Dr Ravi Mehrotra, MD (Prevent Cancer)

At the Seventh International Cancer Summit and Awards 2026, @IHWCouncil Why are most cancers detected late, and what strategies can be employed for their earlier detection? How can we improve the cancer survivorship journey? youtube.com/watch?v=7HZ3Xf…

Update: Nearly 300,000 girls vaccinated already. Frontrunner states: Several states have shown high uptake, with Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Odisha, and Mizoram leading the vaccination efforts. @nr_pedhemonc @DrGauravNarula @NiharikaDash14 @chipfoundation @SumiSukanya

5/5. Improving cancer survivorship in India requires a multifaceted approach addressing systemic, social, and economic challenges. Strengthening healthcare infrastructure, increasing access to rehabilitation services, and challenging societal stigma are all essential for empowering survivors and improving their long-term outcomes.

4/5. Financial toxicity is a major barrier to cancer survivorship in India. The high costs of treatment, lost income, and ongoing medical expenses can push families into debt and poverty. Expanding insurance coverage and social support programs is crucial for ensuring survivors can access the care and resources they need.

1/5. Survivorship is a major challenge for cancer patients in India. Limited access to post-treatment care, financial constraints, and societal stigma create significant barriers to recovery and reintegration. Addressing these systemic issues is crucial for improving outcomes and quality of life for cancer survivors.

Dietary supplements aren’t just biological interventions, they’re psychological interventions, said Fred Hutch’s Dr. Jonathan Bricker. In this episode of Bench to Bedside and Beyond, Dr. Bricker discusses the psychological reasons we turn to “quick fixes” for cancer prevention ― even over science-based interventions. fredhutch.org/en/news/center…

At the recent Cancer Summit 2026, @IHWCouncil brought together leaders and patient advocates from across the country. I focused on cancer survivors and their challenges. Colleagues at @chipfoundation were recognised for their work in cancer prevention.

Lifetime Risk: Recent reports confirm that the cumulative lifetime risk for an Indian woman to develop cervical cancer is approximately 2% to 2.5%. Disease Burden: Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women in India, with over 127,000 new cases and nearly 80,000 deaths reported annually. Preventive Measures: To combat this, India launched a major nationwide HPV vaccination campaign. It targets 14-year-old girls for free vaccination at government facilities and aims to reach approximately 11.5 million girls, thereby significantly reducing future incidence rates. Elimination Goals: India is working toward the WHO's 90-70-90 goal for 2030, which includes vaccinating 90% of girls by age 15.

Aim for 7000 steps a day 🐾

Interesting development in interpreting pathology slides: GigaTIME, a new AI model from Microsoft Research, converts standard H&E pathology slides into virtual multiplexed images that reveal protein interactions in tumour microenvironments across 21 channels. Trained on 40 million cells from lung cancer cases, it analysed slides from 14,256 patients across 24 cancer types and identified 1,234 associations between proteins, genetics, staging, and survival—including a 21-protein signature that better predicts outcomes in lung and brain cancers. Developed with Providence and the University of Washington, the tool is freely available for research on platforms like Hugging Face, enabling large-scale tumour analysis from archived data.

Unfortunate: HCES 2023-24 data drops a bomb Spending Disparity: Reports indicate a roughly 4% spend on tobacco/intoxicants versus 2.5% on education among rural households, particularly for the bottom 40% of the population. Tobacco Rise: Tobacco consumption, particularly gutka, has seen a sharp increase in rural households, with tobacco use reported in 68.6% of such households, according to recent analysis of HCES data. Regional Trends: High consumption of tobacco is noted in rural areas, with states like UP, Bihar, and MP highlighted in discussions regarding higher spending on addiction over education. Impact: The data suggests a negative impact on future generations, as health risks and financial burdens from addiction take priority over educational investment HCES 2023-24 data drops a bomb

Déjà vu: I can well understand, as I had a very similar experience @DrYukselUrun