For cancer patients in India, there is another window open now to seek medical advice and expertise. The world’s oldest and largest private cancer institution, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, has started MSKCC India with the objective of providing access to cancer patients in the country to Center’s top and renowned oncologists, research, clinical trials, and education.

This endeavour is in keeping with the Center’s main aim to provide transformative cancer care through education and research worldwide.

MSKCC India will provide remote opinions about the cases through video or written consultations. It is a first-of-its-kind offering.

The Center’s oncologist, who will be a specialist in the cancer which the patient is suffering from, will see the medical records, results of the different tests and other documents to give a comprehensive written opinion. Further, the specialist will also meet the patient using telemedicine technology while also talking to the oncologist treating the patient locally to discuss the diagnosis and the treatment plan.

Where necessary the patient may be asked to travel to New York to the Center for further treatment and care.

Talking about this initiative, Sir Murray Brennan, MD, Senior Vice President of International Programs at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center said: “Meeting the needs of cancer patients in India and improving their long-term health and survival rates will require close collaboration with the cancer community in India, and MSKCC India marks an important first step toward advancing such collaborations. MSKCC India will help serve the needs of cancer patients and their physicians to improve their cancer care.”

The Center has collaborated with iCliniq, a global telemedicine provider based in India to provide these services.

The physical location of MSKCC India will be in Chennai and this will serve as a hub for medical staff who will help patients coordinate written or virtual consultations. They will be proficient in communicating in English, Hindi, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

The medical records, if required will be collected from home, making it convenient for the patients. Further, patients anywhere in India, can obtain a remote opinion from experts at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center sitting at home or where there is Internet access, without having to travel to MSKCC India in Chennai.

Mrinal Gounder, MD, a medical oncologist and Physician Ambassador to India and Asia at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, talking about MSKCC India said: “MSKCC India will help us provide high-quality care to more individuals by bringing together our experts, Indian doctors and scientists, patient advocacy groups, and other stakeholders. This sort of comprehensive effort is critical to providing the level of care that patients need in India and beyond, and to ultimately eradicate cancer in the 21st century globally.”

Patients in India can learn more about MSKCC India and how to schedule a consultation by visiting  in.mskcc.org/india.