Oncology: An awareness and a career option

Dr. Prabir Bijoy Kar (1973) batch

A monotonous theme adding to the melancholy of myriad Bollywood movie plots is ‘Cancer.’ Lack of treatment and the idea of inevitable death leading to the common epiphany, ‘living just for a few days,’ for a cancer patient has been invoking catharsis midway into the plot since eternity.

The depiction of this disease, which is misunderstood most of the time, has prompted the general public to perceive that ‘Cancer has no answer.’ The session of the Praktani Adda, moderated by Biswajit Sen (1975) batch and anchored by Dr. Prabir Bijoy Kar, an alumnus of Ramakrishna Mission Vidyapith, Deoghar (1973) batch was all about busting the myths around cancer.

Dr. Prabir Bijoy Kar, who has been treating and helping his patient manage cancer for the last 35 years, educated the audience on the topic. During the session, it was made clear that money and muscle power are but a sham in the fight against cancer, and it is only with proper knowledge that one can tackle this deadly disease.

The session moved on to show how the incidences of cancer are higher in developed nations compared to developing nations. The awareness is heightened among the population regarding cancer, which helps them manage the disease better. Still, at the same time, the number of deaths among cancer patients is less in developed nations as they can manage the disease well.

During the session, Dr. Kar explained the factors like smoking and drinking, leading to cancer among the populace and educating the viewers on how to identify early signs of cancer to help them seek early medical attention to better manage this deadly ailment.

The session was also an early guide for people who want to pursue medical studies to become a doctor and specialize in the field of Oncology. Overall it was a tremendous educating session presented most simply by a stalwart in the field and a must-watch video for all who failed to make it to the adda.