Virtual Tumour Board launched at JIPMER

Puducherry: Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) has recently initiated ‘Virtual Tumour Board' comprising of multidisciplinary panel of cancer experts from all across the country. As a start it also discussed four cases of cancer- online with specialists attached to more than 17 centres.

The board comprises cancer specialists and medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, surgical oncologist, general surgeons, plastic surgeons, and allied paramedical staff dealing with cancer patients.

The specialists who share their medical opinions online are able to better plan treatment of cancer patients all over. The first online ‘virtual board meeting’ at JIPMER was conducted under the patronage of the Department of Telemedicine.

The hospitals involved in the first four cancer case studies were: Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences (AIMS), Kochi, RCC Thiruvananthapuram, Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, Mumbai, Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) JIPMER, Malabar Cancer Centre and Narayana Cancer Centre.

Director, JIPMER, Dr. Subhash Chandra Parija speaking to the Hindu, described the facility to be an offshoot of the institute’s stature as a Regional Resource Centre (RRC) for Telemedicine activities for South India, supported by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in 2013.

The 'virtual tumour board' is meant to help experts acquire a comprehensive understanding of the cancer scenario across India.