Aster DM Healthcare launches Precision Oncology, offering data-driven, personalized cancer care

New Delhi: Aster DM Healthcare, one of the largest integrated healthcare providers in India launched three noteworthy initiatives – Precision Oncology Clinics, the Aster Cancer Grid, and Onco Collect by the Dr. Ramesh Nimmegadda Cancer Foundation, marking a significant advancement in India’s cancer treatment landscape at the Aster Cancer Conclave 2024.

The conclave, attended by leading national & international oncologists, researchers, and industry experts, highlighted the latest advancements in cancer care and treatment.

The theme, PRISM: Precision in Solid Malignancies, underscored the critical role of precision medicine in addressing cancer.

The newly launched initiatives aim to revolutionize cancer care by offering personalized, data-driven, and research-based treatments, emphasizing genomic approaches to improve patient outcomes. These programs represent a leap forward in ensuring accessible, cutting-edge cancer therapies while fostering collaborative research and streamlining patient data collection.

The Precision Oncology Clinics will focus on cancer care aligned with the genomic profile of the patient. Such treatment approaches are a departure from the commonly used treatment approaches in which cancer patients are treated uniformly based on the disease condition. Here the patient’s cancer therapy is customized, based upon the genomic mutations in the tumour using precise oncological approaches which in a way reduce the detrimental effects of treatment while enhancing efficiency.

The Aster Cancer Grid will enable collaborative research, and multi-center clinical trials and standardize cancer care. In addition, it will aggregate data from all Aster Hospitals. The Aster Cancer Grid will actively seek partnerships with pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and research institutions to advance cancer research and development. The network’s collaboration with international research centres will facilitate the exchange of knowledge and best practices on a global scale and lead the way for joint funding applications, grant opportunities and funded research initiatives in cancer.

The Onco Collect Software by Dr. Ramesh Nimmegadda Cancer Foundation was launched at all Aster Hospitals in Bangalore and promises to revolutionize oncology data management. It is a platform that standardizes practice management by placing all patient data in one location, creating a uniform database and providing outcome analysis thus ensuring evidence-based treatment by clinicians.

Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder & Chairman, Aster DM Healthcare, expressed, “At the heart of this initiative is the Aster International Institute of Oncology, a state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary facility that meets international standards for cancer care. Aster has always been a first adopter of advanced technologies, consistently leading the way in integrating the latest medical advancements for the benefit of patients. The institute will play a pivotal role in operationalizing new technologies and methodologies, including the recently introduced Intra-Operative Electron Radiation Therapy at Aster Whitefield, Bangalore. Together, these advancements will offer comprehensive, world-class cancer care. Our vision is clear: to position India as a premier destination for effective and transformative cancer treatment.”

Dr. Somashekhar S. P, Global Director- Aster International Institute of Oncology, Chairman – Medical Advisor Board, Aster DM Healthcare, explained, “By integrating genetic profiling into cancer treatment, we are able to offer therapies that are both more effective and less toxic for patients. This is a crucial step forward in providing personalized care that truly addresses the unique nature of each patient’s cancer. The city and the country are in urgent need of this methodology. At the Aster International Institute of Oncology, we are able to treat the entire spectrum of cancer and offer a wide range of oncology-related services including radiation and electron therapy under the same roof.”

Dr. Zeba Moopen, Non-Executive Director, Aster DM Healthcare, commented, “This initiative will revolutionize cancer research and treatment by enabling data-driven insights, and using AI, we can analyse vast amounts of patient data to uncover patterns and predict outcomes more accurately. At Aster, we have always prioritized patient care, and through continuous innovation, we are leveraging AI and data collection to improve treatment precision, accelerate solutions, and ultimately deliver better outcomes, improving the quality of life for every patient we serve.”

Dr. C N Patil, HOD and Lead Consultant – Medical Oncology & Haemato-Oncology, Aster Whitefield Hospital, added, “Onco Collect is an advanced system that we will use to ensure precision treatment of patients by tracking their treatment outcomes in real time and modifying their treatment plans whenever necessary. India’s prowess is software and it is the ideal setting to drive health and cancer care in particular through software driven data analysis that would ensure greater automation and hence accuracy in understanding cancer dynamics.”