After a short stint as Assistant Professor at AIIMS, he left the place as he always wanted to serve the ailing people in his home state. With that point of view, he joined as Consultant Gynae oncology at Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre & Research Institute, Thakurpukur where he is currently attached.
Dr Sandipan Chowdhuri is also attached as Visiting Consultant, Gynae oncology at Manipal Dhakuria, Woodlands Hospital & Charlock Hospital, Kolkata.
Dr Chowdhuri has many national and international publications under his repute and is actively involved in spreading cancer awareness in the community by way of organizing health camps, delivering talks in various places. He is also presently IGCS fellow, attended conference in Toronto, Seoul & Taipei.

PERSONAL STATEMENT

India has huge burden of gynecological malignancies. Large number of the patients in India have no access to proper screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up service.
My career goal is to serve patients with gynecological cancer and to contribute towards cancer research and preventive oncology.
I received my Post Graduate training in Obstetrics & Gynecology from Medical College Kolkata, which was tertiary referral center for gynecological cancer patients. During the training I had been taught about diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of these patients. Complicated pathophysiology and requirement of radical surgery fascinated me. In the same time, I was taught to administer chemotherapy under supervision.
Total duration of my gynecological oncology training was of 5 years- Post Doctoral fellowship in Christian Medical College Vellore for 2 years and MCh in Gynecological Oncology in All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh for 3 years. During training period in the parent department, I had gained lot of experience in diagnosis, management and follow -up of gynecological oncology patients. I had also rotation in allied departments- Colorectal surgery, Urology, Radiotherapy, Medical Oncology, Palliative Care. Exposure in the allied departments had greatly helped me in understanding of the diseases.
My 5 years’ experience as fellow had nurtured my clinical and surgical skill along with taught me importance of compassion and work in team.
I want to explore uncharted area of research in gynecological oncology. In my MCh thesis I tried to explore efficacy and safety of lymphadenectomy during interval cytoreductive surgery in advanced cases of epithelial ovarian cancer, At the time of inception of the study there was no prospective study comparing types of lymphadenectomy during interval cytoreductive surgery.
I had also taken part in teaching activity of my junior MCh trainee and MD Obstetrics & Gynecology junior residents. I had worked as training faculty in VIA training programme for staff nurses of Uttarakhand Government scheduled from 14th to 23rd September 2021 in AIIMS Rishikesh.
I want to dedicate myself to provide quality oncology care to the people of my country and contribute toward cancer research.
After my 5 years long tryst with the subject as trainee I want to work in oncology center in future.
In future I see myself as competent caring doctor whom patients can trust.

FIELDS OF INTEREST:

• Ultra-radical surgery-Upper abdomen surgery, exenteration
• Peritoneal Carcinoma/ Intraperitoneal chemotherapy
• Laparoscopic oncosurgery
• Robotics surgery
• Sentinel lymph node study
• Preventive Oncology

Experience:

• Consultant Gynecological Oncology at Saroj Gupta Cancer care & Research Institute, Thakurpukur from 07/02/2022.
• M.Ch Gynaecological Oncology from All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh academic session (July 2018-21).
Posted in Parent Department for 30 months
• Post-Doctoral Fellow Gynecologic Oncology in CHRISTIAN MEDICAL COLLEGE VELLORE. Course duration is 2 years (July 2016-18)
Posted in Parent Department for 18 months
I am confident in doing:
• Screening of cervical cancer- Pap smear, VIA, VILLI
• Diagnosis and management of different malignancies of female genital tract both inpatient and outpatient basis.
• Screening hereditary cancer and risk reducing intervention.
• Biopsies in OPD including excisional biopsy, core biopsy.
• Colposcopy and Cryotherapy, Thermal ablation therapy, LEEP in OPD.
• Conization of cervix under anaesthesia.
• FNAC from superficial mass.
• Laparoscopic assessment and biopsy in suspected advanced ovarian cancer to obtain histology
• Laparoscopic hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy for carcinoma endometrium
• Primary and interval cytoreductive surgery including debulking of upper abdominal disease in carcinoma ovary
• Staging laparoscopy and laparotomy for endometrial carcinoma
• Skinning vulvectomy, radical vulvectomy with groin node dissection
• Radical hysterectomy by open technique.
• Assisted in exenteration surgery.
• Sentinel node dissection for ca vulva and ca endometrium.
• Cytoreductive surgery followed by Hyperthermic intraoperative chemotherapy in carcinoma ovary/ pseudomyxoma peritonei.
• Omentectomy, pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy, peritonectomy.
I have assisted in:
• Robotic hysterectomy, robotic pelvic and paraaortic lymphadenectomy
• Diaphragmatic striping and repair of full thickness diaphragmatic rent, lesser omentectomy, splenectomy
Posting in Surgical Oncology and Surgical Gastroenterology (AIIMS Rishikesh/ 3 weeks each): Assisted in
• Segmental liver resection
• Splenectomy
• Whipple procedure
• Partial pancreatectomy
• Low anterior resection with anastomosis
• Gastrectomy
• Feeding jejunostomy
• Video-assisted thoracoscopy
Posted in Colorectal Surgery unit for 6 weeks. During the tenure assisted following surgeries:
• Left colectomy – Hartmann’s procedure and Low anterior resection
• Right colectomy with ileo-colic anastomosis
• Ileostomy
• Ileal resection anastomosis
Posted in Urology for 1 month. During the tenure assisted following surgeries
• Open nephrectomy
• Ureteroneocystostomy
• Ureteric reimplantation
• Radical cystectomy with ileal conduit
Posted in Radiation Oncology for 3 weeks in both courses.
• Assisted in planning of CT guided IMRT in case of
➢ Primary concurrent ChemoRT for carcinoma cervix
➢ Post primary surgery with positive margin and high-risk feature in carcinoma cervix
➢ Post-surgery adjuvant chemotherapy for carcinoma endometrium
➢ Recurrent carcinoma cervix or carcinoma endometrium.
• Assisted and done under supervision – insertion of intracavity brachytherapy applicator placement, planning of brachytherapy
• Assisted in interstitial brachytherapy applicator placement along with planning
• Assisted in vault brachytherapy applicator- intravaginal cylinder placement
Medical Oncology posting- 2 months during MCh training/ 2 weeks during Post- Doctoral Fellowship.
• Under supervision administered chemotherapy regimens – adjuvant and neoadjuvant chemotherapy for epithelial/germ cell/ sex-cord-stromal ovarian cancer
• Administer chemotherapy in endometrial and cervical cancer
• Chemotherapy in Gestational trophoblastic neoplasia
• Planning of chemotherapy in non-gynecological cancer patients
Palliative care posting- 2 weeks during Post-Doctoral Fellowship in CMC Vellore
• Pain management in patients with cancer by using WHO ladder for cancer pain relief
• Management of different ailments of patients with terminal cancer
Posting in Department of Pathology - 2 weeks during Post-Doctoral Fellowship in CMC Vellore
• Observed specimen grossing, preparation of slide and microscopic picture
• Observed Frozen section slide preparation and microscopy
• Observed preparation of Paps smear and liquid based cytology
Senior Resident in Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology in AIIMS Rishikesh from 23rd July 2014 till 9th July 2016.
Junior Resident Obstetrics & Gynecology Medical College, Kolkata: May 9, 2011- May 8, 2014.

PRIZES

• Winner of YUVA FOGSI state level Quiz competition - Topic: Endocrinology (2013)
• Won 2nd place in East Zone YUVA FOGSI - Topic: Endocrinology (2013)

RESEARCH WORKS

I have completed following research works.
1. “Comparison between routine and selective lymphadenectomy during optimally debulked interval cytoreductive surgery in patients with advanced stage carcinoma ovary post neoadjuvant chemotherapy” – Randomized controlled prospective clinical trial compared routine lymphadenectomy (retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy irrespective of size of lymph nodes) to selective lymphadenectomy (retroperitoneal lymphadenectomy of ≥10 mm size lymph nodes) after achieving R0 status during interval cytoreductive surgery. Factors compared were efficacy- total and positive lymph node yield, safety, complications, perioperative morbidity profile. Total 34 patients were randomized, 16 in routine arm and 18 in selective arm. Recruitment period was April 2019 to August 2021. Due to COVID pandemic patient recruitment was seriously hampered.
Conclusion of the study-routine lymphadenectomy was superior to selective lymphadenectomy in regards to total lymph node and positive lymph node yield. In the studied population lymph node size by imaging or clinical estimation may not be accurate to determine involved lymph nodes post chemotherapy. Though routine lymphadenectomy significantly increased lymphadenectomy time, overall safety of routine lymphadenectomy was comparable with selective lymphadenectomy.
2. Done retrospective study on "Treatment and Survival Outcomes of Surgery for Carcinoma Vulva. Epidemiology and survival of carcinoma vulva treated in Christian Medical College Vellore between 2011 to 2015. The median age was 59 with a range of 27–82 years. Most common (90%) histological type was squamous cell carcinoma. Most (66.7%) patients had early stage disease, while stage III was seen in 23.3% and stage IV in 10%. Primary surgery was done in 27/30 (90%) patients while three with stage IV had surgery following neoadjuvant therapy. Complications included wound dehiscence in 6/30 (20%), lymphocysts in 11/30 (36.7%), urinary infections in 3/30 (10%) and one death within 30 days. There were 6 recurrences (20%) and 10 deaths (33.3%). Mean recurrence-free survival was 84.6 (95% CI 67.6– 101.6) months. Mean overall survival time was 70 (95% CI 53.1–86.9) months.
Our conclusion was- Radical wide local excision with groin node dissection is possible in most early cases. Flaps can reduce wound breakdown. A multidisciplinary approach can ensure long-term survival with good quality of life.
3. Research work was done between May2012 to April 2013on “Study on Etiology &Profile of Genitourinary Fistula” and was published as thesis work.

PRESENTATIONS IN CONFERENCES:

PRESENTATION IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE:

1. Invited as speaker and moderator in the 8th Biennial Meeting of Asian Society of Gynecologic Oncology (ASGO 2023).
2. Interim analysis of the study “Comparison between routine and selective lymphadenectomy during optimally debulked interval cytoreductive surgery in patients with advanced stage carcinoma ovary post neoadjuvant chemotherapy” was presented as a poster in 42nd Annual General Meeting of The Society of Gynecologic Oncology of Canada in June 2021

PRESENTATIONS IN NATIONAL CONFERENCES:

1. Oral presentation in original research category- Comparison between routine and selective lymphadenectomy during optimally debulked interval cytoreductive surgery in patients with advanced stage carcinoma ovary post neoadjuvant chemotherapy in AGICON 2021.
2. Isolated vulval metastasis in a cervical cancer survivor: let optimism prevail! – poster presented in AGOICON 2019
3. Retrospective study on epidemiology and survival of carcinoma vulva treated in Christian Medical College Vellore between 2011 to 2015- Oral paper presentation in AGOICON 2017

EXTRA ACADEMIC INTERESTS:

When I am off work, I like to read. My favorite writer is Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn for his novel “The first Circle” and my favorite poet is Jibananda Das.
I am a fan of cricket and team India. Cricket helped me to become better team man.
I also like to cook in my free time.