Dr. Asghar H. Asghar is an oncologist working in KIRAN hospital Karachi for the last 11 years. He did his MBBS from Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur in 1996. After that, he did M.Sc in Nuclear Medicine from PIEAS University Islamabad and then in 2009, FCPS in clinical oncology. He is a very well known figure in the field of oncology in Karachi and Pakistan. He is also a facilitator of research methodology, biostatistics and dissertation writing workshop of college of physician and surgeon of Pakistan (CPSP) and was ranked third best facilitator in 2012. He has 22 publications in his credit and also has numbers of national talks as a guest speaker. He has participated number of international conference of oncology across the world. He is the founder member of city tumor board Karachi which is being run for the last four years regularly in Zainab Punjawani hospital Karachi. He worked as a part time faculty member is radiation oncology department of Aga Khan University Hospital and now a day working as a principal medical officer and consultant clinical oncologist in KIRAN, Memon medical Institute and Dar-ul-Sehat hospital Karachi.
Q – Tell something about your life.
Ans – Thanks for coming. Alhamd-uli-Allah, I am doing fine. Life schedule is quite hectic now. In student life, it was just study and now along with study, one has to practice also. Therefore, spend a lot of time in hospital. Spare weekend for the family.
Q – What is the best Era in your life.
Ans – I think after FCPS. I know mostly people answer this question that their medical college era was best but I am enjoying more after the fellowship. There is no tension of examination now but I definitely miss my days of college life.
Q – Being an oncologist, how do you foresee the prognosis of cancer in Pakistan.
Ans – I think it’s quite good. Now diagnostic and treating facilities are increasing. People have approach to an oncologist in their nearby teaching hospital. Prognosis depends upon early diagnosis and treatment. If you can diagnose early, then definitely treatment will be easy and curative.
Q – What is the future of medical doctors in field of oncology.
Ans – This is quite bright. If any medical student wants to be an oncologist it’s very easy. This field of oncology will definitely provide them a forum to treat real ailing humanity. Cancer patients have already lost their hopes of life. Oncologist is a person who give them hope, treatment them and make an active member of life. We still have less number of oncologists. I hope a day will come when you will be able to find an oncologist at all district level. This is only possible if more young doctors opt for this field.
Q – What do you think as being Pakistani where do we stand to cure our patients.
Ans – Cure depends upon early diagnosis. For this we have to educate our people for screening tests. All common cancers like breast, prostate, colorectal and cervix are curable if diagnose early. We oncologists are running different awareness programs in different hospitals and universities but still we have to do more. When our people will get aware of these things then definitely, our cure rate will be comparable with the western world. Here patient comes almost at end stage therefore our curative rate is quite low then the rest of world.
Q – What is the role of good nursing care in last stage of cancer patients.
Ans – Nurses are playing very important role in the care of all patients especially of cancer patients. We accept their role and hope so that our nursing care will further improve. Terminal patients usually need good nursing care which a trained nurse can provide very efficiently.
Q – As being Medical Scientist, what do you think which cancer is emerging or spreading more in Pakistan.
Ans – Not like this that cancer is only spreading in Pakistan. There are many cancers which are quite high in numbers in western world as compared to our country. If you just see skin cancer it is quite high in western world than in our region. It’s because of their skin color and their habit of sun bath so they get more skin cancer. However, what we see in Pakistan, here oral cavity tumors due to “Paan” and “Gutka” chewing and hepatocellular CA due to hepatitis B and C infections are more common than rest of the world.
Q – What is the world statistics of cancer in world.
Ans – Every year almost 14.1 million people are diagnosed with cancer and out of them, 8.2 million get expire (world cancer statistics 2012). Just over half of these patients are in developing countries and their proportion is rising fast.
Q – What should be the role of pharmaceutical companies to serve this segment.
Ans – Pharmaceutical companies have a major role in providing cancer awareness to public. They arrange different seminars and conferences just for knowledge sharing. Most of the academic activities are being funded by the pharmaceutical companies but I do see their more roles in cancer research. New drugs are being tested just get maximum therapeutic effects with minimum side effects in the field of oncology.
Q – What is the future of Alternative Natural Therapy / medicines in cancer.
Answer: Currently we don’t have sufficient clinical evidence which can support natural or alternative therapy. What we see in our clinical practice, people gets progression of disease with these types of therapies.
Q – How can we prevent our nation from cancers.
Ans – If anyone concerned about cancer prevention, he should adopt simple lifestyle. Don’t use tobacco: Using any type of tobacco puts you on a collision course with cancer. Smoking has been linked to various types of cancer including cancer of the lung, bladder, cervix and kidney. Chewing tobacco has been linked to cancer of the oral cavity. Even if you don’t use smoke, exposure to secondhand smoke might increase your risk of lung cancer.
Eat a healthy diet includes plenty of fruits, vegetables and other foods from plant sources such as whole grains and beans. High-fat diets tend to be higher in calories and might increase the risk of overweight or obesity which can, in turn, increase cancer risk.
Maintaining a healthy weight and physical activity might lower the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the breast, prostate, lung, colon and kidney. Adults who participate in any amount of physical activity gain some health benefits. But for substantial health benefits, strive to get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic physical activity. You can also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. As a general goal, include at least 30 minutes of physical activity in your daily routine and if you can do more, even better.
Get immunized: Cancer prevention includes protection from certain viral infections. Hepatitis B can increase the risk of developing liver cancer. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus that can lead to cervical and other genital cancers as well as squamous cell cancers of the oropharynx. The HPV vaccine is recommended to both men and women age 26 or younger who didn’t have the vaccine as adolescents.
Q – Name the single patient you will never forget which were treated by you.
Ans – Yes I can recall one person whose wife was on death bed. He asked me the expected time of her wife as he was planning for second marriage in next couple of weeks.
Q – As being consultant you must traveling different countries. Which is your most favorite country for living or vacations.
Ans – I have visited many countries and have found Singapore the best place to visit. It’s a quite beautiful country, having very limited population just five million. It’s neat and clean and having very beautiful places to visit.
Q – Which food (dish) you like to cook by yourself.
Ans – Almost no idea of cooking. Sometimes I do make egg omelet.
Q – What you feel is unique in you.
Ans – Nothing unique but I don’t take tea or smoke absolutely
Q – You are doing a hectic job but always look smart and fresh how do you manage it.
Ans – I take very limited food. Don’t eat out of the way. Most of the times take vegetables and salads. Avoids cola drink and try to do exercise early morning.
Q – Unlike other Doctors you have chosen different path, I mean Oncology. Why so.
Ans – Yes it is quite different field what most of the doctor often choose for practice. I also wanted to be a surgeon but my fortune took me in this field. Now I am satisfied and thanks to all mighty Allah that he gave me this opportunity to serve those patients who have lost their hopes of life.
Q – Do you feel insecurities as a doctor in current situation of the city.
Ans – Yes, some time do feel when hear some bad news of any doctor killing and demanding of ransom money. I have a good faith of Allah and don’t get afraid of these things. However, we demand to the Governments to pay more attention towards the poor law and order situation of country
Q – Do you plan to establish your own Cancer Hospital.
Ans – Not yet but if God provided me opportunity I would like to improve of situation of already built many cancer hospital.