Cancers

hematology-oncology | Myeloproliferative Neoplasm | Phlebotomy | Polycythemia Vera | Supportive Intervention

Understanding Therapeutic Phlebotomy
ByDr Avinash Deo January 26, 2026January 26, 2026

Introduction Therapeutic phlebotomy—the controlled removal of blood for therapeutic purposes—is a cornerstone of management in Polycythemia Vera (PV) and is used for relieving symptoms in secondary polycythaemias. While the practice of bloodletting has ancient origins, modern therapeutic phlebotomy bears little resemblance to its historical predecessor. Historical bloodletting was rooted in humoral theory and applied indiscriminately…

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Rip van Winkle Series | History of Oncology | Lung Cancer | Precision Medicine

Rip Van Winkle, MD: Episode 1: The Metastatic Lung Cancer Awakening
ByDr Avinash Deo December 15, 2025December 31, 2025

“If you slept through the Genomic Era, here is your wake-up call.” The Premise: The year is 1995. Dr. Rip Van Winkle, a hardworking Senior Resident in Medical Oncology, sits at the small, cluttered desk in his apartment. He has just returned from a punishing 14-hour shift of ward rounds, his feet throbbing, yet he…

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Cancer Diagnosis | Ovarian Cancer | Tumour Markers

Adnexal Mass Triage: Solving the Clinical Dilemma
ByDr Avinash Deo November 26, 2025November 27, 2025

The Clinical Dilemma: To Operate or To Observe? The Problem: You have a patient with a localised adnexal mass. Some will be malignant, but others will be benign. Distinguishing them is the central challenge of gynaecologic oncology. The Constraint: The Stakes: The Gap: Conventional tools—CA-125 and standard Ultrasound—have significant limitations. CA-125 has poor specificity (false…

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Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer Treatment | Cancer Chemotherapy | Cancer Treatment | Immunotherapy for Cancer | Neo-Adjuvant Therapy | Systemic Treatment of Cancer

The Doctor’s Breast Cancer Dilemma: Evidence vs Instincts
ByDr Avinash Deo October 8, 2025October 8, 2025

A physician’s instinct, based on decades of medical training, is to remove the tumor. But what if the modern, evidence-based approach requires waiting? A paradigm shift in breast cancer treatment now shows that using systemic therapy before surgery can dramatically increase the chances of a cure.

Explore this doctor’s dilemma through a compelling conversation between a family physician facing her own diagnosis and the oncologist who explains the powerful, life-saving reasons behind this new standard of care.

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Cancer Genetics | Cancer Prevention | Cancer Screening | Cancers | Early Diagnosis | Oncology in Primary Care | Prostate Cancer

From Test to Talk: Reframing Prostate Cancer Screening in Your Clinic
ByDr Avinash Deo September 13, 2025

By Dr. Avinash Deo, Medical Oncologist September 13, 2025 A Story That Changed My Perspective Many years ago, I met a worried friend in the ICU of a prominent Mumbai hospital where I was seeing a patient. On asking why she was there, she told me her father was admitted with septic shock following a…

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