Interview with Dr. Shubham Jain

He is a surgical oncologist with more than 10 years of experience in Oncology. And is currently practicing at Max Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi. He is an oncologist at Tata Memorial, Mumbai for more than 8 years. He takes sessions to clear people’s doubts. 

What are the different types of Surgeries for cancer treatment? How do you choose a particular treatment for a patient? 

If they don’t want to go through a lot of pain they can opt for Prophylactic surgery. These surgeries do not aim to cure & remove the disease but will help in relieving the problems caused by incurable Cancer. Some surgeries aim to remove the disease and are called curative surgeries. 

There are also other surgeries; the conventional source to the surgery is an Open Surgery where the patient expects bleeding, pain & hospitalization. Another one is Minimal access surgery where the patient expects lesser pain & can be through laparoscopic & robotic assistance. 

What is robotic Cancer surgery? 

It’s a minimal access surgery where the doctor performs surgery with the help of a Robot. A surgeon will be controlling the robot. It’s very effective & with lesser pain & the recovery is faster. 

What comes under thoracic Cancer? How common are these cancers?

Thoracic Cancer is cancer that affects the organ of the Chest i.e. lung, food pipe & other organs in the chest. Lung cancers are by far the most common type of thoracic cancer. These cancers are common cancer but not as common as Breast Cancer. 

What are the measures which help in preventing Breast Cancer & what are the lines of treatment? 

The best way is awareness to prevent or detect cancer. Science is developing but it would be easier if the cancer diagnosis happens at an earlier stage. Treatment depends on the stage. The treatment helps to control the disease & to reduce the risk of recurrence later. 

What is an advanced surgical recovery program? How does it help prevention?  

It is a protocol in hospitals which enhances the recovery & sooner the patient can go back to their normal life. Research has consistently shown that the adoption of enhanced recovery leads to significant improvements in patient satisfaction, outcomes, and reduction in the cost of care. Specifically, patients experience faster recovery, shortened hospital stay, and significantly fewer complications. 

If we talk about recovery, what percentage do you think it’s effective? 

ERAS protocol has benefited & enhanced the recovery rate. There was no increase in average or daily pain scores in the ERAS group in association with this change. The protocols reduce the length of stay, complications, and costs for a large number of elective surgical procedures.  

What is the line of treatment for stomach cancer? What are the preventive measures? 

The treatment is a combination of chemotherapy, radiation & surgery. The treatment depends on the stage which is determined through CT Scan or any other test. The main preventive measure is Awareness. Anybody developing symptoms like not being able to eat, acidity, weight loss should not be ignored. If detected early, it can be cured at an early stage. 

What is metastatic stomach cancer? Where does it mostly spread? 

It usually affects the liver or the inner lining of the abdomen. When it affects the liver, the patient experiences loss of appetite. If it affects the inner lining of the abdomen it will produce fluid in the abdomen which can lead to malnutrition & significant weight loss. 

What are the precautions for the patient who undergoes surgery? 

The patient needs to be in good health. They should take care of their nutrition, and physical fitness. They should eat a healthy & protein-rich diet to recover faster. If a person is a smoker, he should quit smoking immediately to get better results in surgery. 

Complicated\Challenging case of his life 

There was a woman aged 26 years who was having problems breathing because a 22cm long tumor was stuck in her lungs. He removed her tumor, it was difficult but he operated on her & she is all well now. She just comes for follow-ups now. 

Importance of a healthy lifestyle to prevent Cancer. 

Keeping a healthy & nutritional life is important. It has also been recommended by WHO. Regular physical activity, reducing the consumption of tobacco, avoiding alcohol, and eating green leafy vegetables are also beneficial.

How ZenOnCo.io is helping in the cause of cancer? 

They connect the patient to healthcare professionals which have made it easy for the patients. It is also easy for doctors to connect with patients in any part of India. It is the best usage of digitalization today.