Seperate Medical Oncology department to be set up at PGIMER and GMCH-sec 32

Chandigarh: A medical oncology department is being set up with an aim to provide specialized treatment to cancer patients coming to the city from all parts of the country for treatment by the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) and Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) in Sector 32 .

The PGI’s 2-day OPD for Medical Oncology commenced operations from Wednesday. Interestingly none of the city’s government hospitals have a medical oncology department presently.

The two government Institute officials, on Tuesday, claimed that with a separate department of oncology, they would be able to provide comprehensive care to the patients.

A senior PGI doctor told Chandigarh Newsline that the institute would be setting up a separate department of medical oncology within the Regional Cancer Centre, department of radiotherapy, PGI. “The OPD will help us to get an expert opinion from medical oncologists,” the doctor said. Initially, it would run twice a week (Wednesday and Thursday) he added.

A doctor, with specialization in medical oncology, would attend to the patients.

Doctors have been informed that medical oncology OPD will function from radiotherapy OPD (Nehru block) between 2 pm and 4 pm claimed sources.

Presently cancer patients are mostly treated by specialized doctors from the department of radiotherapy at the PGI.

PGI’s “5-year consolidated report” on cancer registry reveals 32, 408 malignant cases as having been registered at Regional Cancer Centre from 2011-2015. “There was a steady increase in the number of cancers registered” the report informs. In 2011 the number of cancer cases registered was 5,465, which increased to 7,439 in 2015.

GMCH officials said that a committee has been formed regarding this at this facility as well. “A committee of senior doctors has been formed to set up a department of medical oncology,” Dr. Ravi Gupta, Medical Superintendent, GMCH, confirmed to Chandigarh Newsline.