The Tata Memorial Hospital will establish one of the world’s largest therapeutic nuclear facility in the next two to three months at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research, and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) in Kharghar, Maharashtra.
Dr Sudeep Gupta, Director, Tata Memorial Centre, said the facility will have 41 hot beds and a cyclotron unit.
The cyclotron unit will be made in collaboration with Navi Mumbai-based Board of Radiation & Isotope Technology, an independent unit of the Department of Atomic Energy, which provides products and services based on radiation and isotopes for applications in healthcare, agriculture, research and industry.
“The new facility will be a game-changer in treating severe cancer patients. Currently we have five hot beds for radiation isotope treatment, which utilise radioactive substances to target and eliminate cancer cells.”
Dr Sudeep Gupta, Director, Tata Memorial Centre
Dr Gupta emphasised the potential to increase recovery rates for advanced cases through this treatment.
“The targeted use of specific isotopes emitting radiation, whether ingested, injected, or externally applied, allows for selective accumulation in tumours. This approach enables localised radiation therapy, minimising damage to healthy tissues and enhancing the precision of cancer treatment,” he said.
Moreover, the precision approach involving specific isotopes is particularly effective for cancers of thyroid and prostate. By damaging the DNA of cancer cells, this method hinders their growth, contributing to more targeted and efficient treatment strategies.
Dr Shripad Banavali, Director of Academics at Tata Memorial Centre, said the completion of the entire setup was a significant milestone, and the plan to commence functionality in the next two-three months reflected the imminent realisation of this advanced treatment facility.
Expanding the treatment scope to include patients with breast cancer reflected a proactive approach in providing comprehensive care, extending the benefits of advanced treatments to a broader range of patients.
(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Connected to India)