Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : September 23, 2021 5:52 PM IST
Image credits by: Robotic surgery (representational image) © Shutterstock
Colorectal cancer is any cancer that starts in the colon or the rectum. It is also known as bowel cancer, colon cancer, or rectal cancer, depending on where the cancer starts. Colorectal cancer is recognised as the third leading cause of cancer death in the world, and its occurrence is reportedly increasing among young adults. Luckily, colorectal cancer can be completely cured, if identified in the early stages. Thanks to Robotic Colorectal Surgery, colorectal cancer patients can now avoid colostomy and lead a normal life.
Traditional surgery for colorectal cancer leaves patients with a permanent colostomy, i.e., a surgically created opening in the body that routes bowel waste away into an external colostomy bag. With Robotic Colorectal Surgery, doctors are now able to perform the complex surgery to remove the cancer and reconstruct the colon to rectal / anal connection, thus avoiding a permanent colostomy.
"The use of robotic surgery also has several short-term benefits such as less blood loss, quicker recovery, and better maintenance of normal bodily function," said Dr. Venkatesh Munikrishnan, Consultant Colorectal & Robotic Surgeon, The Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery, Chennai, giving details of the robotic procedure during a press conference on Wednesday.
The press conference was organised to mark the Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery's five successful years completion with the busiest Robotic Colorectal Surgery Programme in India.
The incidence of colorectal cancer is reported to be low in India with GLOBOCAN 2018 ranking colon cancer 13th in terms of incidence and mortality with 27,605 new cases and 19,548 deaths annually. Since 2018, 27,605 new cases have been registered across India and the total number of patients living with the disease in India is estimated to be around 53,700.
Doctors at the Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery, Chennai, have cautioned that colorectal cancer is on the rise especially among young Asian males and unhealthy lifestyle is one of the key reasons for its occurrence.
The rate of colorectal cancer has been increasing among young adults in their 20s to 40s over the last two decades. This is an age when people are active, building families and careers and therefore, it is important to ensure quality of life for these patients after treatment. Colorectal cancer if identified in the early stages can be completely cured and Robotic Colorectal Surgery helps patients avoid colostomy and lead a normal life. The cost of robotic colorectal surgery is almost at par with standard keyhole surgery, they stated during the press conference.
Today, Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery celebrated the completion of five successful years since it began offering cutting-edge minimally invasive robotic surgical techniques and technology in the treatment of patients with colorectal diseases, especially colorectal cancer. In 2016, Apollo Hospitals started the specialised department for Colorectal Surgery and simultaneously started Robotic Colorectal Surgery.
The Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery Institute offers Robotic & Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery for Colorectal Cancer and cutting-edge treatments in Proctology and Pelvic Floor Diseases.
According to the institute, over 600 robotic colorectal surgeries have been completed since the opening of the Robotic Colorectal Surgery Programme in 2016. As many as 450 of these robotic colorectal surgeries were performed by Dr. Venkatesh Munikrishnan, who holds the distinction of being the highest volume robotic colorectal surgeon in the country.
Currently, the Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery led by Dr. Munikrishnan performs over 750 Colorectal procedures every year of which 130 are colorectal cancer surgeries with over 110 of these being robotic surgeries.
Dr. Prathap C Reddy, Chairman, Apollo Hospitals Group said that the Robotic Colorectal surgery programme will be extended to other hospitals in the group as well.
Highlighting the impact of the COVID pandemic on cancer patients, Dr. Munikrishnan said many patients are delaying treatment and coming to the hospital at a later stage when the cancer is advanced.
He stated, "A matter of concern has been the rise in patients coming with late-stage cancer to the hospital since the pandemic began. There is an urgent need to educate the patients to prevent this 'stage migration' of the cancer from the early stages I and II when it is easy to treat, to stages III and IV, when recovery can be challenging. It is important for people to be aware and identify symptoms early so they can get appropriate care. There is an urgent need to create awareness as symptoms of colorectal cancer and benign conditions such as haemorrhoids are similar."
Dr. Reddy also pointed out that colorectal cancer is becoming a major threat. "The World Bank had put the spotlight on the huge impending crisis from non-communicable diseases in the decade ahead and the impact on individuals, families and the nation. Cancers in particular are taking a big toll and colorectal cancers are showing a rise, thus becoming a major threat," he said.
It was double celebrations at the Apollo Institute of Colorectal Surgery as Dr. JD (name changed for privacy), a 28-years-old post-graduate medical student who had successfully undergone Robotic Colorectal surgery for low rectal cancer in 2017, went on to complete her medical post-graduation and won a Gold Medal. She was diagnosed with very low rectal cancer when she was 24 years of age, just as she was about to join her medical post-graduation.
Disclaimer: The content on TheHealthSite.com is only for informational purposes. It is not at all professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for any questions regarding your health or a medical condition.
