Apollo Proton Cancer Centre Unveils India’s First Integrated Organ & Disease-Specific Programme for Management of Rectal Cancer

Sets the stage for rectal cancer management as country’s only quaternary care centre for rectal cancer

National , 27th February 2024: Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC), recently launched the Apollo Rectal Cancer (ARC) Programme– India’s pioneering approach dedicated to rectal cancer management. With a focus on rectal preservation and powered by advanced technologies including chemoradiotherapy, proton therapy, and robotic surgery, the ARC programme aims to revolutionize the treatment of rectal cancer in the country. This unique initiative addresses the specialized needs of rectal cancer patients, providing comprehensive and multidisciplinary care to ensure the best possible outcomes.

The ARC programme center was inaugurated by Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Founder-Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd (AHEL), in the presence of Mr. Harshad Reddy, Director – Group Oncology & International (AHEL). The programme will be led by Dr. Venkatesh Munikrishnan (Lead), Consultant Colorectal & Robotic Surgeon, Dr Senthil Ganapathi, Senior Consultant Colorectal Surgeon, Dr Sudeepta Kumar Swain, Consultant, Surgical Gastroenterology and Dr Bala Murugan Srinivasan, Consultant- Surgical Gastroenterology.

The ARC Programme sets the stage for rectal cancer management as India’s only quaternary care centre for rectal cancer, offering an integrated multidisciplinary care for rectal cancer for patients from the Indian subcontinent and afar. Taking a 360-degree approach, the programme addresses the spectrum of rectal cancer complexities, including significant polyps, early rectal cancer, organ preservation, robotic rectal cancer surgery, and the treatment of peritoneal surface malignancies with heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC).

The programme follows a unique patient pathway, providing total neo-adjuvant therapy with chemoradiation and immunotherapy, with patients who achieve complete response entering the wait and watch programme. Patients with down staged or residual disease and proceeding to advanced robotic surgery with a comprehensive follow-up protocol established to address any potential recurrence, ensuring continuous care and support beyond treatment.

The Apollo Robotic Rectal Cancer Surgery Programme is committed to achieving outstanding patient outcomes, showcasing remarkable low resection margin positivity rates, nodal harvest rates, and minimal anastomotic leak rates. With a focus on minimizing wound infections and reducing the length of hospital stays and readmissions, the programme demonstrates a distinguished standard in rectal cancer surgery.

Dr Prathap C Reddy, Founder- Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, said, “This groundbreaking initiative underscores our commitment to innovation and transformative cancer care in the country & globally. This is the first time in India, we have a subspecialized team of surgeons in rectal cancer surgery who will only be involved with the management of a single organ and a single type of cancer: rectal cancer. This is going to set the global benchmark of how rectal cancer will be managed in the future. Our innovative technologies continually reshape the oncology landscape, driven by an integrative approach that combines domestic excellence and international collaborations.”

Mr Harshad Reddy, Director – Group Oncology & International, Apollo Hospitals, said, “The launch of the Apollo Rectal Cancer Programme marks a significant milestone in our commitment to advancing cancer care in India. This innovative and specialized approach reflects our dedication to providing the best possible treatment options for patients with rectal cancer, ensuring access to world-class care and achieving optimal patient outcomes. India faces a mounting burden of rectal cancer, with a forecasted 80% increase in numbers within the next decade. In response to this pressing need, this Programme stands as a pioneering initiative to provide accessible and comprehensive rectal cancer care, elevating India’s capabilities in managing this complex disease.”

Dr. Venkatesh Munikrishnan, Consultant Colorectal & Robotic Surgeon, Apollo Proton Cancer Centres, who has performed the highest volumes of robotic colorectal cancer surgery in India said, “The Apollo Rectal Cancer Programme is a testament to our unwavering commitment to enhancing the management of rectal cancer in India. The aim of this programme is to offer every possible treatment option for our patients with rectal cancer to preserve their rectum with advanced chemoradiotherapy protocols or for persistent disease – removing the residual tumour and reconstructing them with advanced robotic surgical techniques thus preventing a permanent bag or colostomy. We are proud to lead this initiative and set a new benchmarks in rectal cancer management and show the path of subspecialization in rectal cancer surgery.”

At Apollo Proton Cancer Centres, the commitment towards advancing cancer care is underscored with the launch of organ-specific treatments. With this launch, APCC is setting a new benchmark to introduce the Apollo Rectal Cancer Programme, aimed at reshaping the landscape of rectal cancer care in India.

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