Doctors suggest regular surveillance of 'at risk' patients to detect Cancer

Ravinder Singh New Delhi [India], Sept. 5 (ANI): Medical Experts who assembled at the national capital opined that that regular surveillance of at risk patients helps to detect the liver cancer at early stage, adding that the benefit of early detection is early institution of treatments to achieve a cure. A two-day conference on latest advances in the management of liver diseases was concluded in Delhi by Sir Ganga Ram Hospital under the aegis of Delhi Liver foundation. Experts from India, USA, Myanmar, Pakistan and Nepal attended the conference and shared their views and discussed newer and better strategies to tackle Liver ailments. While sharing their experiences, experts said that if cancer is detected early, almost all patients can achieve benefits in terms of life expectancy with up to 70 percent five year survival and good chances of cure in a substantial percentage. However, if detected late, then this five year survival drops to five percent. The conference chairman was Dr Anil Arora who is also the president of Indian Association of Study of Liver. Dr. Amitabh Mohan Jerath Senior Consultant in Gastroenterology was invited as faculty for the session on rise in Liver Cancer in India. Dr Jerath threw light on the rising incidence of Liver diseases in the wake of increase in Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, Alcoholism, Obesity and fatty Liver. He said that these diseases make a person more prone to Liver cancer as it is fifth commonest cancer in the world. Currently Liver cancer is fourth commonest cause of death in males and eighth commonest cause of death in females but actually it might be more rampant than this if correctly reported. The only way to decrease the increasing incidence is life style modification and early initiation of antiviral therapies. Notably media reports suggested that Punjab has becomes home of Hepatitis C disease and it has readily increasing on the border state of northern part of India. The conference also discussed cost effective modalities for Liver disease detection and treatments for third world countries. The annual event was attended by over 600 doctors. Experts also emphasized the need for better organ donation strategies as currently there is a long waiting list of patients waiting for cadaveric liver transplant. According to available information, currently about 2000 liver transplants happen in India with eighty percent from living related donors whereas in the western world, most transplants are cadaveric liver transplants. (ANI)