Cancer Treatment News
Siemens join hands with HCG
Under this collaboration, Siemens will work with HCG to develop software, undertake research & development and conduct training programs that will ensure better alternatives to the clinicians & more effective treatment to the patients.
Siemens’ Ltd. has joined hands with Healthcare Global Enterprises Ltd. (HCG) to start the first Centre of Excellence for Cancer Care in Asia. With this initiative, HCG becomes the first hospital in Asia to collaborate with Siemens’ for a seven year period to focus on various projects in Oncology.
Under this collaboration, Siemens will work with HCG to develop software, undertake research & development and conduct training programs that will ensure better alternatives to the clinicians & more effective treatment to the patients.
Speaking to the media on this collaboration, Dr Bernd Montag, CEO, Imaging & Therapy Systems Division, Siemens Healthcare Sector, Siemens AG. said “HCG covers the complete spectrum of cancer care from early diagnosis to the most advanced therapy, and we are delighted to enter into this collaboration with them. Together, we are confident of making significant contribution to the evolution of modern Cancer Care“.
Ragavan, Country Head, Healthcare Sector, Siemens Ltd., and Head – Imaging and Therapy division of Siemens South Asia cluster further added, “In India, Cancer is the second largest killer in the spectrum of non-communicable diseases. The geographical spread of good quality cancer treatment centers is very poor as most of the centers are situated in main metros. HCG, over the past 10 years has contributed significantly to establish high quality Cancer Care centers in the Tier II and Tier III cities of India and we have been associated with them as the exclusive technology provider for the Radiation Oncology field. This new collaboration agreement takes our relationship from a transaction level to a strategic level and we are excited about this development.”
The objective of the collaboration is to bring together the clinical excellence and experience in managing and treating cancer patients of HCG and the unique innovations in technology from Siemens Ltd., which help ‘Fighting cancer – Fast and Focused’. For example, to ensure the exact location of the tumor in real time and target the radiation accordingly, Siemens has introduced the unique IM-RealART solution which allows for real-time re-planning; taking into account the actual tumor shapes on a particular day. This solution which includes the CT Vision system, Intelligent treatment replanning software, Artiste Linear Accelerator and 160 Leaf Multileaf Collimator is a revolutionary solution for advanced form of radiation therapy treatment – Adaptive Radiation Therapy (ART). This solution is available only at HCG- Bangalore and is a boon to the Cancer patients of India.
Dr B.S. Ajaikumar, Chairman, HCG said “Our vision is to be at the forefront of technology and introduce revolutionary methods to treat cancer patient, this can be only achieved by working with organisations with a similar vision. The earlier trend used to be of clinicians travelling overseas for training, research & development. Now they will be trained in India at HCG. The collaboration with Siemens is a step in this direction.”
Doctors Saying “Less is More” in Breast Cancer Treatment
Patty Molinaro, says, “Every advance that we make that makes the experience of breast cancer easier for the woman is a wonderful thing.” Patty Molinaro who is a breast cancer survivor and Nurse Navigator for the Susan G. Koeman Foundation is talking about the results of a study published this week by the American Medical Association Journal.
Between 1999 and 2004 doctors conducted a study at 115 different hospitals with roughly 450 patients who had lymph-nodes surgically removed and 450 who received only chemotherapy or radiation. The results showed that the survival rate was the same between the less invasive and surgical treatment.
Dr. Lydia Schrader, Breast Cancer Surgical Onchologist says, “If we can avoid doing that in these younger women and still have the same outcome, that’s a great advantage.” Meaning patients can avoid the horrible side effects associated with lymph node removal.
Dr. Lydia says, “Axillary lymph-node dissection have a higher risk of infection. A higher or long term issue related to fluid collections under the arms.”
So women who choose the less invasive treatment will have less to worry about in the long run as far as side effects go with this surgery. That way the main focus can be fighting for their lives. Patty says, “It’s just another reason why we need to continue to have research done. And we need to continue to try to find easier, more effective, less invasive, type treatments.”