Panaji: Around 1,000 new cancer patients are registered every year at the Department of Medical Oncology of Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC) at Bambolim.
Ever since the dedicated oncology outpatient department (OPD) services were started in 2018, around 1,000 patients are being registered every 12 months and approximately 40 per cent of the total patients are diagnosed with advanced cancer.
Noted medical oncologist, Dr Anupama Borkar, who is heading the medical oncology department at GMC, said that breast cancer accounts for 20-25 per cent of all cancer cases followed by blood cancer, head and neck cancer, gastrointestinal cancers and childhood cancers.
She said timely diagnosis and treatment can give great results. “We see 1,000 cases per year. People should come forward for self-examination. It is extremely important to seek medical advice as early as possible for any health-related issues,” Dr Borkar said.
She informed that GMC provides complete cancer treatment right from outpatient consultation to in-patient treatment for chemo treatment for all kinds of cancers including blood, breast, gastrointestinal, head and neck, gynaecological, urogenital and soft tissue cancer.
Counselling of cancer patients and their families is done regarding various treatment options. The hospital offers palliative care to cancer patients including counselling, adequate pain management, arranging home visits as needed and referral to hospice centres as needed.
Dr Borkar informed that the department also offers treatment for all childhood cancers including leukemia, lymphoma, WILMS tumour, neuroblastoma and bone tumours.
The other services offered are insertion and care of venous access devices like chemoport and PICC.
After completion of treatment, the department also does follow-up with monitoring of late sequelae.