Conclave 2025: Experts Stress Early Detection, Awareness & Timely Diagnosis of Cancer

The fifth session of Pratidin Conclave 2025, titled Dealing with Cancer: Care and Cure, brought together a panel of experts and survivors to reflect on the challenges, realities, and hopes surrounding cancer. 

The discussion was moderated by Sunit Kumar Bhuyan, Executive Editor of Pratidin Time, and featured eminent singer Jina Rajkumari Goswami, renowned oncologist Dr. Tapan Saikia, Dr. Arun Deka (HOD, Pain & Palliative Care, State Cancer Institute, Guwahati), and senior IAS officer and Dipsikha Foundation founder Devasish Sharma.

Opening the session, moderator Sunit Kumar Bhuyan asked singer Jina Rajkumari Goswami about her personal journey with cancer since 2018.

Jina shared her story with honesty and courage, “In October 2018, I felt a lump in my breast. Initially, I was embarrassed to talk about it, like so many women who hesitate to discuss their health issues. But I told my husband, and the doctors diagnosed it as fibrosis. I was prescribed medicines and soon flew to London for a performance. When I returned in November, I visited the B. Borooah Cancer Institute, where doctors confirmed the presence of a lump and suggested surgery. I was performing across many places at that time, but on December 31, I finally underwent surgery. Surprisingly, I wasn’t even one percent afraid that day. The journey may sound easy to narrate now, but living through it was extremely tough. It also made me realize how damaging our silence and shyness about our bodies can be.”

Bhuyan then asked about the rising incidence of cancer in Northeast India and the trend of patients traveling outside the region for treatment.

Dr. Tapan Saikia responded, “Yes, cancer cases are steadily increasing across the Northeast. The reasons are many - age, genetics, and other risk factors, but they require much more research. Earlier, most patients preferred to go to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, or Chennai. But now, that trend is decreasing. Nearly 70-80% of patients receive treatment here in Assam itself, thanks to improved facilities.”

The discussion then turned to whether government health schemes were able to adequately cover cancer patients, and how both care and cure could be improved. Devasish Sharma, IAS, emphasized the lack of awareness and guidance.

He said, “For a patient, the diagnosis feels like a storm crashing into their life. In Assam and the Northeast, there aren’t enough people who can explain treatment options clearly. That’s why many patients go outside the state, especially those in remote areas. Take the Ayushman Bharat card, for instance. Many people have it, but they don’t know how to use it, or they can’t even reach the stage of getting proper diagnostic tests. For weaker sections, financial barriers remain a huge challenge. Policymakers like us must bridge this gap. Today, nearly 50,000 cancer patients are registered across Assam. Many only discover the disease at Stage III or later, by which time treatment becomes far more difficult. Early identification, awareness, and palliative care are absolutely critical. At least 20% of our health budget should be spent solely on awareness.”

He also flagged a disturbing trend, “Oral cancer is rising rapidly in Assam, largely due to pan, betel nut, gutkha, processed foods, and the excessive use of fertilizers. These lifestyle and environmental factors are major contributors.”

Dr. Arun Deka, Head of Pain & Palliative Care at the State Cancer Institute, highlighted the critical but often overlooked aspect of cancer management.

“Palliative care begins when curative options end, when patients have nowhere else to go. We focus on addressing symptoms and improving quality of life. Sadly, in India, nearly 40-60% of patients come to us only in the late phase of the disease. Ideally, palliative care should begin right at the time of diagnosis. Another important concept is the Advanced Medical Directive or Living Will, which allows patients with terminal illness to decide in advance how treatment should proceed if they can’t make decisions later. Unfortunately, this practice hasn’t started in India yet. We must also recognize the problem of futile treatments. Every year, nearly 55 million Indians face bankruptcy due to expensive, end-of-life treatments that bring no real benefit," Dr. Arun Deka said. 

In her concluding remarks, Jina Rajkumari offered a message of resilience. She said, “A patient must have faith in the doctor they trust, and also believe in their own ability to heal. Staying positive is vital. Fear must be removed from the mind, because courage and confidence play a big role in the recovery journey.”

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