Thursday, Dec 08, 2022 08:00 [IST]
Last Update: Thursday, Dec 08, 2022 02:27 [IST]
GANGTOK,: Around 335 patients struggling with cancer on their breast, GI, head and neck have been treated so far at the super-speciality surgical oncology department of the new STNM Hospital, Sochyagang here. The department started functioning in a full-fledged manner from March 2021 and is located on the 8th floor of the Sochyagang hospital.
Surgical oncology department head Dr. Tshering Doma Bhutia (surgical oncologist) joined the new STNM Hospital in 2019 and started taking care of patients suffering from breast and GI cancer.
In March 2021, a separate surgical oncology department was set up with support of the State government and the hospital administration.
“Since past three years, the oncology surgery department has been extending surgery facility to cancer patients within the State and very few patients have been referred outside the State. The hospital administration and the State government have been supportive towards this division and have provided a well-equipped OT facility,” said Dr. Tshering Doma.
It was shared that surgery of a cancer patient is a complicated procedure and takes around 6-7 hours. The surgical procedure is supported by modern medical instruments installed in the hospital’s general operation lab that helps in reducing the surgery time by 2-3 hours, it was informed.
The consumables required are also provided by the State government.
Dr. Tshering Doma informed that the Sikkimese patients with CoI are given free surgery. We also receive some patients from outside the State and they are charged only Rs. 5,000 for the operation, she said.
Cancer treatment with surgery in established hospitals outside the State costs around Rs. 10-15 lakh.
The success rate of treatment under our department is 95-98% which is encouraging for us, said the department head.
About 130 patients with breast and GI cancer have undergone treatment in the surgical oncology department so far. Similarly, about 203 patients of head and neck surgical oncology have been treated. More than 4500 cancer patients (GI, breast, head and neck oncology) have visited for consultations the OPD of the surgical oncological department at the new STNM Hospital.
“We appeal the people that they must visit the doctor at the initial stages itself if they have doubts of having cancer. Patients due to ignorance report to us late when they reach an advanced stage of cancer. Initial intervention and diagnosis help us to facilitate immediate treatment that helps the patient to recover early,” said the department head.
Breast, stomach and GI cancers are the most common cancers reported in Sikkim.
Surgical oncologist (head & neck) Dr. Tsewang Yougyal Bhutia informed that treatment provided to the thyroid cancer patients including head and neck cancer has given positive results. The surgeries have been successful with negligible mortality, he said adding that the support from the hospital administration and State government has been excellent.
Besides having a healthy lifestyle, early diagnosis and intervention is the best way to have a successful cancer treatment, said Dr. Tsewang.
The two surgical oncologists mentioned that the surgical cancer treatment facilitated at the STNM Hospital is at par with major cancer treatment centres in the country. The equipment and instruments available here are of national standard, they said.
Presently, these two surgical oncologists handle both OPD and surgeries in the oncology surgery department. There is a requirement to strengthen the department with more doctors and paramedical staff. If we are given additional manpower, we can extend services to more patients, they said.
Two cancer patients who underwent surgery at the hospital and have recovered also spoke with the media. One had thyroid cancer and the other was suffering from colon cancer.
“We are fortunate to get treated in our State itself as the cost of surgery outside the State was Rs. 4-5 lakh which we cannot afford. Today with the establishment of the oncology surgical department in STNM Hospital, we are able to get such specialised and expensive treatment free of cost in our home State. We have recovered well and having our reviews as per the doctors’ direction,” they said. They thanked the surgical oncologists for successfully treating them and the State government for facilitating such specialized health services that saved their lives.
