Army, ICMR to formulate guidelines for cancer management

New Delhi, Oct 28 (UNI) To make cancer treatment affordable for the rural poor, the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research will formulate a Task Force on Cancer Management Guidelines in India.

The first meeting of the two organisations will be held at the Army Hospital (R&R) at Delhi Cantonment on October 30.

To be inaugurated by Surg Vice Admiral V K Singh, Director General Armed Forces Medical Services, the meeting will be attended by renowned cancer specialists from all over the country.

It will sensitise the medical fraternity and the general practitioners about providing affordable cancer treatment and enlighten them about the use of stems and transplantation in advance stage of cancer.

At present, cancer treatment is costly and beyond the reach of poor patients as it requires multi-modal therapy such as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Moreover, trained medical oncologists are not available in rural areas, and the rural people find it difficult to reach the oncology centres located in bigger cities.

Cancer patients are under treatment at Army Hospitals in Pune, Kolkata and New Delhi.

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