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Evolving Exam Prep into Clinical Mastery

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Evolving Exam Prep into Clinical Mastery
  • hematology-oncology | Myeloproliferative Neoplasm | Phlebotomy | Polycythemia Vera | Supportive Intervention

    Understanding Therapeutic Phlebotomy

    ByDr Avinash Deo January 26, 2026January 26, 2026

    Introduction Therapeutic phlebotomy—the controlled removal of blood for therapeutic purposes—is a cornerstone of management in Polycythemia Vera (PV) and is used for relieving symptoms in secondary polycythaemias. While the practice of bloodletting has ancient origins, modern therapeutic phlebotomy bears little resemblance to its historical predecessor. Historical bloodletting was rooted in humoral theory and applied indiscriminately…

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  • Cancer Staging
    cancer staging | TMN staging

    Mastering Cancer Staging: A Physician’s Essential Guide

    ByDr Avinash Deo December 30, 2025December 30, 2025

    The TNM cancer staging system often appears as a seemingly impossible maze to navigate. However, beneath the complex tables lies a clear clinical logic: matching the aggression of the treatment to the aggression of the disease. This guide provides a strategic framework for medical students to master cancer staging, moving beyond anatomical memorization to understand…

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  • Rip van Winkle Series | History of Oncology | Lung Cancer | Precision Medicine

    Rip Van Winkle, MD: Episode 1: The Metastatic Lung Cancer Awakening

    ByDr Avinash Deo December 15, 2025December 31, 2025

    “If you slept through the Genomic Era, here is your wake-up call.” The Premise: The year is 1995. Dr. Rip Van Winkle, a hardworking Senior Resident in Medical Oncology, sits at the small, cluttered desk in his apartment. He has just returned from a punishing 14-hour shift of ward rounds, his feet throbbing, yet he…

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  • Cancer Treatment

    Performance Status In Oncology: Guiding Treatment Decisions and Estimating Prognosis

    ByDr Avinash Deo December 10, 2025December 10, 2025

    The 60-Second Rounds 1. Introduction The idea of performance status began with Dr. David Karnofsky in 1948, who created the Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) to measure a patient’s functional well-being alongside tumor response. He realized that tumor shrinkage alone did not reflect whether patients were actually improving — many felt worse even when X-rays looked…

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  • Cancer Diagnosis | Ovarian Cancer | Tumour Markers

    Adnexal Mass Triage: Solving the Clinical Dilemma

    ByDr Avinash Deo November 26, 2025November 27, 2025

    The Clinical Dilemma: To Operate or To Observe? The Problem: You have a patient with a localised adnexal mass. Some will be malignant, but others will be benign. Distinguishing them is the central challenge of gynaecologic oncology. The Constraint: The Stakes: The Gap: Conventional tools—CA-125 and standard Ultrasound—have significant limitations. CA-125 has poor specificity (false…

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  • Cancer Diagnosis | Tumour Markers

    A Clinician’s Guide to Understanding Tumor Markers

    ByDr Avinash Deo October 25, 2025October 25, 2025

    A definitive clinical guide to tumor markers. Learn the 4 roles, the ‘trend-over-value’ rule, and the practical, guideline-based use of PSA, CEA, AFP, and more.

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  • Cancer Nomenclature | NExT Step 1 Prep

    Tumour Nomenclature: A Clinician’s Framework for NExT & NEET-PG

    ByDr Avinash Deo October 16, 2025October 16, 2025

    Introduction: The Logic Behind the Language You’ve encountered dozens of tumour names. Some are logical, but many feel like random, contradictory terms. Why is a glandular tumour called an adenoma (benign) but a melanocytic tumour is a melanoma (malignant)? They both end in “-oma”. Why is a mesothelioma always malignant, leaving no room for a…

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  • Breast Cancer | Breast Cancer Treatment | Cancer Chemotherapy | Cancer Treatment | Immunotherapy for Cancer | Neo-Adjuvant Therapy | Systemic Treatment of Cancer

    The Doctor’s Breast Cancer Dilemma: Evidence vs Instincts

    ByDr Avinash Deo October 8, 2025October 8, 2025

    A physician’s instinct, based on decades of medical training, is to remove the tumor. But what if the modern, evidence-based approach requires waiting? A paradigm shift in breast cancer treatment now shows that using systemic therapy before surgery can dramatically increase the chances of a cure.

    Explore this doctor’s dilemma through a compelling conversation between a family physician facing her own diagnosis and the oncologist who explains the powerful, life-saving reasons behind this new standard of care.

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  • Cancer Prevention | Cancer Screening | Oncology in Primary Care

    Cancer Prevention in Your Clinic: A Two-Pronged Approach to Risk

    ByDr Avinash Deo September 13, 2025

    The Conversation After the Consultation A 48-year-old software executive has just finished his consultation for hypertension management. As he’s about to leave, he pauses at the door. “Doctor,” he says, “my uncle was just diagnosed with cancer. Is there anything I should be doing to prevent it?” This question, often asked as an afterthought, is…

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  • Medical Communication | Oncology in Primary Care | Patient Counselling | Practice Management

    The PREPARE Model: Transforming Difficult Medical Conversations

    ByDr Avinash Deo September 13, 2025September 13, 2025

    Picture a typical Tuesday afternoon in your clinic. The waiting room is overflowing, and you’re trying to catch up. Your next patient is Mr. Patil, a 62-year-old you know well, who came in last week with a persistent cough. You ordered a chest X-ray, expecting to find evidence of bronchitis or pneumonia. But the radiologist’s…

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