Iylon Precision Oncology organized an online meeting on precision lung cancer awareness on Sunday, 28 November 2021, co-hosted by Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute in Mumbai. The meeting was organized as a part of Lung Cancer Awareness Month observed in the month of November.
The webinar featured various specialists and experts from around the world sharing their knowledge on important aspects of lung cancer from detection to treatment and beyond. Veteran bollywood actor, Sanjay Dutt shared his own personal experiences of lung cancer diagnosis, precision treatment and great outcomes.
Dr Sewanti Limaye, co-Founder, Iylon Precision Oncology, introduced the concepts of precision oncology and how it has revolutionised Cancer care in the last decade. Dr Limaye is director, Clinical and Translational Research Oncology and director – Precision Oncology, and consultant, Medical Oncology at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute, Mumbai, India. She was formerly consultant, Medical Oncology at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, at Harvard Medical School and a former consultant, Medical Oncology at Columbia University Medical Center USA. Dr Keighley Reisenauer, communications director, Iylon Precision Oncology gave an introduction to Iylon products.
Dr Vivek Subbiah, clinical medical director, Clinical Center for Targeted Therapy at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas spoke about updates in Precision medicine, immunotherapy and how it has changed the overall outlook towards cancer care. He emphasized the best-case scenario would be to prevent lung cancer by encouraging smoking cessation, or the second-best option of early detection and targeted precision treatment. Dr Vivek Subbiah also mentioned that due to the proliferation of social media, higher patient awareness will drive future treatment in precision immunotherapy.
Dr Balazs Halmos, director of Clinical Cancer Genetics, director of Thoracic Medical Oncology Montefiore Health Systems, NY, USA spoke about different types of lung cancers and precision in diagnosis and management of lung cancers, novel drugs and case examples of the application of precision-based treatment for Lung cancer. He mentioned that defeating lung cancer is about teamwork between the various specialists and experts performing their individual roles to perfection.
Terri Conneran, Precision Lung Cancer survivor spoke about founding the KRASKICKERS community, the challenges and outreach of this initiative and patient advocacy in lung cancer. Mukul Bhola, chief executive officer of The Defeat – NCD Partnership, United Nations Institute for Training and Research spoke about access to cancer care to the masses especially focused on developing and underdeveloped nations. He called for enhanced and better partnership between public, private and philanthropic healthcare organizations and members of the public to work together to reduce mortality due to non-communicable diseases, including lung cancer, by one-third by the year 2030.
Dr Sendurai Mani, co-founder of Iylon and Professor Division of Pathology – Lab Medicine, Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, MD Anderson Cancer Centre, Houston, Texas wrapped up the discussions around Precision Oncology and outlined what the future of Precision Oncology looks like.
The Guest of Honour and the keynote speaker was veteran Bollywood actor, Sanjay Dutt who spoke about his journey from the time he was diagnosed with advanced lung cancer in August 2020 to how he approached precision-based treatment under the watchful eyes of Dr Limaye and her team and eventually defeating lung cancer over the next few months. He also mentioned that he now intends to champion the cause of precision in cancer care and access to cancer care through the Defeat-NCD Partnership at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research.
Sanjay Dutt spoke about the importance of giving up smoking, maintaining a positive mental attitude and a healthy fitness lifestyle that helped him in his fight with cancer. He also spoke about the need for Governments in undeveloped or under-developed countries to help provide resources for better access to diagnosis and treatment for the underprivileged masses.
