Kolkata: One of the world’s most prestigious conferences on breast cancer began in Kolkata on Friday, with five research proposals to be selected for grants and an opportunity to be presented at the next St Gallen International Breast Cancer Conference in Vienna.The young researchers will also get an opportunity to present their proposals at the conference next year, to be held in Vienna.
The ongoing conference, which will conclude on Sunday, is being conducted by the Institute of Breast Diseases Kolkata (IBDK). Over 600 doctors from across the world are attending the event. From 140 research proposals on breast cancer, 28 have been shortlisted for the conference. The research proposals were invited with an aim to fill the gap in cancer research. “Many clinicians do not get sufficient funds to support their research in the country. This leads to dependence on western countries for research solutions,” said oncologist, Soumen Das, who is also the director of IBDK.The proposals submitted in the conference explore various aspects. For instance, they deal with early detection models, AI-enabled diagnostics, biomarker method of research, surgical innovation, besides healthcare strategies for limited resource set-ups. “There is a need for research, education, and advocacy apart from regular screening, early detection, and treatment procedures,” said professor Jens Houber from St Gallen, Switzerland. “We will have a session on how the guidelines based on western researches can be modified as per our requirements,” said radiation oncologist, Sayan Paul.Doctors said 70 per cent of breast cancer cases in the state are detected late. This affects treatment outcomes and increase cost of treatment. “Events like this allow meaningful collaboration between experts and clinicians from across the globe working in diverse healthcare settings,” said professor Beat Thürlimann, St Gallen, Switzerland.US-based radiation oncologist Sushil Beriwal said around 70 per cent of breast cancer cases are detected at an early stage, ensuring better treatment results. “This initiative goes beyond traditional academic exchange,” said oncologist, Tanmoy Kumar Mandal, director, IBDK. “Global collaboration is essential to address the challenges in cancer care at the regional level. Such exchanges aide in development of treatment approaches” said professor Etienne Brain from Paris. Another community-led volunteering programme, Pink Army, aimed at generating awareness on cancer was kickstarted from the event. The conference will have discussions on challenges in cancer care and accessibility to affordable treatment.
