Andhra Pradesh - Nellore   

Cancer treatment to become more affordable

K.Mritunjaya Ram

The low-cost, indigenous cobalt equipment can offer qualitative treatment

NELLORE: Countless cancer patients will have something to cheer about soon. On December 11, when President A P J Abdul Kalam inaugurates the telecobalt unit - Bhabhatron-2 - the computerised indigenous alternative to imported machines here at J S Cancer hospital, cancer care will become more affordable and accessible to a large number of cancer patients across the country.

As of now, cancer hospitals used to import cobalt-60 therapy units from foreign countries to treat localised solid tumours such as cancer of the skin, tongue, larynx, brain, breast or uterine cervix, which have been very expensive.

But the Remote Handling & Robotics Division of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) took up the development of a computerised telecobalt machine with the Tata Memorial Centre, providing expertise on clinical and technical aspects.

Indigenous equipment

The first computerised indigenous telecobalt unit Bhabhatron-1 has been installed at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), a research facility of Tata Memorial Centre at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai.

This endeavour has promoted commercial production of such units in the country to make cancer care more affordable and widely accessible.

"And the first commercially produced unit in the country will be the one installed at J S Cancer Hospital at Nellore, which is being run by the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS)," Collector M. Ravi Chandra and IRCS Honorary Secretary A. V. Subrahmanyam told The Hindu on Monday.

User-friendly

"This means, patients need not spend more money for cancer treatment due to availability of low-cost indigenous cobalt equipment, which can offer qualitative and cost-effective treatment for cancer patients.

Its price is around Rs. 1.1 crore. Moreover, the indigenous cobalt machine has unique, user-friendly safety features that are comparable to any imported machines.

The unique feature of Bhabhatron is the fully closable collimator, which shuts automatically in case of any emergency ensuring safety," Dr Subrahmanyam said.

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Cancer treatment to become more affordable

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