Quality of Life issues with cancer care: In cancer and especially in young patients with cancer QOL issues are extremely important and challenging. At times body image issues become so much important that patient deny treatment. Chemotherapy induced alopecia is one of that kind of dreaded side effect.
I have pioneered in our institute and country the first randomised trial to show efficacy of scalp cooling for Chemotherapy Induced alopecia prevention. The results were internationally comparable and published in a high impact journal as follows.
Output: The results of this trial were practice changing in our country and after this randomised trial it has established the practice in India and Institute with scalp cooling along with chemotherapy (notably we have generated code for revenues generation in Institute as well).
Multidisciplinary, cross country rare tumor boards (ESMO-MSKCC-ISMPO)
I am working towards collaborating with world leaders and institutions to conduct MDT in rare tumours and to provide guidelines in this niche area. This is an unmet need and will benefit patients and care givers hugely. There are few publications in rare tumours (apart from those above mentioned in sarcoma and PABC section).
Collaborative work with the department of pathology is being done to improve care and research in niche areas.
The pandemic has shaken us and similar time taught us various lessons.I wish to plan a strategy at the departmental, institutional and national level to be better prepared to handle any such pandemic s in near or far future .I am working in this area and contributed towards COVID related care in department and formulating guidelines for treating cancer with COVID in India some of the relevant publications are noted down. I worked with international societies as well and European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) chose me as their Spokesperson to discuss about COVID and cancer care in an interview to BBC news channel .
Bothra M, Shera TA, Bajpai J, Mahajan A. COVID-19: A review of the pandemic with emphasis on the role of imaging. Indian J Med Paediatric Oncology 2020; 41:640-51.