A significant step towards making cancer care more accessible and supportive across India was highlighted at a major medical conference in Mumbai. The focus is on a new digital health innovation: a mobile application designed specifically to aid lung cancer patients.
Digital Tool Presented at Prestigious Conference
Dr. Akansha Choudhary, an Assistant Professor in Medical Oncology and Hematology at AIIMS Bhopal, represented the institute at the prestigious 9th Year End Review in Lung Cancer. This conference was held in Mumbai from December 19 to 21 and gathered top oncologists from leading institutions like AIIMS Delhi, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital, Medanta, Manipal, and HCG.
Dr. Choudhary shared crucial findings from a study conducted by Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, USA. The research centered on the use of a dedicated mobile application to provide continuous guidance, symptom monitoring, and emotional support to patients battling lung cancer.
Bridging the Gap in Cancer Care Access
In her presentation, Dr. Choudhary emphasized that adopting such app-based tools in the Indian healthcare context could be transformative. The primary goal is to bridge critical gaps in access and affordability of quality supportive care.
Instead of relying solely on periodic hospital visits, patients can use the application to track their symptoms daily, receive timely medical advice, and stay connected with their care teams. This ensures patients receive consistent support even when they are outside hospital walls, which is especially vital for those living far from major metro cities.
Her insights, along with expert panel discussions on topics like rare lung cancer mutations, were widely appreciated by the medical community present.
AIIMS Bhopal's Holistic Approach to Treatment
This digital initiative aligns with the advanced clinical work already being done at AIIMS Bhopal. The institute's Medical Oncology Unit offers a comprehensive suite of modern treatments including:
- Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) for precise diagnosis
- Chemotherapy
- Targeted Therapy
- Immunotherapy
By integrating these cutting-edge medical therapies with innovative digital support tools, AIIMS Bhopal is pioneering a more holistic and hopeful model of cancer care. This combined approach aims to extend high-quality, continuous support to patients well beyond the confines of major metropolitan hospitals, potentially improving outcomes and quality of life for countless individuals across the country.
