Doctor Declared He Would Die—But AI Saved His Life
AI could expand treatment possibilities for people with rare diseases and few other options: Bhavesh Mishra, Deputy Secretary, ITEC, Government of Telangana
Hyderabad, April 7, 2025 – The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FTCCI), in collaboration with the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI) and Swastava Cancer Care (SCC), organised a seminar on “Reducing Cancer Mortality – The Role of Technology” at ASCI, Banjara Hills, on Saturday evening. The event was held to commemorate the 8th Annual Day of Swastava Cancer Care.
Mr. Bhavesh Mishra, IAS, Deputy Secretary, Information Technology, Electronics, and Communications Department (IT&C), Government of Telangana, was the Chief Guest and delivered the keynote address.
Addressing an audience of over 200, Mr. Mishra noted that cancer has little historical mention. “3,500 years ago, our ancient physicians Charaka and Sushruta discussed diabetes, but there was no mention of cancer,” he said. He explained this could be because cancer is largely an age-related disease. In ancient societies, people did not live long enough to develop cancer. For instance, in 1947, life expectancy was just 32 years, and most people died from infectious diseases.
He also pointed out that if cancer did exist, it was likely “submerged under the sea of other illnesses,” and due to lack of diagnostic tools, deaths couldn’t be accurately attributed to cancer. Additionally, there was a time when cancer was considered a “clandestine, whispered-about illness.”
Mr. Mishra noted that in the early 1950s, even newspapers like The New York Times couldn’t publish the words “breast” or “cancer.” He referred to the Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Emperor of All Maladies by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, which chronicles the history of cancer and its treatment evolution.
He shared a striking example of a patient, Joseph Coates, who was diagnosed with POEMS syndrome, a rare blood disorder. Doctors gave up hope and offered two choices: “Die at home or die in hospital.” But a friend, a professor, suggested an unconventional treatment involving chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and steroids. The treatment, surprisingly, wasn’t designed by a human—it was generated by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) model. Within a week, Coates showed improvement, and in four months, he was ready for a stem cell transplant.
“Drug repurposing isn’t new, but the use of machine learning has revolutionized it. AI is accelerating discovery and opening up possibilities for patients with rare diseases and few options,” Mr. Mishra emphasized. He made an impactful PowerPoint presentation, offering deep insights into the disease and the evolving role of technology.
“Data science and AI together are powerful,” he added, referring to the concept of ‘serendipity’—accidental discoveries like Streptomycin, Aniline, and Penicillin. He stressed that AI, too, can lead to life-saving discoveries. He also cautioned about the misuse of AI in medicine and noted that the Government of Telangana is proactively working in this direction, with initiatives like AI4PublicGood, involving industry, academia, and government departments.
Karuna Gopal, Guest of Honour, stated that while India allocates 2% of its GDP to healthcare, much of it remains unutilized due to lack of absorption capacity.
Dr. Urvashi Prasad, Patron of Swastava Cancer Care and one of the Most Influential Women in Healthcare (2023–24), delivered a video message. A lung cancer survivor herself, she stressed that technology plays a vital role in reducing cancer mortality. “Aggregate knowledge and apply it. AI can synthesize insights from data, revealing new treatment options,” she said.
Mr. R.P. Singh, President of Swastava Cancer Care, former police officer and ex-CEO of Basavatarakam Indo American Cancer Hospital & Research Institute, said, “Our NGO has become a symbol of hope. We are the only NGO in this space using advanced diagnostic tools.”
Dr. Suresh Kumar Singhal, President of FTCCI, revealed startling statistics: “India records more than 15 lakh cancer cases annually, with 9 lakh deaths—a 65% mortality rate, the highest in the world.” He warned that in the near future, every 6th or 7th person may suffer from cancer. “Cancer is not only a health crisis but also a financial burden. Families exhaust their savings, sell jewelry and property to afford treatment.”
Dr. Singhal also raised concerns about food safety. “There are not enough labs to test pesticide levels in our food or the quality of milk,” he noted. He expressed hope that this seminar would highlight how emerging technologies can help reduce cancer mortality, improve outcomes, and make care more accessible and affordable.
Dr. V. Chaturvedi, CEO of Swastava Cancer Care, appealed to Mr. Bhavesh Mishra to support the NGO’s inclusion in the Telangana Social Impact Group (T-SIG), a platform that connects corporate India with government departments and non-profits to optimize resource utilization.
A panel discussion followed, moderated by Dr. Raghunadharao, Chief Advisor of Swastava Cancer Care and Head of Academics at MNJ Cancer Hospital. Panelists included:
- Dr. M. Srinivasulu, Director & HOD, Surgical Oncology, MNJ Cancer Hospital
- Dr. Sravanthi Gadhiraju, Gynec-Oncologist & SCC Board Member
- Dr. Leela Digumarti, Gynec-Oncologist & SCC Board Member
- Dr. Naveen Kumar, Oral Pathologist & SCC Board Member
Dr. Srinivasulu shared that over 60% of cancers in Telangana are lifestyle-related, with 52,000 new cases in 2018 projected to rise to 65,000 by 2030. “Sadly, 70% of cases are detected at stage 3 or 4. Only 30–35% are cured, compared to 60–65% in the West,” he said.
Ms. Archana Suresh, Director, Telangana-Social Impact Group, explained how T-SIG works with 800 corporates, 300+ NGOs, and 40 government departments, offering pro bono services. “Our platform is the single point of contact for CSR initiatives in the state,” she said.
The Annual Report (2022–23) of Swastava Cancer Care was also released at the event. SCC reaffirmed its commitment to reducing cancer mortality through survivor-driven awareness, advanced diagnostics, and technology-based solutions.
