The first international congress on cancer was recently hosted in Nagpur. Dr. C. Palanivelu, Gastroenterologist, Surgical Oncologist, and minimal access cancer surgeon at the GEM Hospital & Research Centre, Coimbatore, was among the five doctors who were honoured at the event with lifetime achievement award for their contributions in the field of cancer.

The awards were given away by Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Transport and Shipping. The other four recipients were Padma Bhushan Dr. Praful B. Desai, Former Director of Tata Memorial Hospital, and Surgical Oncologist from Mumbai; Suresh H. Adwani, Medical Oncologist Director, Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai; Harish Kulkarni, Radiation Oncologist, Nagpur; and Anita Borges, Surgical Pathologist and Former Professor, Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai.

Dr. Palanivelu is also a recipient of many international awards for his pioneering work in the field of minimally invasive cancer operations.

A press release from GEM Hospital & Research Centre said that minimally invasive laparoscopic cancer operations have become the primary treatment for gastrointestinal and cancer of the liver and pancreas. Patients recover faster after laparoscopic surgery and the pain is much lesser when compared to the conventional treatment.

Also, there is no need for blood transfusion. 3D and 4K camera systems enable better visualisation and more radical cancer resection. Dr. Palanivelu’s technique of minimally invasive esophagectomy for food pipe cancer and Whipple operation for pancreatic head cancer has been followed as standard operation procedure, worldwide.

Dr. Palanivelu serves as visiting professor to many universities across the globe. Recently he was awarded Doctorate of Health Science by Cambridge University, U.K.