If I get a chance to replace word “cancer” with something than I would like to replace it with – Hope, Optimism, Courage, Awareness and Solidarity.Let us stop calling cancer patients as survivors. It sounds so pessimistic!

HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy) is relatively well-known now. This surgery entails removal of all abdominal tumour (Complete cytoreductive surgery) followed by the circulation of heated chemotherapy within the abdominal cavity to directly kill microscopic tumour cells.

Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC) is a relatively new and promising treatment option for many aggressive abdominal cancers. Tumours like pseudomyxoma peritnoneii (appendicular cancer), colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, stomach cancer, and mesothelioma which have spread within the abdominal cavity can be controlled and sometimes even cured by this treatment modality.

We are all familiar with jaundice. The eyes get yellow and urine gets extremely dark. This is usually due to hepatitis A or other diseases which are not life-threatening and can easily be managed. Stones in the bile duct can also cause jaundice. But sometimes this jaundice can be an indicator for a more dangerous disease. Cancer. Tumors of the pancreas, gallbladder, liver, bile duct and other neighboring organs can cause jaundice. This may be the only significant sign and may require further evaluation to rule out malignancy.

Humanity’s fight against pancreatic cancer has been a gritty yet mostly disappointing one. With a multitude of modern advancements promising to help us gain some ground, the progress is yet sluggish. But positivity and persistence has seldom failed. We will, thus, remain tenacious and continue to be grateful for small but significant areas in which our patients are being better benefited.

Cancer occurs when there is uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body. Gastro-intestinal (GI) cancers are cancers of the digestive system. These include cancers of the oesophagus, stomach, liver, gall bladder, pancreas, small intestine, colon, rectum, and anus.