Nationwide Tele-Oncology network in India - A framework for implementation

Cancer, experts say, is likely to emerge as the largest killer in India by 2020 if present trend continues. Awareness of cancer and its management are being taken as high priority at the national level due to the increase in the incidence of the disease in the country. Telemedicine provides expert-based health care to understaffed remote sites, advanced emergency care through modern telecommunication and information technologies. The incidence of cancer can be reduced if the people are aware of cancer and its root causes. Introduction of Telemedicine in Oncology is playing a vital role nowadays. Telemedicine helps in prevention, early detection, fast curing, palliative care, rehabilitation of cancer and public awareness also. This paper throws light on result of the pre-study for a Nationwide Tele-Oncology Network in India conducted by Centre for Development of Advanced Computing, Thiruvananthapuram (C-DAC (T)), a scientific society of the Department of Information Technology, Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, Government of India.