AFMC, ICMR set up Task Force on cancer management guidelines

New Delhi, Oct 30 (UNI) The Indian Armed Forces Medical Services have decided to formulate a Task Force on Cancer Management Guidelines in the country with a view to curtail the expenditure on treatment of cancer patients thus giving them relief and to sensitise the medical fraternity about the availability of treatments at affordable costs.

The first meeting of the Task Force, being constituted in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research, will be inaugurated at the Army Hospital Research and Referral here today.

The meeting will be inaugurated by Surg Vice Admiral V.K. Singh, Director General AFMC, and will be attended by renowned cancer specialists (Oncologists) from all over the country.

The guidelines would help in cheaper treatment of cancer which generally requires multi-modality therapy including surgery, radio therapy and chemotherapy. The treatment is very expensive, and at times, beyond the reach of poor patient.

Most of the good cancer hospitals are located in bigger cities.

People staying in rural areas find difficulty in reaching these oncology centres. Moreover, the facilities such as trained medical oncologists and treatment provision are not available in rural areas.

This collaborative meeting between AFMC and ICMR is expected to formulate guidelines for cancer treatment which can be afforded by poor patients and sensitise the medical fraternity and general practitioners for cancer treatment and thirdly, enlighten them about use of stems and transplantation in advance stages of cancer.

Presently, the cancer patients are being treated at Army Hospitals in Pune, Kolkata ad New Delhi.

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