JORABAT, Dec 2 - The North East Cancer Hospital and Research Institute (NECHRI) today organised an international conference on oncology, the �8th Head and Neck Update� on its premises at Amerigog near Jorabat.
Organised in association with the Foundation for Head & Neck Oncology, India, the conference focused on 12 different research papers, innovation in the treatment of head and neck cancer and three orations.
With major emphasis on the head and neck, the conference covered topics under the heads �Incidence of Head & Neck Cancer in North East India�, �Management of Parotid Tumour�, �Management of Hypopharyngeal Cancer�, Management of Mandible in Oral Cancer�, etc.
Dr Max JH Witjes and Dr Sjoukje F Oostings from the Netherlands, Prof GK Rath from AIIMS New Delhi, Dr Devendra Mahore from Chandrapur in Maharashtra and Dr Anand Mishra from Lucknow were the guest speakers.
Prof Rath, while addressing the media, said that cancer is a good disease as it can be cured if detected early, giving examples of cricketer Yuvraj Singh, film actress Manisha Koirala and many others.
He said that in developing countries like India, most patients with cancer continue to be diagnosed at a relatively later stage, but in countries like the Netherlands, the patients get diagnosed at a very early stage and are cured in most of the cases.
Ignorance is the main cause of cancer. People should be aware of the symptoms and consult a doctor at an early stage if anything happens, he added.
Dr Witjes said that tobacco, smoking and red meat can be major causes of cancer and the �sins� of a person are in no way related to cancer, reacting to a recent statement made by State Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Making the country smoking-free could be of great help in prevention of cancer, said Dr Oosting in his speech.
Later, an inaugural and felicitation programme was held at Hotel Lily, Khanapara in the evening.
