Interview with Dr Prabhat Kumar Verma (Cancer Specialist)

Dr Prabhat Kumar Verma is a Consultant General Surgeon and Cancer Specialist working at the Prankur Hospital & Cancer Research Centre, Saharanpur. He has 20 years of experience in radiotherapy, surgeries, chemotherapy, plastic surgeries, mammography, cryosurgery, thyroid surgery, laparoscopic Surgery and various general surgeries.

Challenges Faced by Oncologists

The most common challenge while planning Cancer Treatment is the patients' economic and educational status because the cost of the treatment, irrespective of the concession, is very high. Uneducated patients don't understand the value of early treatment; they tend to delay the treatment. So, the lack of awareness, lack of education regarding cancer treatment, and low economic status are the most common challenges that we encounter during the treatment.

Difficulties Faced During Cancer Treatment

The main concern is the hair fall. The patient thinks that they will look bad without the hair, but we make them understand that the hair will grow again, and it is not at all an issue. The other difficulties during Cancer Treatment are vomiting, loss of appetite, loss of weight and other complications like Nausea and leukopenia.

Targeted Therapy in Cancer Treatment

They are very effective as there are so many drugs injected with specific targets. Especially in palliative care and in advanced cancer stages, we give Targeted therapy since the side effects are minimum, and the benefits are more.

Surgery and Post-Surgery Care

In Oral Cancer treatment, the primary post-operative concern is the face's shape because it can become distorted after the Surgery. We make the patients understand that life is more important than external beauty and that their life is more important for their family.

In Breast Cancer treatment, mastectomy is a massive psychological trauma. Breasts are a sign of feminity, and therefore, I ask my patients to wear artificially padded brassieres or use other measures. Often, patients avoid going out due to this, but we make them understand that it is okay and inform them of the methods that they can use.

Cryosurgery

Cryosurgery is the Cancer Treatment procedure where we destroy the tumor tissues by reducing the temperature to -30-degree. It has been used in tonsil cancer. We can use Cryosurgery in early Oral Cancer. Cryosurgery is very useful as anesthesia is not required, the patients can go home the same day, and even the healing is very quick in Cryosurgery.

Rare and Challenging Case

Once, I had to operate on a patient with a tumor was on the chest wall, and I was not having a ventilator facility nor an expert anesthetist to aid me. But using the skills that I had acquired over my 20 years of experience, I did the operation, and it came out well.

A Healthy Lifestyle

The advice we give varies according to the cancer type. Suppose the patient has oral cancer, then advise them not to smoke or take Tobacco. As far as ladies are concerned, we recommend them to be aware of what kind of bra and pad they use.

Palliative Care

In palliative care, the main problem we deal with is Pain. We give various medications to relieve the pain, but cancer Pain is tough. In advanced larynx cancer, we do tracheostomy for the respiration. We do so many things to elevate the patients' pain, like palliative Chemotherapy and simple mastectomy.

Nutrition

Nutrition plays a major role in preventing cancer, in cancer treatment, and in prolonging patients' lives. We prefer patients to have a healthy diet at the proper time. There are so many materials in our kitchen to manage the side effects like antioxidants.

Do Yoga and exercise; they give relaxation to the body, good function to the body parts, and increase immunity and digestion.

How is ZenOnco.io Helping the Patients

I think it is the first time that such an organization exists to help cancer patients in every aspect of Cancer Treatment. The aim is very nice. I appreciate the efforts of ZenOnco.io.