Daijiworld Media Network - Guwahati
Guwahati, Sep 30: Assam is set to install a proton beam therapy accelerator at the State Cancer Institute within Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), following the state Cabinet's approval of an investment of Rs 600 crore for the project.
The facility is expected to provide advanced cancer treatment to patients from the Northeast as well as other parts of the country. It will be the third proton therapy facility in India, after facilities at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai and Apollo Hospital in Chennai.
Proton beam therapy uses high-energy protons to target cancer cells with precision while limiting radiation exposure to surrounding healthy tissue. The basic objective of radiation therapy is to deliver an effective dose to the tumour while protecting normal tissues as much as possible.
Doctors may use imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) before radiation treatment to identify and assess the affected area. MRI uses radio-frequency magnetic fields to excite hydrogen protons in the body's tissues, generating signals that help create detailed images.
Proton accelerators have applications beyond cancer treatment and are used in nuclear, particle, atomic and accelerator physics, as well as material science and astrophysics. Different types of accelerators, including cyclotrons and Pelletron accelerators, are used to accelerate charged particles for scientific research.
The growing burden of cancer has increased the importance of advanced radiation-treatment technologies. Proton therapy can be particularly useful in cases where reducing radiation exposure to nearby healthy organs is important.
Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai installed a proton accelerator in 2023 and has been using the technology for cancer treatment.
The Assam government's move is also being accompanied by efforts to establish a heavy-ion accelerator centre in the Northeast to promote Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), in collaboration with Cotton University, Gauhati University and other institutions. BNCT is used clinically in Japan and is being studied and developed in several other countries.
The proposed proton accelerator facility is expected to expand access to advanced cancer treatment in Assam and strengthen the Northeast's capacity for specialised cancer care and multidisciplinary scientific research.