Mumbai: Proton treatment for cancer patients at Tata Hospital to start from next week

Tata Hospital's centre at Kharghar will be treating cancer patients with the much awaited proton beam treatment from next week. Crores of rupees are being spent for this treatment in foreign countries and here this treatment will be done at a modest cost. The long awaited proton beam treatment was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May. Tata Hospital has become the first public hospital in the country to provide this facility.

Today, cancer patients who come to Tata Hospital are treated with radiation therapy. But this kills cancer cells as well as other cells. However, proton therapy only destroys cancer cells. Proton therapy is known as the latest treatment modality. In the proton treatment system, priority will be given to children, while 40 percent of senior citizens will be treated. Approximately 800 patients will be treated every year. Also, free treatment will be given to poor patients. Three beam cameras are installed in the centre for proton therapy treatment. So it will be possible to treat three patients at a time with proton therapy. The cost of a beam camera is INR 30 to 40 crores, said Rajesh Badve, director of Tata Hospital.

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The treatment will be done in just 20 minutes

Proton therapy is likely to take at least 20 minutes to treat a single patient. But the radiation beam will be given to a patient only for two minutes. But it usually takes 10 to 15 minutes to decide which direction to direct the beam. Only after starting the treatment of the first patient, the second patient can be prepared for treatment.

Proton treatment which can be viewed online will generally last for 30 to 40 days. The duration of treatment will be determined according to the tumour. The doctor will be able to see the report online about how much the size of the tumour has been reduced by this treatment.