Successful Colon Cancer Treatment in India: A Case Study

Colorectal cancer is a form of carcinoma that arises from the lining of the rectum or colon, which is the last part of the large intestine. In the US, it is the second leading cause of death due to cancer and the third most common form of cancer among men and women. More than a million people are diagnosed with colorectal cancer across the world. Such was the case of Mrs. Theresa Ulumma Nosiri of Nigeria, who had her colorectal resection done in the home country. After her surgical treatment, Mrs. Theresaâ€™s daughter Ms. Chommy Constance started to look out for options abroad to complete her motherâ€™s medical treatment.

Introduction

Mrs Theresa, 54, is a resident of Nigeria. Her daughter, based out of Canada, Ms Chommy, decided to look for her motherâ€™s treatment abroad after the colorectal resection in Nigeria. Chommy got in touch directly with the Patient Care team at MediGence and explained about her motherâ€™s medical condition. She shared the medical reports of her mother and a detailed description of her current medical condition. The reports submitted by Chommy confirmed invasive adenocarcinoma. One of the nodes removed during the surgery also suggested that it could well be a case of distant metastases.

However, due to the absence of advanced diagnostic facilities, Mrs. Theresa did not undergo a PET scan to confirm the staging of cancer. Chommy explained to the team at MediGence how she is looking forward to sending her mother to a hospital where all the hospitals are available and where proper evaluation can be carried out before carrying out further treatment. After a detailed discussion, the MediGence Patient Care team consulted some of the best hospitals for cancer treatment in Delhi and, within a day, proposed a few options for Chommy to consider.

Treatment Decision

The treatment plan submitted by the team at MediGence proposed three different options to consider. Chommy decided to choose Indraprastha Apollo Hospital in Delhi for her mother's further evaluation and treatment. Since Mrs. Theresa just had surgery done and did not have a PET scan to confirm the staging of cancer, the hospital had suggested a series of investigations before chemotherapy can actually be done. Happy with the opinion shared in the treatment plan, Chommy decided to send her mother to Indraprastha Apollo Hospital for further medical management.

Travel Period

Mrs. Theresa traveled to India with her son on 28 October 2018. She was picked up by the Patient Care team at MediGence and dropped at her accommodation. She returned to Nigeria on 21 December 2018.

Treatment Details

Mrs. Theresa's appointment took place with Dr. Sapna Nangia on October 29. Her medical history was thoroughly evaluated before advising her to undergo a PET scan and a couple of other routine blood investigations before taking the treatment plan further. Fortunately, the PET scan confirmed that the disease was localized and had not spread to the nearby tissues. From there, she was referred to Dr. Dipanjan so planning of the chemotherapy sessions. Based on the reports and her preferences, it was decided that she would get six cycles of chemotherapy (CAPOX regime) at an interval of 21 days.

Her first chemotherapy cycle was initiated under Dr. Dipanjan on November 09. The second cycle took place on November 30. Since she had a flight to catch on December 21, the third chemotherapy was done a day earlier than decided, that is, on December 20. The drugs for the remaining three cycles were delivered to Mrs. Theresa in her appointment so that she can get it done back in Nigeria. During her chemotherapy, Mrs. Theresa was a bit concerned about the darkening of the facial skin as a side effect. She requested a consultation with the dermatologist, which the Patient Care team at MediGence arranged. All her concerns were resolved, and soon, the texture and colour of the skin returned to normal.

Patient's Medical Condition (Post Treatment)

Mrs. Theresa has recently completed her fifth cycle of chemotherapy back in Nigeria. The Patient Care team at MediGence is in constant touch with Chommy and Mrs. Theresa. Chommy shared her motherâ€™s complete blood count (CBC) reports regularly before the chemotherapy cycle to seek approval or a go-ahead on whether she can undergo it safely or should wait. Mrs. Theresa would complete the last cycle of her chemotherapy in February last week, following which she will undergo investigations after a month to check for the need for further management. Team MediGence wishes Mrs. Theresa and her family a healthy and joyous life ahead.