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New York-based International Academy of Oral Oncology (IAOO) has set up its India Chapter of IAOO in Bengaluru. The move is expected to give the much needed fillip for early cancer detection and timely treatment. The academic forum brings together clinicians and scientists, working on issues related to the cause, epidemiology, prevention, biology and management of oral cancer.
According to Dr. Sanjeev Nair, president, IAOO India chapter, a series of twelve IAOO regional meetings were carried out across India covering from Kashmir to Kerala during the past year to improve awareness of oral cancer.
India’s pool of oncology expertise was the key factor that aided the selection as the host country for the 6th World Oral Cancer Congress. The three day event from May 17 to 20, 2017 in Bengaluru is conceived not just as an event, but a mission to eradicate oral cancer said Dr. Moni Abraham Kuriakose, president, Indian Head & Neck Cancer Society, Director, Mazumdar Shaw Cancer Center – Narayana Health City and chairman IAOO world congress.
Previous five IAOO biennial congresses were at Amsterdam (2007), Toronto (2009), Singapore (2011), Rhodes (2013) and Sao Paulo (2015). This year’s theme is ‘Frontiers in Oral Oncology’. It will have participants across 33 countries and over 1000 delegates, he added.
Oral Cancer is the most common cancer in Indian male. The country accounts for two-fifth of the world’s cases. Annually one lakh new people are diagnosed, of which 50,000 succumb within a year. It is preventable and can be diagnosed early, stated Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi, head and neck cancer surgeon, Tata Memorial Hospital, and secretary of 6th World Oral Cancer Congress.
At the 3-day event to be held at Hotel Shangri La, Bengaluru Nobel Laurette Professor Amartya Sen, who was an oral cancer victim will deliver the inaugural address. Other speakers include Ann Gillenwater, Anderson Cancer Centre, Jatin Shah, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre, Luiz Kowalski, Camaro Margo Cancer Centre, Sao Paulo, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw,CMD, Biocon, Barbera Wollenberg, University of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Devi Prasad Shetty, chairman, Narayana Health, , Saman Warnakulasurya, University of London and Dennis Rohner from Zurich, Switzerland.
There will be 15 symposia, 6 panel discussions and 5 pre-conference workshops. An oral cancer science symposium will be held Indian Institute of Science. Also the Karnataka government and Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences will organize an early detection training program for primary care physicians and dentists besides a live surgery demonstration of computer-aided jaw reconstruction at Narayana Health City and jaw and face reconstruction using cadavers at M S Ramaiah Medical College.
Dr. Vishal Rao from Bangalore Institute of Oncology is organizing a Hackathon for students from medical and engineering colleges to identify practical solutions for issues related to oral cancer care.
Intl academy, oral oncology forms its india chapter, cancer congress
