The concept of the Kerala Cancer Conclave was conceived several years ago, following the successful conduct of AMPOK’s first national conference - the 38th ICON - held in Kochi in March 2018. It was approximately one month after this milestone event that the idea of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary cancer conclave began to take shape.

The 38th ICON was organised around the forward-looking theme: “Genomics, Immunomics & Theranostics - The Future of Cancer Care.” The scientific predictions and frameworks presented at that time have since been validated, as modern oncology has increasingly centred itself around these three pillars. Notably, this conference marked a significant shift in the collaborative landscape of cancer care in India. For the first time, it brought together all major stakeholders involved in oncology on a single platform - including medical oncologists, paediatric oncologists, palliative care specialists, and oncology nurses inclusive. Inspired by the waves of response we received and the impact the 38th ICON conference has made, we dared to dream of doing something better, totally innovative and pathbreaking for the community of cancer care professionals.

That's how the concept of a Conclave came to my mind. Initially we were visualising this as a Global Malayali Oncologist Conclave, as there are highly successful Malayali oncologists in various parts of the world as practitioners, researchers, academicians and pathfinders, with such a huge wealth of wisdom and experience paving the way for others to follow.

It would be exciting to bring them all together to synergise their expertise for our mother state and its well being. Regardless of the challenges we faced, we progressed to create the blueprint of the Conclave, designed the logo, finalised the dates and venue and worked towards making this happen in the month of September in 2020. Then Covid struck!

The priorities shifted, the plan got dropped and subsequently we all got busy with our own life and routine, but the dream lingered on. Whenever friends and professionals in the oncology circle connected, we kept exploring the concept of the Conclave and its possibilities, and finally we zeroed in on 2025 to launch the Kerala Cancer Conclave with a renewed outlook on partnerships and collaborations to overcome the challenges of rescheduling the Conclave again.

The medical, surgical and radiation oncologists in the state shall have joint conferences for collective learning and AMPOK endeavours to work towards that partnership with other oncology associations in the state in the coming days. Once we have the collective platform, it becomes possible to network across borders with other international oncology platforms to build on our exchange programs for collective learning.

The cocooned concept of collaboration of cancer care professionals and stakeholders has finally become a reality today with the first edition of Kerala Cancer Conclave in 2025, braving many a turbulence starting from Covid to packed calendars of dignitaries.

Generally, medical conferences are one of a kind, which are usually ‘for the doctors, of the doctors, by the doctors’ where doctors will sit among themselves, discussing issues they already know. We wanted this to be different! Just like the approach to cancer care is different and needs to involve key critical stakeholders and communities for success, the Kerala Cancer Conclave is designed to be a meeting place for all stakeholders, including medical professionals, caregivers, patients, researchers, academicians, policy makers, media persons and genomics specialists. The Conclave is a meeting place of 360-degree perspectives, where ideas meet, sharing of knowledge happens and people forge long-term relationships to walk in their journey to create affordable and advanced cancer care to achieve better health and wellbeing for all. The state initiative of Arogyam Aanandam resonates with the age-old adage of ‘Health is Everything’.

Yes, ‘Health indeed is Happiness’ and to make this happiness achievable for all, community collaboration plays an important role. The Kerala Cancer Conclave 2025 is visualised with this end goal of community collaboration in mind.

Despite having a modest membership base of just 125 members, AMPOK may well be one of the smallest oncology associations in the world. However, this has never been a limitation to our vision or ambition. On the contrary, it has been our strength. From the outset, we have been committed to thinking big, initiating change, and leading from the front - regardless of scale.

The agenda for the Conclave was finalised after several rounds of extensive discussions and consultations. The one-and-a-half-day event is designed to address some of the most pressing and contemporary challenges in modern cancer care, ensuring a comprehensive and meaningful dialogue among all stakeholders.

State of Kerala: The Cancer Landscape

This session will explore the current epidemiology of cancer in Kerala, along with emerging trends and projections. It will offer a comprehensive overview of the cancer burden in the state, with a special emphasis on preparedness and future strategies for cancer control.

Delivering Cancer Care Services – Challenges and Scope for Improvement

This session will examine the cancer care landscape across diverse healthcare settings in India, with a particular focus on Kerala. Key discussions will include reducing barriers to access, ensuring uniformity and quality in care delivery, and addressing challenges within both public and private healthcare systems. The session aims to identify actionable strategies to strengthen cancer care services and sharpen our collective response to the cancer burden in the country.

Use and Misuse of Media in Cancer Control Efforts

This session will explore the power and pitfalls of media in a free society, particularly in the context of cancer control. It will address how we can ensure that both traditional media (print and electronic) and modern social media platforms disseminate accurate evidence-based information rather than myths or misinformation. The session will also delve into the challenges posed by alternative therapies promoted through media and discuss strategies to manage their impact on cancer care.

The SWOT of Pharmaceuticals in Cancer Care

This session will explore the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of the cancer pharmaceutical landscape in India. It will highlight the critical role of the pharma industry in enhancing cancer care, while also addressing the challenges it faces, including regulatory hurdles, accessibility, affordability, and innovation. The discussion aims to identify actionable opportunities to improve patient outcomes through better alignment of industry capabilities with healthcare needs.

Access and Affordability of Cancer Care: Payer, Payee, and System Perspectives

This session will focus on the complex issue of affordability in cancer care by exploring the perspectives of all key stakeholders - the payer (insurance/government), the payee (patient) and the healthcare system. The discussion will aim to identify barriers, assess existing support mechanisms, and suggest policy-level interventions and systemic reforms needed to make cancer treatment more accessible and financially sustainable for all.

Role of Policymakers in Cancer Control (with the release of a Cancer Opinion Survey)

This session will highlight the key findings of the AMPOK Kerala Cancer Opinion Survey. Drawing on insights from the survey and discussions held during the conclave, policymakers and stakeholders will deliberate on practical strategies to reduce the cancer burden in Kerala. The focus will be on translating data into action, shaping policy, and implementing region-specific interventions to improve cancer control across the state.

Research in Kerala: What is the Missing Link?

This session will delve into the current landscape of cancer research in Kerala. It aims to identify the key gaps hindering progress and explore strategies to foster a more robust research ecosystem. How can we build a culture of innovation and collaboration? What infrastructure, policy, or mindset shifts are needed? The discussion will also explore how best practices from global research hubs can be adapted and implemented effectively within Kerala’s unique healthcare context.

Genomics and Precision Medicine in Cancer Care: Unravelling Its Fullest Potential

This session will explore the transformative role of genomics and precision medicine in cancer care. It will address the challenges in implementing these advanced technologies, discuss emerging opportunities for individualized treatment strategies, and highlight the immense potential for discovery, clinical application, and reverse translation. How can we move from promise to practice and ensure equitable access across healthcare systems?

Through the Kerala Cancer Conclave, we intend to achieve three things.

1. Unite the minds of the professionals who battle cancer, the policymakers who create the path, the influential voices who spread the message of science and hope, and the civil society who are the wind beneath our wings.

2. Shape a future where every patient with cancer gets accessible and affordable care, and where far fewer patients are diagnosed with advanced cancers, and better still, a state with dropping rates of cancer incidence.

3. Conquer cancer by striking at its root - the fear and stigma associated with it, the destruction it costs to families and societies, and the burden it causes to our economy.

‘If you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far, go together,’ says an old African proverb. We intend to go far and go together in this journey of a thousand miles.