Inside Jankpur's Largest International Oncology Meeting

Binaytara’s International Cancer Congress Sees Strongest Showing to Date

On October 2 and 3, Janakpur saw the 8th convening of the International Cancer Congress (ICC). Put on by global oncology nonprofit Binaytara, the conference is Nepal’s largest international oncology meeting.

With a population of around 200,000 people, Janakpur meets Nepal’s criteria for a sub-metropolitan city—just under the threshold for a true urban hub. Capital city Kathmandu, for reference, has close to 850,000 residents within the metropolitan bounds alone. That a Janakpur-based meeting carried the impact it did is notable, and centers the region in the South Asian oncology conversation.

Excitingly, ICC was a science-forward event, with over fifty research abstract submissions from leading international institutions. The “response to the abstract program” was a highlight for Binaytara Research Officer and ICC Conference Coordinator Aman Shah, MBBS. “We had an incredible number of young clinicians and researchers participate, including presenters who travelled to Janakpur from leading institutions of Nepal and India…” Shah said. “We were able to bring such a strong scientific gathering to Janakpur.”

Read about some of the top submitted abstracts here >>

ICC saw leadership from top Nepali clinician-scientists: Kapendra Amatya, MBBS, MS; Jitendra Pariyar, MBBS, MD; and Sudip Shrestha, MD chaired the meeting, with Rajesh Mandal, MBBS, MS, MCh overseeing the abstract program.

Networking opportunities interspersed panel discussions, lectures, and even tumor board-style discussions across the two-day meeting. Sessions spanned treatment of and advances in women’s cancers, GI cancer overview, cellular therapies, and more.

“Seeing that level of interest and participation was very special,” Shah said. “More than anything, watching early-career researchers share their work, discuss their ideas with senior faculty, and connect with one another made me feel that we were creating something that could have an impact beyond just those two days.”