Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC), has introduced a focused therapy for cancer– Proton Beam Therapy in Nigeria.
Proton therapy is a radiation therapy that uses tiny particles called protons as excellent cancer cell killers. Protons deliver their energy but do not damage healthy tissue in comparison to photon therapy. Therefore, a higher dose of radiation can be targeted at the tumour without affecting many normal healthy cells. Proton therapy can be effective in treating tumours of the brain, head and neck, central nervous system, lung, prostate, and gastrointestinal system. Proton therapy is often the preferred option for treating solid tumours in children because protons can be controlled precisely so there is less radiation to normal tissues, help prevent serious complications and lessen the chance of secondary tumours.
Briefing journalists at Abuja on Thursday, Dr. Sapna Nangia – Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist said “Apollo Proton Cancer Centre has been successfully treating cancer patients from Bangladesh through the most advanced new-age technology,” revealing that “complicated cases were treated with the utmost precision, and with successful personal experiences.
“Proton Therapy has multiple advantages that target tumours and cancer cells with precision and minimal exit dose thus reducing overall toxicity. It also reduces the probability and/or severity of short-and long-term side effects on surrounding healthy tissues and organs. It is favourable in treating recurrent tumours, even in patients who have already received radiation.
Commenting on the therapy and its uses, Dr. Sapna Nangia – Senior Consultant, Radiation Oncology program for Head Neck, Breast, and Gynaecological Cancers at the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai, said, “Proton Therapy has emerged as an excellent treatment modality for a number of cancers. One of the most common sites being treated at the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre is cancers of the head and neck. Patients undergoing Proton Therapy have significantly less discomfort during and after treatment and are less likely to require hospital admission, tube feeding, or treatment interruption. In patients with tumours involving the skull base, Protons improve the safety of critical organs like the visual pathway and the brain stem. At Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, we have the latest PBS technology which enables us to deliver highly focused treatments to each tumour, and each tumour is treated with protons, spot- by- spot and layer-by-layer. It has been proven to be successful in curing or controlling many cancers when used appropriately.”
Stating his mother’s journey, Mohammed Kabir, son of Ms Safiya who was treated at Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai, said: “In October 2019, my mother was diagnosed with colon cancer in Dubai and she underwent surgery in the country. After taking a few sessions of chemotherapy, she returned to Nigeria. For a follow-up, we wanted to take her to Turkey, but all our research showed that Apollo Proton Cancer Centre was a better option considering the expertise, knowledge, and advanced technology that its equipped with. We could not have made a better decision as we got the best service, treatment and care at APCC.”
Apollo Proton Cancer Centre has a fully integrated treatment suite that offers the most advanced treatment in surgical, radiation and medical procedures. Apollo brings together a powerful team of clinicians renowned globally in cancer care. With a strong approach in treating cancer, APCC has an experienced multi-disciplinary team of highly skilled clinicians focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for their patients with utmost care.
Mr. Amit Chaturvedi, Deputy General Manager, International Marketing, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai, India, said: “The cancer burden of Nigeria is huge and we are here with a solution which can deal with this problem if not completely but up to a great extent.
“We are treating Nigerians for many years now and we have a big extended family of Apollo patients here in Nigeria.
“Every month, Apollo is receives 100 plus patients in India. But our intention is not only to take patients from from Nigeria or any other country to India. We believe in capacity building in the field of healthcare of the country of origin where patient belongs to. So, for that matter, we have done some tie-ups with some Nigerian public and private sector.
“We are in talk with national hospital to run clinical programs in collaboratively while we’re also looking at telemedicine from Nigeria.”
Mr. Amit Chaturvedi also said that they’re in discussions with many of the public healthcare providers for comprehensive Cancer Center in Nigeria.
About Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC), Chennai, India:
Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, the most advanced Cancer Centre, and the first Proton Therapy Centre in South Asia & the Middle East and is India’s first JCI accredited Cancer hospital. At the bedrock of APCC’s approach to treating cancer, is its robust multi-disciplinary platform; highly skilled professionals who come together to form a cancer management team (CMT). Each CMT is focused on delivering the best possible outcomes for their patients. An added feather in the cap is the recent launch of India’s first & only site-specific Robotic Oncology Program.
More information can be seen on: https://proton.apollohospitals.com/
