Dr Shaikat Gupta, Head of the Department of Surgical Oncology, Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital Kolkata has said that cancer is the fast assuming epidemic proportions; ranked amongst the top three reasons for morbidity across the world and stressed that there is an increasing need for taking the fight to disease.
"Cancer can be curable if detected in the early stage. People should be aware of the importance of earlier detection of cancer through periodical medical check-ups," he said adding that Apollo Hospital would soon to starts ‘Proton Therapy’ for the treatment of cancer which would be first in India. “We are committed to the eradication of the menace of cancer,” he said.
Proton Therapy is a radiation treatment that specifically targets tumours, reducing the exposure on the healthy tissues thereby cutting down the possibility of side-effects. It is an advanced form of radiation therapy that uses beams of high-energy protons rather than traditional X-rays to irradiate a tumor. The protons are precisely aimed at cancerous cells, attack their DNA and induce their destruction, he said.
With this inherent characteristic of protons, it is possible to control the radiation dose, to delimit the irradiated region and to identify and treat the tumor with unmatched precision, efficiency and safety, he said.
Proton therapy allows the treatment of tumors with unmatched accuracy, security and efficiency. The administered dose is focused on the tumor and spares healthy surrounding tissues, thereby reducing side effects such as radiation-induced cancers while due to their intrinsic physical properties, X-rays used in traditional radiation therapy can damage healthy tissue, he said.
Apollo Cancer Hospital is well equipped to deliver all surgical treatment options for overcoming the challenge posed by cancer, said Dr Gupta.
"We have accessed to the latest medicines that can help us effectively manage the ravages of Cancer and turn back its effect," said Dr P N Mohapatra Director and Head of the Department of Medical Oncology of Apollo Gleneagles Cancer Hospital. The doctors were in Bokaro to participate in a two days workshop on ‘Gynecological Onco-Surgery’ at Bokaro General Hospital (BGH).