Surgical Oncology

Department of Surgical Oncology

Dr. BRA-IRCH & NCI , AIIMS, New Delhi

Introduction

Cancer is emerging as a major public health problem globally. As per WHO GLOBOCAN 2020, 1.32 million new cases of cancer are detected each year in India and 0.85 million succumb to this deadly disease. Cancer treatment requires a multimodal management approach. Surgery is one of the main modalities for treating cancer and 90 % of cancer patients need some surgical intervention. The surgical specialty dealing with cancer management is known as Surgical Oncology.

Background: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Institute Rotary Cancer Hospital (Dr. BRA-IRCH), AIIMS, New Delhi was established in the year 1984 with an aim to provide comprehensive cancer care services in Northern India. Dedicated surgical oncology services were started in 1988 and subsequently a 20 bedded surgical Oncology ward with major OT and ICU were built with a philanthropic donation by Shri Kanhayalal Punj. Prof NK Shukla was the first faculty to initiate cancer surgical services and Dr. SVS Deo joined as second faculty in 1995. The unit was recognized as an independent Department of Surgical Oncology in the year 2001 and IRCH was expanded to a 182 bedded comprehensive cancer center with 46 Surgical beds, 6 bedded ICU and 3 major Operation theaters in 2005. MCh Surgical Oncology program was started in 2012. The department took a leadership role in the planning and establishment of state of art surgical oncology services at National Cancer Institute (NCI) Jhajjar and started cancer surgical services at NCI in 2019.Currently the department has 10 faculty members,18 MCh trainees and 12 Senior residents.

The three major activities of the department include Patient Care, Teaching & Training and Research.

Patient Care Services:

• The Department offers organ based surgical expertise for Breast, Head & Neck, Thoracic, Gastro-intestinal, HPB, Gynae & Genito-urinary cancers and Sarcomas.

• Major & Complex Surgical oncology procedures for various cancers.

• Comprehensive Endoscopy services including diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

• On an average 2000 major cancer surgeries and 5000 minor surgery and endoscopy procedures are performed every year in the department.

Special Surgical programs:

The department leads in introducing advanced and cutting edge surgical programs including Minimally Invasive Surgery (Lap & VATS), Peritoneal Surface Malignancies (Cytoreductive Surgery, HIPEC & PIPAC), Oncoplastic & Microvascular surgery, Risk Reducing Surgery, Navigational Surgery, Organ Conservation and Intra-operative Radiation Therapy and Palliative Surgical Oncology at AIIMS.

Teaching and Training: The department runs MCh Surgical Oncology program, which is one of the leading and popular MCh programs in India. In addition, the department offers long term and short-term training to general surgeons. The department has trained more than 150 cancer surgeons during last 25 years, who are in leadership positions in different parts of the country.

Research: The faculty members of the department are actively engaged in a number of collaborative basic and clinical research projects including multicentric international trials. The department has developed a computerized comprehensive oncology clinical data base and currently has comprehensive clinical data related to more than 10,000 cancer patients operated in the department. The faculty has published more than 300 scientific papers in prestigious national and international journals.

Other Activities: The faculty of the department are actively involved as members, experts and advisors for various organizations and scientific bodies like NBE, ICMR, DBT, DS, Ministry of Health, IASO, ISPSM, ABSI and BSI. The department regularly conducts workshops and organizes major conferences (ICC 2013, NATCON 21, ABSICON18 and INDO-UK Oncoplasty course, ISPSM-ESSO cadaver courses on CRS & HIPEC etc).

History of Dept of Surgical Oncology

Major Landmarks & Timelines –

1983 - Dr. BRA-IRCH was established as a comprehensive cancer center of AIIMS

1988 - Dr. NK Shukla joined as first faculty and established a Unit of Surgical Oncology to offer basic cancer surgical services.

1991 – Senior Residency training program was started, and major cancer surgical services initiated.

1995 – Dr SVS Deo joined as second full-time faculty.

1996 – A dedicated 20 bedded Surgical Oncology ward along with a major OT and ICU were established with a philanthropic donation from Shri. Kanhayalal Punj.

2001 – Unit of Surgical Oncology was upgraded as a full-fledged independent Department

2005 – IRCH expanded to 182 bedded regional cancer Center including 48 Surgical Oncology beds and 3 major operation theaters.

2012 – M.Ch. course in Surgical Oncology was started with an annual intake of 5 students.

2012 – Dr. Sunil Kumar and Dr. MD Ray joined as full-time faculty

2017 – Prof. SVS Deo assumed the role of Head of Department after Prof. NK Shukla’s superannuation.

2018 – Three more faculty members Dr Sandeep Bhoriwal, Dr Ashutosh Mishra and Dr Jyoti Sharma joined the Department.

2019 – Inauguration of National Cancer Institute, AIIMS, Jhajjar campus by Honorable Prime Minister and launch of Surgical Oncology services at NCI campus.

2020 – Four more faculty members joined the department Dr. Naveen, Dr. Babul Bansal, Dr. Jyoutishman Saikia and Dr Raghuram K.