other side of the OPD table, a lesson in survival despite, with, and through, late stages of breast cancer.
The august morning began with Major General Dr N Srinath, HOD Urology and faculty advisor, OSIG, addressing the gathering with his mellifluous welcome to the event organised by Dept. of Surgical Oncology in collaboration with Oncology Student Interest Group, RRMCH. He proudly announced the group’s successful affiliation with American Society of Clinical Oncology.
The conclave commenced with the intricate deliberations of the tumour board with three cases – a b/l breast cancer case, a synchronous endometrial and breast cancer case, as well as a stage 4 cancer case. Moderating the board was Dr Rajeev N, consultant oncosurgeon, faculty advisor to the UG-led OSIG, and the very backbone of this conference. Opining on expert surgical matters were Dr Venkatachala, senior oncosurgeon, and Dr Durganna, HOD General Surgery.
Highlighting the medical oncology aspect was Dr Vivek, consultant medical oncologist, while Dr Zeeshan weighed in on critical radio-onco decisions. Dr Sumitha, Professor of Pathology, provided the essential and confirmatory pathology perspective to each case.
Post a sumptuous high tea and networking break, Ms Bhagyashree took the stage and anecdotised her deeply personal journey with cancer survival and left us pondering the role of community in long-standing and morbid illness.
Dr Aditi Chatterjee, Head of Clinical Research at Strand Life Sciences, then graced the stage with her august presence, delivering an enlightening talk on the molecular basis of cancer, and cell-free DNA’s pivotal role in early cancer diagnosis. The young physician scientists in the audience were left with much-a-plateful food for thought.
Dr Venkatachala, President of Bangalore Oncology Group and a revered surgical oncologist, shed light on early breast cancer screening and detection. Sir demonstrated that in the quest of scientific enquiry, the merit of quick action must not be discounted.
The conclave concluded with questions from the young audience, and the solemn commitment to the service of the person paramount – the patient.
