Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving oncology landscape, the Illuminate Oncology Leadership Town Hall 3.0 was held in Mumbai, bringing together global experts to discuss the latest breakthroughs in cancer care.
The event, held at the Jio World Convention Centre, focused on precision oncology, immunotherapy, cellular therapies, and emerging cancer vaccines, with the aim of shaping the future of cancer treatment.
As the Organising President and Program Convenor, Dr Sewanti Limaye, Director of Medical & Precision Oncology at Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital, shared her extensive expertise on the transformative changes in cancer treatment, particularly in immunotherapy and personalised care, emphasising the importance of global collaboration to enhance patient outcomes.
In conversation with THE WEEK, Dr Limaye sheds light on the breakthroughs in cancer treatment and the future of oncology care in India, addressing key challenges and opportunities for improving patient care. Interview excerpts:
Q: Dr Limaye, as a leading oncologist, what do you think is the biggest breakthrough in cancer treatment in the last decade, and how has it impacted patient care?
A: The biggest breakthrough in cancer treatment has been advancements in advanced immunotherapeutics and cellular therapeutics. These, along with antibody drug conjugates, have transformed how we treat cancers, even in advanced stages. They've led to enhanced survival, reduced toxicity, and improved outcomes for both early and late-stage cancers. These treatments have decreased relapse rates and significantly increased survival, representing truly transformative changes in cancer care.
Q: Cancer care in India often faces challenges related to early diagnosis and treatment accessibility. How can we improve awareness and detection, especially in rural areas?
A: To improve cancer awareness and detection, we must integrate cancer screening into the Ayushman Bharat program. Government-led initiatives should include cancer awareness and prevention efforts, such as vaccinating all teenage or preteen girls and boys against the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes cervical, oropharyngeal, and anal cancers. Early intervention, supported by CSR funding for cancer screening and awareness campaigns, is crucial to reducing cancer numbers at the earliest stages.
Q: With the rise of personalised medicine in oncology, how do you see its role in transforming cancer treatments in India?
Also read
- Can IIT Bombay’s safer T-Cell retrieval make CAR T-Cell therapy more accessible?
- 'A meeting with MS Dhoni': Doctor requests social media to fulfill pediatric cancer patient's 'final wish'
- How intense workouts signal the bloodstream to suppress colorectal cancer genes
- What if your sleep could predict cancer and heart disease? Stanford’s AI model says it can
A: Personalised oncology is the future of cancer treatment. It ensures that the treatment is specifically tailored to the patient based on their disease biology, pathology, and genomic signatures. Unlike the one-size-fits-all approach, personalised medicine provides more precise care, improving outcomes by addressing the unique aspects of each patient's condition. This tailored approach is the right way to practice medical oncology, ensuring better and more effective treatment for patients.
Q: Immunotherapy has been a game-changer for certain types of cancers. What potential do you see for its wider application in India, and what challenges need to be addressed?
A: Immunotherapy has revolutionised cancer treatment, particularly for stage 4 cancers. It's now moving into earlier stages of cancers, including those that are potentially curable. For example, even curable food pipe and gastric cancers are now receiving immunotherapy to decrease relapse rates and improve survival. The challenge lies in making these therapies more widely available, both in terms of accessibility and affordability, to ensure that patients across India can benefit from these advancements.
Q: Looking at the future, what are some of the key areas of research or advancements in oncology that you believe will shape the landscape of cancer care in the next 5 to 10 years?
A: Two major areas of research that will shape cancer care in the next 5 to 10 years are cancer vaccines and liquid biopsies. Cancer vaccines are working to harness the body's immune system to target tumors. Alongside this, liquid biopsies, specifically multi-cancer early detection tests (MCEDs), are set to revolutionise early cancer detection. These blood tests can detect multiple types of cancers at very early stages, dramatically improving survival rates by identifying the disease before symptoms appear.