Advances in cancer treatment through new technologies: A fine balance

cutting edge breakthrough medical technology for cancer treatment It's remarkable. It seems like every day we read about breakthroughs that have the potential to change the fundamental assumptions of healthcare delivery.Wearable technology, molecular tests, and point-of-care devices promise hospital-grade care in the home, but established technologies such as robotic surgery Historically, integrating these innovations into clinical practice poses challenges as adoption rates in health systems have traditionally been slow. This slow adoption can delay the benefits these technologies provide to patients and oncology programs, and it can often take decades for disruptive technologies to be introduced into routine patient care. The data shows that.
Given the rapid growth of data and the influx of new technologies, there is a pressing problem. cancer Are care programs in place to keep up with these advances? Are traditional approaches to improving care—long validation processes and clinical trials to ensure safety—adequate? Clinicians around the world are passionately working on this issue. How can we bring the benefits of these new technologies to patients without sacrificing safety or driving up already high healthcare costs?
When clinicians set out to implement new technology in their healthcare settings, it is important to follow a strategic approach. For clinicians, it's important to start with clear clinical objectives, assess the impact of technology on workflow, understand the context of the solution, keep the doctor-patient relationship a top priority, and build patient trust. It is important to rigorously test and validate your technology.
The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning, especially in the field of radiomics, is creating tremendous opportunities for oncology. Radiomics employs machine learning to extract and analyze features from medical image data to aid in diagnostic, prognostic, and treatment planning efforts. By leveraging deep learning algorithms, providers can improve accuracy, sensitivity, and precision in identifying and treating various cancers, including brain tumors, through AI-assisted pathology. This helps identify image features too subtle to be seen by the human eye to confirm critical diagnoses. The rise of automation has raised concerns that radiologists will be replaced by algorithms. It is important to recognize that the emphasis has been, and should continue to be, on augmenting human radiologists. Our objective is to shorten the learning curve for radiologists and prevent errors related to human fatigue.
Another innovative technology making advances in cancer treatment is 3D printing, which facilitates the creation of patient-specific implants and surgical instruments. This advancement streamlines surgical planning, improves precision, and allows for patient-tailored treatment, demonstrating great potential to improve outcomes across oncological procedures. The expansion of this technology has made previously prohibitively expensive 3D printers a household item, making them available to patients who couldn't afford them 10 years ago.
Genetic and molecular testing is also a cornerstone of modern oncology, leading to more targeted and personalized treatment approaches based on an individual's genetic profile. Molecular testing plays a pivotal role in tailoring cancer treatment and predicting disease risk, as revealed by recent studies that identified biomarkers for predicting lung cancer risk, leading to proactive and personalized interventions. make it possible.
By adopting these technologies as enhancements to established medical practice, clinicians can leverage technology as a power multiplier to improve the standard of cancer care while maintaining a patient-centered approach.
When considering cost, it is important to recognize that all of the technologies we use today, such as television, cell phones, and the Internet, were once considered affordable to the general public. As practicing physicians at this exciting stage in scientific progress, we have a role to play as guardrails for emerging technologies introduced into the medical field. We need to ensure that these are patient-centered, affordable and add critical value to the patient journey. Additionally, the cost-benefit ratio of emerging technologies must be addressed. Whether it's government insurance, non-government insurance, or self-pay insurance, we as a society always have to pay for health care, so financial prudence is very important. India is uniquely placed to achieve this balance. India has a large underserved population, often overburdened hospitals, advanced technology expertise, and a reasonably agile health system. The time has come for us to build technological capabilities not for the world, but for ourselves. This helps bridge social, demographic, and logistical gaps to provide more accessible, relevant, high-quality, affordable, and patient-centered care.

(Author: Dr. Narayana Subramaniam is Director of Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology and Director of Clinical Innovation at Sparsh Hospital, Bangalore, India)