In order to create awareness about thyroid cancer, BCPBF - The Cancer Foundation held a symposium on “Best Practices Treatment of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer in India – THYCAN 2018” in collaboration with the specialist doctors of Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. 

While the general understanding about cancer and its treatment has increased manifold, people still have a lot of misconceptions about various forms of cancer and their treatment processes. While cancer might have afflicted a larger section of population in last few decades, the treatment process too has evolved and the number of cancer-survivors have also increased manifold.

The program was held at Hotel Pullman, Aerocity, New Delhi with participation of eminent surgical and medical oncologists, head and neck surgeons, nuclear medicine experts and endocrinologists from all over the country.

Dr. Sameer Kaul, Senior Surgical Oncologist and Robotics, Apollo Cancer Institute, New Delhi said, “In case of thyroid cancer especially, there is very little awareness in the country. Like all other types of cancers, we can control fatality from thyroid cancer too by making people aware of its symptoms and through early diagnosis.”

According to Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the incidence of thyroid cancer in India amongst all cancers is only 0.1% to 0.2% in the country.

“Even then thyroid cancer is considered as a curable form of cancer following right prognosis and treatment,” added Dr Kaul.

Speaking about the treatment procedures and early diagnosis of cancer, Dr. Kaul said, “Today it is easy to predict the causes of various types of cancers including thyroid cancer. Early diagnosis is the key to successful treatment and survival.”

Some of the methods of early diagnosis and self-care methods explained by him included, family history – which increases the risk significantly, over exposure to radiation – such as exposure to radiation for medical purpose in childhood, hepatitis – C and late pregnancy.

The treatment of thyroid cancer includes surgery of the thyroid gland, where doctors remove the malignant part of the thyroid and other infected organs. Radioactive Iodine and Thyroid Hormone treatments are also undertaken in case of requirement, following the surgery to ensure a complete cure from the disease. 

He also stressed upon creating a wider understanding about cancer in the society and its curability. “Every year around three million people are diagnosed with cancer in India and out of that more than five lakh people die. The number of cancer-survivors is also increasing but we have a long way to go and in order to overcome this disease we must have a better