Dr. Advani threw light on the alarming rate at which cancer is growing in our country. He emphasized on the fact that breast cancer is a life style disease and a change in factors like increased physical activity, reduced fat diet, early child bearing- within the age of 25 and mammography after the age of 40 can help in preventing it and in early detection. He also pointed out that 40% of oral, throat and lung cancer is mainly because of tobacco. Dr. Advani enlightened the audience about new treatments like multimodality and biological therapy. He stressed on the importance of palliative medicine and care, relieving pain and on keeping the patients hope alive. Shobana Kamineni spoke on the growing medical awareness of the people and she considers Apollo not as a place for treatment but for wellness. She also added that Apollo is instrumental in reversing brain drain to a great extent. On being asked about the elements of humane and emotions, Ms. Kamineni highlighted on the need of giving time and having conversations with the patients to give them and their family hope and courage. To throw light on the advancement of technology, she said that in future, an ECG would tell us of an approaching possible heart attack 1 to 2 years hence. Both the speakers effectively answered many queries of the audience on cervical cancer vaccination, mammography, predictive gene test, health foods that prevent cancer and effect of stress on cancer. At the end of one and a half hours, the members of the ladies study group felt medically much more enlightened than ever before.
