The Cytecare Story: Making India a Global Cancer Care Destination
By Suresh Ramu | Co-Founder & CEO | Cytecare Cancer Hospitals, Bengaluru
The year was 2012. A dear friend was diagnosed with Cancer and the unanimous family opinion was that she must go abroad to one of comprehensive cancer centres for treatment. And so, she did! Around that time, I along with some friends had co-founded a clinical research firm. Despite India having world-class clinical talent, supplying to the global resource pool of nurses, being extremely strong in biopharmaceuticals manufacturing, being known globally for its hospitality, this incident made us wonder why affording Indians couldn’t get access to the best cancer care in their own country. The co-founding team got into researching the subject and started discussions with leading healthcare experts. Visits were made to various centres in India, the US and UK to understand the landscape of cancer treatment and the opportunity available. Finally, the decision was made to build a world-class cancer hospital grounds-up. I remember wondering if my IIT-M Chemical Engineering and IIM-C management education background was going to help at all, but we all took the plunge. In November 2016, India’s first 150-beds organ-site focused Oncology care private hospital, Cytecare came into being. I’m still amazed that it all actually happened – a unique collaboration of like-minded private investors, who were in it for more than just the ROI; world class clinicians and doctors who bought into our vision; a team of engineers and architects who had the passion to create something truly patient-centric; and a management team that had the right ideas and energy to deliver a differentiated experience to cancer patients and families. Today, as the world fights an unprecedented pandemic – daunted by the sheer magnitude of the challenge – what Humanity needs, more than anything else is the audacity of hope and to dream. Which is why I write the Cytecare story.
Founding Principles
An estimated 2.5 million people in India live with Cancer and more than 1.5 million new cancer patients are registered every year. More alarmingly, studies found that for some cancers Indians on average are a decade younger compared to their western counterparts! To add to the ordeal, India has only ~1 oncologist per million population and one of the lowest spending on healthcare globally.
Did you know that lifestyle changes, early detection and treatment can help prevent and cure cancers, such as breast, cervical, oral, prostate, skin and testicular, to name a few? Treating an early stage cancer is almost 80 per cent more cost-effective than treating it at a later stage. Besides, the survival rates are five times higher at the early stage.
Research shows that many cancers are curable today if detected early. Yet, most people in India continue to equate cancer with death. At Cytecare, we recognised this as an opportunity and over the last three and half years, we have been paving a new path in India’s fight against cancer.
At Cytecare, we adopt a holistic approach to dealing with cancer, a much-misunderstood disease that is curable if diagnosed and treated on time. ‘Cancer’ refers not just to one disease, but a collection of more than 100 diseases, with wide-ranging characteristics that usually call for varied treatments. The word ‘cyte’ is derived from the Greek term ‘kytos’, which means cell. Cytecare thus represents care at the cellular level, understanding and evaluating each patient’s unique treatment journey. Founded on the principle of ‘Fighting Cancer the Right Way’, Cytecare’s Integrated Oncology works with a world-class team of 25+ full time cancer specialists under a single roof.
Our vision is to make India a global cancer care destination by creating a network of medical centres excellence across the country. We recognise the importance of research and data in customising cancer care for each patient. Our core value systems have helped us stay ahead of the curve, while addressing the growing trust deficit in healthcare. We deliver empathy and hope, along with top-notch cancer care.
Constant Innovation
Our practice is based on four prominent pillars – Organ-site focussed and specialist oncologists; standardised global guidelines and tumour board; clinical research and patient-centric culture.
Organ-site focussed and specialist oncologists: No two cancers are the same. Neither are two patients battling the same condition. There are differences not only between cancer cells from different patients, but also between cancer cells within the same patient! As you would expect, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is not the ideal way to deal with cancer. Hence, at Cytecare, we adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to cancer care, customising it to each cancer and personalising it for each patient. We look at cancer from an organ site approach, whereby there are dedicated teams for each type of cancer. For instance, head and neck cancers comprise over 17 sites, including oral cavity, nasal cavity, and ear, to name some.
Standardised global guidelines and Tumour board: The multidisciplinary team of clinicians at Cytecare is strongly guided by national as well as global protocols, such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), National Health Service (NHS), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Tata Memorial Hospital. Our multi-disciplinary tumour board ensures that each patient not only gets expert care – from the medical oncologist, the radiation oncologist, the surgical oncologist, and the pathologist, among others – but also that there is strict governance of care.
Clinical Research: Today, health analytics, algorithms and big data from genomics and proteomics are helping us better understand cancer. Our constant endeavour is to translate these new understandings into better care for patients. There are varying responses to different treatment strategies and our challenge is to identify the most effective, minimally toxic treatment for each patient.
Patient-centric culture: We introduced a Comprehensive Oncology approach and moved cancer treatment to a level of care yet to be seen in any other centre in India. Right from pain management and rehabilitation services, to onco-nutritional support, mind body medicine and home care support services, patient-centricity is at the heart of everything we do.
Battling cancer can often seem like an uphill and lonely task. At Cytecare, we foster a sense of community to help patients cope better. Our Patient Navigator support system, a one-of-its-kind support system of full-time cancer survivors, encourages them to share their personal experiences with others in similar situations and to give them hope. We know that patients find it comforting to hear survivors talk about their experience of managing pain, undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments, communicating with doctors, and drawing strength from family and friends. It helps them understand that it doesn’t have to be a solitary journey!
Present & Future
At present, Cytecare is counted among the best Cancer care centres in India for its highly specialised diagnostic services, including Nuclear Medicine, Radiology and Histo-Pathology as well as personalised treatment and improved health outcomes.
Last year, the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), a European professional organisation for medical oncology, presented Cytecare with ESMO accreditation as a Designated Centre of Integrated Oncology and Palliative Care. Cytecare is the only dedicated private cancer centre in India to hold this international distinction.
In a country of 1.37 billion, where almost 70 per cent of cancer patients have advanced stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis, the emphasis needs to be on prevention and early detection. Cytecare has been at the forefront of spreading awareness and demystifying and destigmatising the disease.
In 2018, when we raised USD 31 million in a Series A round of funding, led by global investment bank Goldman Sachs, the focus was on investing in the latest diagnostic and treatment modalities. As an organisation that is passionate about technology in healthcare, we are continually looking at ways to use Big Data and analytics to improve detection and cure, while also ensuring that the treatment remains reasonably priced. That way, more Indians will be able to access world-class cancer care in their own country.
At Cytecare, we see technology as a potent tool to help bridge the healthcare gap. We are working towards creating a dynamic ecosystem that facilitates active collaboration between hospitals, researchers, regulatory bodies, and other stakeholders in the industry to leverage the power of modern technology. By adopting a collaborative approach, India can find sustainable and economically viable solutions to make cancer care accessible and affordable for all.
The big dream, of course, is to make India a global cancer care destination.
Cancer care in the time of COVID-19
People with compromised immune systems or pre-existing medical conditions, such as cancer, are more prone to infections. So, it’s important for people with cancer as well as their caregivers to take adequate precautions to lower the risk of getting infected. However, it’s not advisable to pause cancer treatments without consulting with the doctor. The need of the hour is to balance the benefits of cancer-related care with the risks related to COVID-19. And this calls for personalised discussions with each patient.
In keeping with the government guidelines and social distancing norms, Cytecare has been offering video-consultation as well as home-based nursing services, wherever possible, to reduce hospital footfalls and patient/caregiver travel. We have also introduced COVID-19 exposure risk screening at the hospital entrance as well as enhanced hygiene protocols, in terms of sanitation, training and education of all staff, patients and visitors.
While our fight against the global coronavirus outbreak persists, we cannot afford to ignore our battle against Cancer. Time is of the essence in cancer diagnosis and treatment. It’s important to ensure that the cancer treatment continues as per schedule, unless the patient has fever or flu symptoms, or is under quarantine. In case the patient has been exposed to someone who is ill, or is experiencing any new symptoms, it’s prudent to call the hospital first and check whether s/he should stay at home and monitor the symptoms, or visit the doctor. If it’s a suspected case of COVID-19, the hospital needs to be prepared so that they don’t put other patients at risk.
Here are some dos and don’ts for all:
- Avoid crowded public places and non-essential travel. Stay at home as much as possible.
- If you do step out, remember to wear a mask, and maintain physical distance from other people.
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Wash your hands regularly with soap and water (for 20-30 seconds). Hand sanitisers, with at least 60 per cent alcohol content, are an effective alternative.
- Don’t believe everything you read on social media.
Suresh Ramu
Co-founder and CEO
Cytecare Hospitals
- Ramu is the CEO and cofounder of Cytecare Hospitals, a comprehensive cancer care hospital network. The first 150-bed organ-site focused cancer hospital that went live in November 2016 on Airport Road, Yelahanka, Bangalore.
- He is also a Co-founder of Cytespace Research, a clinical research solutions organization. Earlier, Ramu was with Quintiles for about 10 years in various global business roles. Prior to joining Quintiles in 2001, Ramu was a consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers. He was also an early team member for a start-up telemedicine company in India.
- Ramu has a bachelor’s engineering degree from the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, and a Master’s in Business Administration from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.
- Ramu is passionate about excellence in healthcare and research.
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