Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Center, Delhi, organized its 13th annual conference RGCON 2014 on lymphoma. The conference was held to address new breakthroughs in lymphoma, beginning from symptoms to detection, treatment and rehabilitation.
RGCON 2014 was themed lymphoma- Biology to Therapy. Renowned cancer experts from across the globe, shared stage in seven sessions of panel discussions, presentations and case studies with leading Indian practitioners, survivors and their family during the two day conference. The conference focused on various new developments in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care for lymphoma.
Dr. Anurag Mehta, Secretary- Organizing Committee, RGCON 2014 and Director, lab and Blood Bank Services, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Center, expressing his happiness over the success of the event said, “This year our annual conference was held with an aim to raise awareness, initiate dialogue and share recent technology updates to combat lymphoma. We had Dr. Ranjana H Advani, MD, Stanford University Medical Center, Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. Stefano A. Pileri, Director of the Heamatopathology Unit, Bologna University School of Medicine, Italy, Dr. S. David Hudnall, Director of the Heamatopathology, Yale University School of Medicine, Dr. Wolfgang Hiddemann, MD, PhD. ludwig-Maximilians Universitat (lMU), Germany and other well known cancer experts from India and abroad, sharing their experiences and technological updates on lymphoma. Some key topics covered during sessions were Evolution of lymphoma, Classification and Diagnosis, Case studies of some interesting cases of low grade lymphomas, Early Stage of Hodgkin lymphoma: Chemotherapy & Radiotherapy, Treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma in Children, Elderly and Pregnant Women, Dietary & Other Issues etc.”
Dr. Vineet Talwar, Senior Consultant Oncology, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Center underlined the achievements of RGCON 2014 in discussing the gravity of the situation of lymphoma, “lymphoma may develop in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood or other organs and eventually form a tumor. Today, thousands suffer from lymphoma in India, and millions across the globe. According to the National Cancer Institute 69,740 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma were diagnosed in 2013 alone. lymphoma is one the deadliest and perhaps the fastest spreading cancer in the world. At RGCON all participants together focused on the ways to end or at least control lymphoma cancer. We specially focused on lymphoma and its cure as we did not want to dilute the discussions with other more well-known forms of cancers like breast and lung cancer”
About lymphoma: lymphoma is a type of blood cancer that occurs when the white blood cells (B or T lymphocytes) that form a part of the immune system and help protect the body from infection and disease, divide faster than normal cells or live longer than they are supposed to. lymphoma may develop in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood or other organs and eventually they form a tumor. lymphoma may develop in the lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, blood or other organs and eventually they form a tumor. There are 2 main types of lymphomas - the Hodgkin lymphoma and the Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Its treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation.