Head & neck cancer cases on rise in Bengaluru: Experts

Bengaluru: The incidence of head and neck cancers is increasing in the city, according to medical experts.

Nevertheless, the city has many world-class hospitals and medical facilities that are equipped to handle the diagnosis, treatment, and management of these cancers. With advanced technologies such as robotic surgery becoming more prevalent, Bangalore is emerging as a hub for cutting-edge treatments and therapies for the patients, Dr Sandeep Nayak P, Director – Department of Surgical Oncology and Robotic and Laparoscopic Surgery, Fortis said.

It is crucial for individuals to stay informed about the risk factors and symptoms of head and neck cancers and to seek medical attention promptly if they suspect they may be affected. “With this in mind, I have developed a revolutionary technique for robotic surgery, known as RIA-MIND. This technique not only eliminates the need for an incision in the neck but also reduces the risk of complications associated with such wounds, promotes faster healing, and provides vastly superior cosmetic results,” he explained.

Dr Vishal Rao, Group Director for Head & Neck Surgical Oncology and Robotic Surgery, HCG Cancer Centre, said, “Surgeons have small eyes and big hands, but robots have small hands and big eyes, which help the surgeon probe deeper into hitherto inaccessible areas with racoon-like vision and precision. Technology has thus made the representation of reality way more interesting than the reality itself. Robots have taken site location, visualisation, and human error mitigation to a whole new level. The haptic sensory feedback has made minimally invasive head and neck surgery an experience as intimate as the conventional one; it hardly appears like a remote mechanism.

Underlining that robotic surgery has become increasingly popular, Dr Avinash Chaitanya S, Consultant Head and Neck Surgical Oncology, CARE Hospitals, says it has several advantages over traditional surgical techniques.

In India, head and neck cancers account for about 30 per cent of all cancer cases. Robotic surgery has emerged as a new approach for treating these cancers because of its precision, minimally invasive approach, reduced risk of complications, better visualization, and increased patient safety, he said.

April is head and neck cancer awareness month.