Suman S Karanth, Additional Director of Medical Oncology at Fortis Healthcare, shared a post on LinkedIn:
“Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of delivering multiple talks, participating in panel discussions as a moderator/panellist, as an expert, and Program director focused on Gynaecological Oncology. Here are a few of pictures that I could gather. These engagements have reinforced how rapidly our field is evolving – across prevention, diagnostics, systemic therapy, surgery, radiation, survivorship, and equity in care.
One theme that repeatedly stands out, especially when reflecting on LMIC settings, is how different the reality of oncology practice can be compared to high-income countries.
In many LMICs, oncologists rarely have the luxury of focusing on a single cancer group. Instead, they practice across multiple tumour sites, often with limited resources, high patient volumes, and diverse disease biology. Staying updated, therefore requires extraordinary effort – continuous self-learning, adapting global evidence to local contexts, and remaining clinically agile across cancers.
This contrasts with much of the Western world, where sub-specialisation allows oncologists to concentrate deeply on one disease group, supported by structured teams, trials infrastructure, and readily available guidelines.
Neither model is ‘easy’ – but the LMIC reality demands a unique blend of breadth, depth, resilience, and innovation. It also underscores why global oncology and cancer control policies must be inclusive, context-sensitive, and grounded in real-world practice.
I’m grateful for the platforms over the last year that enabled meaningful discussion on these issues, and for colleagues worldwide who continue to push boundaries – often with fewer resources but unwavering commitment to patient care. Continued dialogue between clinicians, researchers, and policymakers is essential if we are to build equitable and sustainable cancer systems globally.
P.S.: I continue to practice treating all Solid oncology and participate in academics in all cancers. I also had the special privilege to interact and gain insights from Prof Jonathan Lederman and Dr Ana Oaknin.”
More posts featuring Suman S Karanth.
