Tata Memorial Centre Launches In-House Research On Proton Beam Therapy For Cancer Treatment

A wing of Mumbai-based Tata Memorial Centre will initiate in-house research projects on maximum use of proton beam therapy, an advanced form of radiation treatment, for both paediatric and adult cancers, said an official on Thursday. The TMC's Advanced Centre for Treatment Research & Education in Cancer will launch the projects in partnership with global researchers, he said.

On the occasion of completion of one year of proton therapy facility at the leading cancer hospital, Professor Siddhartha Laskar, Deputy Director (Academics and Proton Therapy), TMC, told reporters that 15-20% of patients receiving radiation therapy could potentially benefit from treatment using proton beams.

In India, around 60,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year and 4,000 of them would potentially benefit from proton beam therapy, he said.

Similarly, he said, a much larger number of patients in the adult age group would also benefit from this advanced radiation treatment tool.

The therapy uses protons (high-energy particles) rather than X-rays to treat cancer with minimal side- effects. At high energy, protons can destroy cancer cells.

Currently, the cost of one course of proton beam therapy treatment in America is $1,50,000-2,50,000 (Rs 1 crore to Rs 1.5 crore), according to Prof Laskar.

Availability of the therapy at TMC, which works under the Department of Atomic Energy, has made this state-of-the-art treatment accessible to a large number of patients from within India and also those from neighbouring countries benefiting in both paying and non-paying categories (40:60), he informed.

"With the expanding use of particle therapy for treatment of cancers globally, there is a need to conduct focused research to review the impact of this technology on the outcomes of cancer therapy," he noted.

"With a large number of patients that we expect to avail treatment at TMC's proton therapy facility, we have planned relevant research directed at generating robust, high quality scientific evidence to better define the use of particle therapy for various indications both in adults and children. Towards this TMC will initiate in-house research projects and also collaborate with global researchers," Prof Laskar said.

In the last one year, 119 patients have received treatment at the TMC proton therapy unit. Of these, 62% were in the general category and 38% in private. Also, 28 patients (24% of total) were treated free of cost or supported by funds raised by the hospital through its Patient Welfare Funds or Corporate Social Responsibility, he informed.

There were 22 patients (18%) who were in the paediatric age group.

Treatment for very young children requiring anaesthesia will start soon, said Prof Laskar.

A majority of the patients treated at the unit included bone tumours (32%) and CNS (central nervous system) (29%) followed by head & neck (14%), paediatric solid, breast, gynaecological, prostate and gastrointestinal tumours, he said.

"All patients treated at the centre till now have been thoroughly scrutinised by specialist treatment groups to ensure maximum advantage with proton therapy and completed their treatment with minimal side effects," Prof Laskar added.