Chennai: “In the country’s urban population, 120 of 1 lakh people are affected with cancer and the rate is 45-55 in rural areas,” said Apollo Proton Cancer Center medical director Dr Rakesh Jalali.
In order to provide better cure for tumour patients, Apollo Proton Cancer Center with 140 beds has been established in Taramani at a cost of Rs 1, 300 crore. Chennai gets the first such centre in the entire Southeast Asia.
“In this form of treatment, the positively charged ions are used to kill the cells. Around three million people live with the disease in India at any given time and among them five to seven per cent of cancer population is eligible for proton therapy. They are selected based on several criterion like the age of malignant cells, penetration and other factors,” said Dr Rakesh at a press meet here Thursday.
He further stated that the therapy benefits younger adults and children and minimises the chances of occuring second cancer as the facility uses pencil beam technology to make the exposure to tumour cells with utmost accuracy and destroy the mutation.
“Twenty five odd patients have been registered and the tumour board is planning to start the course of treatment for seven people,” Dr Rakesh said and added the total treatment is estimated to cost around Rs 25 – 30 lakh.
Caption: Apollo Proton Cancer Centre vice-president John Chandy, Centre’s medical director Dr Rakesh Jalali, senior oncologist Dr T Raja, Apollo Hospitals Group managing director Suneeta Reddy, executive chairman Dr Prathap C Reddy and vice chairperson Preetha Reddy at a press meet in Chennai Thursday.