Fourth Columbia HICCC Cancer Series Webinar Highlights Advances in Colorectal Cancer Care
Columbia Global Center Mumbai, in partnership with Columbia University’s Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), Tata Memorial Centre, and the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre, hosted the fourth webinar in the Columbia HICCC Cancer Series on December 12, 2025, focusing on Advances in Colorectal Cancer: Precision Treatment and Surgical Innovations
The session brought together leading experts from India and the United States to examine how colorectal cancer care is rapidly evolving toward precision-guided, multidisciplinary decision-making. Speakers highlighted the growing role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a powerful prognostic tool, its potential to reduce overtreatment in selected patients, and the need for further evidence before routine clinical adoption
Discussions also explored the continued relevance of short-course radiotherapy in the era of total neoadjuvant therapy, emphasizing individualized treatment choices based on tumor biology, imaging, patient fitness, and resource settings. High-quality surgery—particularly total mesorectal excision—was underscored as central to cure, alongside advances in minimally invasive and robotic techniques that offer functional and quality-of-life benefits without compromising oncologic outcomes
Featuring presentations by Dr. Anbarasan Sekar (ACTREC, Navi Mumbai), Dr. Jaskaran Singh Sethi (Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute, New Delhi), and Dr. Ravi Kiran Pokala (Columbia University), the webinar reinforced the series’ core aim: fostering cross-border learning between senior specialists and trainees, and strengthening collaboration between institutions known for clinical excellence and high-volume, complex cancer care
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