Dr. Mitali Dandekar- Lall, Consultant- Head Neck Onco-Surgery, Paras HMRI Hospital instrumental in a Successful Clinical Trial on Oral Cancers.
Dr. Mitali Dandekar Lall was part of a team that conducted a clinical trial dealing with a contentious issue in head neck cancer. The trial spanned 10 years and conclusively proved the role of elective neck dissection in improving survival in early oral cancers. Over the years, she has been a part of many clinical trials on oral cancer and is a consultant specializing in Head and neck onco surgery at Paras HMRI Hospital, Patna.
Oral cancer is common in both high and low income countries. It predominantly occurs in areas with a high consumption of tobacco. According to WHO statistics, every year India has a death rate of 8% out of 2 lacs cases of head and neck cancer.
The role of elective neck dissection (END) had been a matter of much debate in early oral cancers amenable to peroral excision. Dr. Mitali Dandekar Lall was a part of the team of oncologists headed by Dr. A.K D’cruz at the Tata Memorial Centre. They conducted a randomized controlled trial to answer various questions. The trial continued from 2004-2014 and accrued over 500 patients.
It was a befitting occasion for her and her colleagues to present the results of this phase III RCT in the plenary session of the recently concluded ASCO in Chicago. This revered conference has a global attendance of over 40000 oncologists and the plenary session includes select studies which have the potential to change medical protocols for cancer treatment.
