KOCHI: Three weeks into its functioning, the Kochi Cancer Research Centre (KCRC) Outpatient wing has treated 101 different cancer patients including eight new cases reinforcing the importance of a full-fledged research centre-cum-hospital coming up at the space at the earliest. According to Dr Ushasree Warrier, radiation oncologist at the centre, the number of new cases identified in such a short span is high which include breast cancer case, uterus cancer, lung cancer and mouth cancer. “The cancers belonged to different stages and with the support of Ernakulam General Hospital they are being taken care of,” she added.
Many Regional Cancer Centre (RCC) patients in central Kerala have shifted their follow-up treatment to Kochi Cancer Centre due to its proximity to their residences. The remaining patients are from other hospitals including private hospitals. Dr Ushasree said that the facilities and services of the Ernakulam Government Medical College too are being used in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. Palliative care patients too have come to the cancer centre. The tumour board meeting involving all doctors of the centre to discuss the correct line of treatment for a patient, which is an important step in the functioning of the cancer centre, will start this Thursday when chemotherapy is also expected to start.
Currently there are five doctors at the OP wing. They are Dr Paul George who is a radiation oncologist, Dr Sisha Liz Abraham who is a head and neck oncology surgeon, Dr Aswathy P Sivaraman who is an onco-pathologist and Dr Neetha Sreedharan who is the gynecology oncologist, apart from Dr Ushasree. Senior surgical oncologist at RCC, Dr Balagopal is expected to join as medical superintendent soon to give a fillip to the functioning of the OP. It was on November 1 that the OP started functioning while on November 11 Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan formally inaugurated the centre.
