“How can my father be treated better?” “What food should my mother eat during chemotherapy?” “Will the cancer return after surgery?”
According to oncologists, these are the questions that dominate clinics every day—not complex survival statistics from international trials.
Seeking to place such concerns at the center of oncology discussions, the two-day Fortis Cancer Summit 2026, beginning May 2, 2026, is all set to adopt a strongly patient-centric approach, moving beyond conventional treatment-focused deliberations to include psycho-oncology, nutrition, survivorship, nursing care, and personalized medicine.
“One realizes while sitting in the clinic that patients are not interested in survival statistics from an international conference. They want to know how their father, mother, or relative can be treated better. Every patient and family requires emotional support. If nurses are not adequately empowered, who will provide bedside care?” said Dr. Nitesh Rohatgi, Principal Director, Medical Oncology, Fortis Gurugram, on the eve of the summit.
He pointed out that modern oncology can no longer remain confined to chemotherapy protocols or clinical trial outcomes alone, particularly as cancer increasingly becomes a long-term condition requiring emotional, nutritional, and rehabilitative support alongside medical treatment.
The summit, which will bring together oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, molecular biologists, and international experts from several countries, aims to integrate all pillars of cancer care rather than functioning in isolated specialties.
Dr. Ankur Bahl, Principal Director, Medical Oncology, Fortis Gurugram, noted that rapid advances in molecular genetics and targeted therapies are increasingly enabling clinicians to tailor treatment according to the biological characteristics of individual tumors.
Sessions during the conference are also expected to focus on predictive molecular tools capable of estimating recurrence risk after surgery and helping doctors decide whether chemotherapy intensity should be escalated or reduced.
Doctors from African countries, such as Iliya Karniliyus Salu, Chief Medical Director, Trust Charitos Hospital Abuja, Nigeria, participating in the conference, said they hoped to learn from Indian institutions and adapt evidence-based treatment approaches within their own healthcare systems.
He said his country is facing a sharp increase in cancer cases while treatment is not adequate. “Cancer care today demands stronger global collaboration than ever before, as the challenges we face are increasingly complex and universal.”
Dr. Rohatgi explained that higher case numbers are partly linked to population growth, aging, improved diagnostic capabilities, and longer life expectancy rather than a dramatic rise in incidence alone.
“If the population doubles over time, the total number of cancer cases will naturally increase even if incidence rates remain relatively stable,” he explained.
At the same time, Asamutdinov Jaloliddin, Director, State Institution, Center for Licensing and Accreditation of Medical Organizations, Uzbekistan, acknowledged that lifestyle changes, tobacco consumption, obesity, processed food consumption, and environmental carcinogens are contributing to rising risks for several cancers, including colorectal, breast, and lung cancers.
Dr. Bassim Al Bahrani, Senior Consultant, Medical Oncology, Royal Hospital, Oman, also pointed out that improvements in healthcare and infection control have increased life expectancy, leading to larger elderly populations and consequently more age-related cancers.
Another emerging challenge, he noted, is the growing number of second malignancies among cancer survivors living longer because of improved treatment outcomes.
Dr. Ritu Garg, Chief Growth and Innovation Officer, Fortis Healthcare, informed that the summit will bring together over 50 premier cancer centers across India while also featuring renowned global experts across multiple oncology disciplines, including pioneers in Proton therapy, MR-guided radiotherapy (MR Linac), radiation oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology, hematology, pediatric hematology, gynae-oncology, and genomics, among others.
