Abhishek Shankar, Associate Professor of the Department of Radiation Oncology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Secretary General at the Asian Pacific Organization for Cancer Prevention (APOCP), shared a post on LinkedIn:
“I am honoured to be an invited faculty at the Annual Conference of the Association of Radiation Oncologists of India (AROI), Kolkata | 27 – 30 November 2025.
I got an opportunity to deliver a lecture in the Lung Cancer session on ‘Should Tobacco Cessation be a Quality Metric in Radiation Oncology? – Pros, Cons, and Feasibility’. I am sharing my learning from this lecture.
- Tobacco cessation during radiotherapy can significantly improve outcomes and reduce toxicities
- Making cessation a quality metric is feasible, but requires system-level support and training
- Radiation oncology clinics can play a pivotal role in behaviour change, not just treatment delivery
I was also a panelist in the session on ‘Radiation Oncology under Government Schemes: Challenges and Opportunities.’ under the Track Economics and Practice of Radiation Oncology, and my key takeaways included:
- Government schemes have improved access, but gaps remain in technology, workforce, and timelines
- Sustainable reimbursement and quality monitoring are essential for long-term impact
- Policy, economics, and clinical practice must align to deliver equitable cancer care
I am grateful to AROI for the opportunity and to fellow panelists and participants for enriching discussions focused on improving quality, access, and value in radiation oncology across India.”
More posts featuring Abhishek Shankar.