Bengaluru: City hospital uses advanced technology to help man conquer multiple cancers

Bengaluru: Sixty-eight-year-old Raj (name changed) was diagnosed in 2016 with stage-III throat cancer (carcinoma pyriform sinus). He was treated with concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy using the advanced treatment strategies such as tomotherapy directed Image Guided Radiotherapy with Concurrent Cisplatin based chemotherapy on a weekly basis as decided by the multidisciplinary tumor board meeting involving surgical, medical, radiation oncologists and allied sciences at HCG Cancer Hospital.

The patient was on regular follow up at the hospital on a quarterly basis for the first year and then on half yearly basis for the second year. At the end of second year in October 2018, he developed a solitary nodule in the right lung measuring 2.8 x 3 cms.

The biopsy suggested the presence of cancer in the lung. Dr. Lohit Reddy, Consultant Radiation Oncologist, Clinical lead-Radiomics and AI in cancer, HCG Cancer Hospitals, discussed in the multidisciplinary tumor board and treated him with the most sophisticated stereotactic body radiotherapy using Cyberknife technology by tracking the lung lesion using surrogate gold fiducial placement for 5 days on outpatient basis for around 45 minutes each day.

Speaking to The Hans India the doctor said, "When the patient came to us, he was suffering from hoarseness of voice, swallowing difficulty and weight loss. After all the required test and evaluation, he was diagnosed with locally advanced head and neck cancer (hypopharynx). We discussed with the patient and his family regarding the treatment process and he underwent radiation treatment using high end IGRT technique with tomotherapy and radiosensitizing doses of Cisplatin. Post treatment evaluation suggested complete control of the cancer in the head and neck region. During his regular follow ups after two years, he was to have cancer in his right lung and was evaluated with the most advanced imaging and on confirmation of histology. We as a team decided to use radio surgery using Cyberknife technology and it's been three years since last treatment and now the disease is under complete control."

Raj said, "It was like a bad dream; I had no hope for the future. But the doctors here at HCG diagnosed my condition correctly, gave me the best care and treated it successfully. From the beginning the doctors were very positive and hopeful about my condition, and this made me stay positive throughout the treatment."

The technical advancements in the medical science and trained oncologists in India are making a huge difference in cancer treatment.

The doctors believe that the usage of advanced technologies such as genomics, advanced radiation therapy equipment such as tomotherapy and cyberknife and with a good team effort cancer can be conquered.