NCI in Haryana Will Soon Offer Proton Therapy for Cancer

National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Haryana to be the first government hospital to provide Proton Therapy for cancer.

National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Haryana will soon be the first government hospital to offer Proton Therapy for cancer patients.

Proton Therapy, a costly treatment for cancer patients, will soon come into effect at newly built National Cancer Institute in Haryana's Jhajjar district, making it the first government-run hospital to offer the service.

Proton Beam Therapy for Cancer Treatment
Proton therapy is a form of radiotherapy for cancer treatment which uses a proton beam that is targeted precisely on the tumor cells, destroying them with minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue. Proton therapy can treat various types of cancer.

‘National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Haryana to be the first government hospital to provide Proton Therapy for cancer patients.’
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Dr. GK Rath, Head IRCH AIIMS and NCI told IANS that the service will be rolled out after 18 months at a minimal charge.

"So far, only Apollo Chennai has Proton Therapy treatment, and the cost of it is Rs 25 lakh. At NCI, it will be given for a minimal charge while those under PMJAY can avail the service for free of cost," he said.

Proton Therapy is one of the advanced cancer treatment in which only the cancer cells are targeted, and the rest of the body remains unharmed, unlike chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Proton Therapy Shown to be Less Costly Than Alternative Techniques
Patients with early stage breast cancer may benefit from accelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) with proton therapy versus whole breast irradiation (WBI) in terms of duration of treatment and cost.

"This therapy is effective on all, and the treatment can be even given to children with no harm in their growth," Dr. Rath noted.

The NCI, which is also India's largest cancer institute was officially made open for public service on Tuesday.

Proton Therapy may Provide Better Prognosis Than Other Radiation Methods in Prostate Cancer Patients
Proton therapy for prostate cancer patients may present better overall outcomes when compared to Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT)

The formal inauguration was done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi via video conference while Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda was present at the NCI campus along ministry officials and AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria.

Built at the cost of Rs 2,035 crore, the 710-bed hospital has 1,080 hostel rooms for doctors and 800 rooms for attendants of patients. Last year in December, OPD services were started on a trial-basis at the institute.

Advanced Proton Therapy Shows Promise To Treat Lung Cancer Recurrence
More than 222,500 people will be diagnosed and 155,870 will die from lung cancer in 2017, with recurrence the primary cause of death in these patients.

The Jhajjar project was approved by the Cabinet on December 26, 2013, and the hospital's foundation stone was laid on January 3, 2014, by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in 2014.

Source-IANS