Dr Amrita Srivastava Oncology

17/06/2026

Cancer. Radiation. Myths. Facts. And a microphone brave enough to handle all of it. 🎙️

Had a great time busting misconceptions, answering real questions, and talking about the side of cancer care that rarely makes headlines.

Listen in, you might learn something that surprises you.

🎗️ Early Signs of Cancer You Should Never Ignore | Cancer Symptoms,...

16/06/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha
🌈 PRIDE MONTH SPECIAL

SCREEN THE ORGAN.
NOT THE GENDER.

One of the biggest misconceptions in healthcare is assuming cancer screening should be based solely on gender identity.

It shouldn’t.

It should be based on anatomy, risk factors, and medical history.

A transgender man who retains a cervix can still develop cervical cancer.

A transgender woman can still develop prostate cancer.

Breast cancer risk depends on breast tissue and hormone exposure, not simply gender identity.

The challenge is that transgender individuals often face barriers to routine screening:
• Gender dysphoria during examinations
• Previous negative healthcare experiences
• Lack of provider awareness
• Fear of discrimination

As a result, recommended screening may be delayed or missed altogether.

Cancer prevention works only when screening reaches the people who need it.

🩺 A simple principle:

✔ Cervix present? Screen for cervical cancer.
✔ Breast tissue present? Screen for breast cancer.
✔ Colon present? Screen for colorectal cancer.
✔ Prostate present? Be aware of prostate cancer risk.

The goal is not to screen based on assumptions.

The goal is to screen based on anatomy and risk.

Because cancer doesn’t care how we identify.

It only cares whether it is detected early.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava

09/06/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha

🌈 Pride Month Special
When Cancer Care Isn’t Equally Accessible
Cancer doesn’t discriminate.
Healthcare sometimes does.

Many transgender individuals face barriers long before treatment begins:

• Fear of discrimination in healthcare settings
• Lack of gender-affirming healthcare services
• Financial and insurance barriers
• Previous negative healthcare experiences
• Lower participation in routine cancer screening

The result?
👉 Many cancers may be diagnosed at a later stage.

📊 What Does the Evidence Show?

1️⃣ Lower Cancer Screening Rates
Transgender individuals are less likely to undergo recommended screening tests such as:

• Cervical cancer screening
• Breast cancer screening
• Colorectal cancer screening

A systematic review published in the journal Cancer found that transgender and gender-diverse individuals experience substantial barriers to cancer screening and preventive care.

2️⃣ Delays in Seeking Care
Studies report that many transgender individuals postpone or avoid medical visits because of prior experiences of stigma, discrimination, or fear of being misgendered.
When symptoms are ignored - or healthcare is avoided - diagnosis may occur later.

3️⃣ Some Cancer Risks Depend on Anatomy and Treatment History
Cancer risk is not determined by gender identity alone.
It depends on:
• Organs present (cervix, breast tissue, prostate, etc.)
• Hormone exposure
• Age
• Family history
• Lifestyle factors

For example:
👉 A transgender man with a cervix still needs cervical cancer screening.
👉 A transgender woman may still require prostate cancer awareness and, depending on treatment history, breast cancer screening.

🎯 The Real Issue
The question is not:
“Are transgender people more likely to get cancer?”
The more important question is:
“Are transgender people getting the same opportunity for prevention, screening, and timely treatment?”
Too often, the answer is no.

💬 Cancer outcomes should be determined by biology, not by barriers to healthcare.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava

02/06/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha

🚭 World No To***co Day

The Cancer You See Before It Becomes Cancer
Most cancers are detected after they develop.
Oral cancer is different.

In many cases, the body gives a warning years before cancer appears.

⚠️ To***co Doesn’t Cause Cancer Overnight
It often starts as:
• White patches (Leukoplakia)
• Restricted mouth opening (Oral Submucous Fibrosis)
• Red patches (Erythroplakia)
• Persistent non-healing ulcers

These are not always cancer.
But they may be the road leading to cancer.

🩺 The Opportunity We Often Miss
A patient with oral cancer may not remember the first ulcer.

But many remember:
👉 Difficulty opening the mouth
👉 Burning sensation with spicy food
👉 White patches that “never bothered them”
The warning signs were there.

🚬 The Myth
“I’ve been using gutkha/paan for 20 years and I’m fine.”

Cancer risk doesn’t work like a switch.
It accumulates.
And sometimes the damage becomes visible only when treatment becomes more difficult.

🎯 The Takeaway

The best time to stop to***co was years ago.
The second-best time is “today”.

💬 To***co-related cancer rarely arrives unannounced.
The tragedy is that we often ignore the invitation.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava

***coDay
OralCancerAwareness

***coFree

26/05/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha

⚡ Why Do Some Patients Get Radiation for 1 Day… While Others Need 6 Weeks?

One of the most common questions patients ask:

👉 “Doctor, why is their radiation only 1 session… and mine is 30?”
The answer is:
🧠 Not all radiation treatments have the same goal.

🎯 Radiation Is Tailored

The number of sessions depends on:
• Type of cancer
• Stage
• Treatment intent
• Tumor biology
• Nearby normal organs
• Technology being used

⚡ Sometimes Radiation Is Given in 1–5 Sessions
This is often called:
• SBRT / SRS (high precision radiation)

Used in selected situations like:
• Early lung cancers
• Brain metastases
• Small localized tumors
• Oligometastatic disease

👉 Very precise. Very focused. High dose per session.

🗓️ And Sometimes It Takes 5–6 Weeks

Longer courses are used when:
• Larger areas need treatment
• Tumor is close to sensitive organs
• Combining with chemotherapy
• Gradual dose delivery improves safety

👉 Lower dose per day. More cumulative treatment.

🩺 Then There’s Palliative Radiation

Sometimes radiation is given for:
• Pain relief
• Bleeding control
• Symptom management

And this may require:
👉 just 1 session
👉 or a short course over a few days

🔔 The Key Message

More sessions does NOT mean “more serious.”
Fewer sessions does NOT mean “less effective.”

Radiation schedules are designed, not random.

💬In radiation oncology,
the schedule is part of the treatment.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava

19/05/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha

🧠 May is Brain Tumor Awareness Month

Not every headache is a brain tumor.
But some neurological symptoms should never be ignored.

Because brain tumors often present subtly,
until they don’t.

⚠️ Symptoms That Need Attention

• Persistent or progressively worsening headaches
• New-onset seizures
• Vomiting, especially early morning
• Weakness or imbalance
• Vision or speech changes
• Personality or memory changes

👉 Especially when symptoms are new, progressive, or unexplained

🩺 Brain Tumor ≠ One Disease
“Brain tumor” is not a single diagnosis.

It includes:
• Benign tumors
• Aggressive cancers
• Primary brain tumors
• Tumors spread from cancers elsewhere in the body
Treatment and outcomes vary widely.

⚕️ Treatment Options

Management may involve:
• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy & Targeted therapy
• Precision techniques like stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS)

👉 Treatment depends on:
Tumor type, location, grade, and patient condition.

🧬 A Major Shift in Modern Neuro-Oncology

Today, treatment decisions are not based only on what the tumor looks like under a microscope.
👉 Molecular markers like:
• IDH mutation
• MGMT methylation
• 1p/19q co-deletion
… now significantly influence prognosis and treatment planning.

🎯 The Takeaway

Early evaluation matters.
But so does understanding that brain tumors are increasingly being treated with precision and personalization.

💬 In neuro-oncology, location matters.
Biology matters more.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava

12/05/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha

🌞May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month

When people think of skin cancer,
many assume:

👉 “That happens mostly in the West.”
👉 “Darker skin is protected.”
👉 “I don’t spend time at the beach.”

But skin cancer can still occur in Indian skin tones;
and often gets diagnosed late because it’s overlooked.

⚠️ The Most Important Warning Sign

A skin lesion that is:
• Changing in size or color
• Not healing
• Bleeding repeatedly
• Becoming irregular or raised
… deserves evaluation.

🔍 The ABCDE Rule (Simple & Useful)

Watch for moles or lesions with:
• A – Asymmetry
• B – Irregular Borders
• C – Multiple Colors
• D – Diameter increasing
• E – Evolving over time

☀️ Risk Factors

• Excessive UV exposure
• Previous sunburns
• Immunosuppression
• Family history
• Chronic scars or non-healing wounds

🩺 Treatment Options

Depends on type and stage:
• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Immunotherapy
• Targeted therapy in selected cancers

👉 Early-stage skin cancers are often highly treatable.

🎯 The Takeaway

Not every skin change is dangerous.
But persistent or evolving lesions should not be ignored.

💬 Your skin changes with age.
But unexplained changes deserve attention.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava

28/04/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha

🎗️ Oral Cancer Awareness - Part 4
The 2-Week Rule: The Simplest Cancer Rule You Should Know”

Most people ignore mouth ulcers.

“Stress hoga.”
“Heat hoga.”
“Thik ho jayega.”

And most of the time, they’re right.
But sometimes, they’re not.

🔔 The 2-Week Rule

👉 Any ulcer, patch, or lesion in the mouth that does NOT heal in 2 weeks needs evaluation.

Not Google.
Not home remedies.
A proper check.

⚠️ Why 2 Weeks?

• Normal ulcers heal within 7-10 days
• Persistent lesions may indicate precancer or cancer
• Early-stage oral cancers are often painless and subtle

🧠 The Problem

Delays don’t happen because people don’t care.
They happen because people wait too long.

🎯 The Takeaway

Don’t wait for pain.
Don’t wait for growth.
Don’t wait for certainty.

👉 Wait only 2 weeks. Not more.

💬 In oral cancer, time is not just money - it’s stage.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava

21/04/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha

🎗️Oral Cancer Awareness Month - Part 3
🚬 Gutkha vs Smoking - Which is Worse for Oral Cancer?

A question I get surprisingly often:
👉 “Doctor, I don’t smoke… I just have gutkha.”
The assumption? It’s safer…It isn’t.

⚖️ The Reality

Both smoking and smokeless to***co (gutkha, paan, khaini) significantly increase cancer risk.

But when it comes to oral cancer specifically:

👉 Smokeless to***co is often more directly harmful.

🔴 Why Gutkha Is Particularly Risky
• Kept in the mouth for prolonged periods → direct mucosal exposure
• Contains areca nut, strongly linked to oral submucous fibrosis (precancerous condition)
• Causes chronic irritation → higher risk of local transformation
• Users often underestimate harm → delayed diagnosis

🔵 What About Smoking?
• Associated with oral, lung, and multiple other cancers
• Risk increases with duration and intensity
• Often combined with alcohol → synergistic risk

⚠️ The Bigger Problem
Many patients think:
❌ “I don’t smoke, so I’m safe.”
❌ “Gutkha is less harmful.”

👉 This false reassurance leads to late presentation.

🔔 The Bottom Line

It’s not gutkha vs smoking.
Both are harmful. Neither is safe.

But for oral cancer:

👉 What stays in your mouth longer, harms more.

💬 If it sits in your mouth, it’s not harmless.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava


***coFree

14/04/2026

Cancer Pe Charcha

🎗️ Oral Cancer Awareness Month - Part 2
“Oral Cancer Screening: The Simplest Cancer Check You’re Not Doing”

Most cancer screenings need machines, tests, or procedures.
Oral cancer screening doesn’t.
👉 It takes less than 2 minutes
👉 It requires no machines
👉 It can be done in a simple OPD or dental visit

And yet… it’s one of the most underutilised screenings in India.

🩺 What Does Screening Actually Involve?

A basic oral examination:
• Looking inside the mouth (cheeks, tongue, gums)
• Checking for red/white patches
• Feeling for induration or ulcers
• Examining the neck for lymph nodes

That’s it.

⚠️ Then Why Are We Missing It?

• People ignore early lesions (“it’s just an ulcer”)
• No routine screening culture
• Visits happen only when symptoms worsen
• To***co users often delay consultation

🎯 Who Should Definitely Get Screened?

✔ To***co users (smoked or smokeless)
✔ Regular alcohol consumption
✔ Age > 30–40 years
✔ Anyone with a persistent oral lesion

🔔 The Key Message

Oral cancer is one of the few cancers
you can actually see early.

But only if someone looks.

💬 A 2-minute check today
can prevent a late diagnosis tomorrow.

Cancer Pe Charcha | Dr Amrita Srivastava