Radiation Oncology
Therapeutic and Diagnostic Facilities

• Dual energy Linear Accelerator (VARIAN CLINAC DMX) with IMRT facilities.
  
• HDR Brachytherapy unit (GAMMA MED) with CT based planning.
  
• Gamma Camera (GE).
  
• Highly specialised nuclear medicine tests are available for tumour localization and infection of the bone, thyroid, kidney etc.
• Diagnostic facilities including multislice CT scan and 1.5 Tesla MRI.
• Mammography and 4D-Ultrasonography.

A. Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

• IMRT uses radiation beams of varying intensities to deliver different doses of radiation to different volumes of tissue.
  
• It "paints" dose to the tumour with pinpoint precision, while sparing healthy normal tissue.
  
• IMRT leads to fewer side effects during and after the treatment.
  
• This technique has been so impressive that radiation oncologists around the world are using it for nearly every type of solid tumour.
  
• It has proven to be a remarkably effective way to treat cancer and improve patients' lives during treatment and after.
  
• Because IMRT equipment is highly specialized, not every radiation oncology centre uses IMRT.
  
• This "State of the art" technology has been proved to be useful in the treatment of brain, head and neck, breast, prostate, thorax, gastrointestinal tract and gynaecological tumours.

B. Three - Dimensional (3D) Conformal Radiation Therapy

A 3D image of a tumour is obtained by computed tomography (CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Using information from the image, special computer programs design radiation beams that "conforms' to the shape of the tumour. Because the healthy tissue issue surrounding the tumour is largely spared by this technique, higher doses of radiation can be used to treat the cancer. Improved outcomes with 3D conformal radiation therapy can be achieved for nasopharyngeal, prostate, lung, liver, and brain cancers.

C. High Dose Rate-Remote After Loader Brachytherapy Unit

Gamma Medplus HDR brachytherapy equipment with Brachy Vision 3D treatment planning software provides HDR treatment planning based on CT, MR and ultrasound images. Treatment is carried out by placing sealed radioactive sources close to or within the cancer tissue in the body. Each fraction of treatment lasts for a few minutes. It offers optimal treatment and dose delivery in the management of cancer of cervix, tongue, cheek, bronchus, oesophagus, breast and prostate.

D. Stereotactic Radiosurgery (SRS) and Stereotactic Radiotherapy (SRT)

This will be available for localized benign or malignant tumours of the brain like acoustic neuromas, pituitary adenomas, gliomas, meningiomas and arteriovenous malformations in the near future.

Surgical Oncology

The surgical oncology team of the Hospital has to its credit, a wide range of surgeries like:

• Breast conservation surgery and mastectomies - Breast Cancer
  
• Gynaecologic and Urologic Surgeries - Uterus and Ovary tumours.
  
• Gastric & Colorectal Cancers including Sphincter sparing surgery using staplers.
  
• Head and Neck Surgery with facilities for Plastic and Microvascular Reconstruction.
  
• Limb Sparing Surgery (LSS) - Bone and Soft Tissue Tumours.<
• Thoracic Surgery - Oesophageal Cancer.

Medical Oncology

• Chemotherapy involves use of drugs orally or intravenously in combating the cancer along with other modalities.
  
• The centre has a team of qualified and experienced medical oncologists who prescribe standard protocols and regimens that offer the greatest chance of cure with cost effectiveness.