Chennai is the new name for Madras, a city on the east coast of southern India. Situated on the shores of the Bay of Bengal, this capital of the state of Tamil Nadu is India’s fourth largest metropolitan city and one of the 35 largest metropolitan areas in the world. Today’s news from Chennai includes this about early detection for prostate cancer, a prostate cancer conference with Australian input, and a push towards brachytherapy:

Apollo chief for prostate cancer checkup

Chennai, Jan 7: People above the age of 40 years should undergo check up for prostate cancer, which is on the increase in the country, Apollo Hospitals Group chairman Dr Pratap C Reddy said here today.

“I firmly believe that those in the age group between 40 and 50 years be checked periodically depending on the results of the first check up while for those above this age, I suggest an annual check up. It can be controlled and even cured if diagnosed in the early stages,” he said.

Talking to reporters on the eve of a seminar on prostate cancer being organised by the Apollo Hospital here, he said the thrust of the group in the coming years would be in the areas of cardiology, oncology, neurology and emergency medicine.

The faculty for the international symposium on prostrate cancer with the theme ‘A multi-disciplinary approach’ would include Director of Radiation Oncology at the Melbourne-based Peter Maccalum Cancer Centre Dr Gillian Mary Duchesne and the centre’s Brachytherapy chief Dr K Ramdass, he said adding that over a hundred drawn up from different specialities from within and outside the country were expected to attend.

The two-day symposium to be held on January 9 and 10 would highlight prostate brachytherapy and a multi-disciplinary approach to prostate cancer treatment, he added.

Explaining the therapy, Dr Reddy said brachytherapy, considered the best form of conformal radiotherapy, was a minimally invasive procedure where the radio active source was placed within the tumor.

In common parlance it meant that a very high dose could be administered to the tumor while at the same time minimising the dose to normal tissues, he said.

“Therefore the chance of controlling the disease is much high with minimal side effects. One major advantage is that the entire treatment is over within two to three days when compared to the time taken for external radiation.’

He said it was proposed to start a Brachytherapy centre at the hospital in the near future.”
source:
Chennai Online News Service - View News

The Indian government ranks Apollo Hospitals as a center of excellence in oncology and other departments.