AIIMS-Bathinda eyes CSR funds to set up proton beam therapy for cancer treatment
The equipment for the treatment is tipped to be ₹500 cr and has fewer side effects than traditional radiation therapy
The All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Bathinda, is working to introduce a proton beam therapy system by securing a sophisticated machine to boost cancer treatment.
Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy, and experts say that global studies suggest that it may cause fewer side effects than traditional radiation.
The central institute is in talks with international agencies in Singapore and Italy to source the sophisticated healthcare equipment under CSR, which is tipped to cost ₹500 crore.
Authorities hope to establish a high-end oncological care system soon and that the Bathinda-based institute will be the first public-sector institute in the country to offer proton beam therapy.
AIIMS executive director, Dr Meenu Singh said that the therapy is an advanced treatment used for complex cancers, including central nervous system, head and neck tumours, and urological cancers.
“Presently, a private institute in Chennai is offering treatment, whereas the Tata Memorial Centre is using the technology more for experimental purposes. Due to the very high cost involved in this treatment system, we decided to get it through corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds,” said Dr Singh, who holds the dual charge of AIIMS, Bathinda, while being ED of AIIMS, Rishikesh.
She said that the Bathinda-based institute has a patient catchment area in Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
“Earlier, cancer patients from Punjab’s Malwa region had to visit Rajasthan and other places for treatment, but with the establishment of AIIMS, patients from different states are availing treatment facilities for cancer and other ailments. Proton beam therapy will be another milestone in providing patient care,” she added.
AIIMS head of the radiation oncology department, Dr Anil Kumar Goel, said that worldwide experiments say that proton beam therapy is proven to be the preferred method of treatment for many types of tumours among children.
Under this therapy, proton beams specifically target the exact area of the tumour, which reduces or eliminates the peripheral radiation that can extend into surrounding tissue through other types of treatment.
“As children are more sensitive to radiation than adults, standard radiation treatment typically is avoided in children, specifically those who are under three years old, as it can affect their bone growth,” Goel said, who has been tasked to establish the cutting-edge treatment facility due to his training at two prestigious cancer hospitals in the US.
