Best Doctors in India for Proton Therapy
- Radiation Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rakesh Jalali has been one of the top Radiation Oncologists in the country due to his utter dedication to Cancer Research and Education.
- He has been awarded the Oncologist Award by Medscape in 2014 and also received the top radiation oncologist award for consecutive 3 years from 2014 onwards.
- Over the years of his career, he has conducted path-breaking research to enhance the quality of cancer treatment.
- Radiation Oncologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 32 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Tejinder Kataria is a renowned radiation oncologist who holds an experience of about 32 years in the field of radiation oncology.
- She founded the Department of Radiation Oncology at Artemis Health Institute and Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute.
- Her interests lie in stereotactic radiotherapy (SBRT), Image-Guided Radiotherapy (IGRT), Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT)and 3-D Conformal Radiation (3D CRT), PET-CT, MRI, SPECT, DSA and CT-Simulator fusion for treatment planning.
- Radiation Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 25 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Mahadev P is a radiation oncologist with 25+ years of experience and has played a major role in starting the Diplomate of National Board course in Radiotherapy in 2005.
- After getting trained in Australia, Dr. Mahadev P started Prostate brachytherapy at Apollo Specialty Cancer Hospital.
- Dr. Mahadev is also trained in Cyberknife radiosurgery – the only system in the world to treat tumors in the body with sub-millimeter accuracy.
- Radiation Oncologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 40 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Subodh Chandra Pande is a well-known radiation oncologist in India. He has a long and rich clinical and teaching experience in the specialty of radiation oncology.
- He included a Dual Energy Linear Accelerator with Multi-Leaf Collimator at Bhagwan Mahaveer Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (BMCHRC), Jaipur & which was a first for the State of Rajasthan.
- Radiation Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 24 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Rathna Devi is a senior Radiation Oncologist who has an experience of 24 years in the field.
- She completed MBBS from M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Bangalore University, and a Diploma in Radiotherapy from Madras Medical College, Dr. MGR Medical University.
- Dr. Rathna Devi’s areas of expertise include Cranial Cyberknife Radiosurgery, Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT), and Stereotactic Body Radio Therapy (SBRT).
- Radiation Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 15 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Srinivas Chilukuri has been in one of the top layers of Oncologists in the country.
- He has been the clinical lead in advanced Radiation Oncology and has successfully trained more than 200 students all over the Indian Subcontinent.
- He was one of the first radiation oncologists to develop expertise and experience in the Volumetric Modulated technique for Paediatric and Prostate Cancer.
- Radiation Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 10 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Ashwathy Susan Mathew has been an eminent doctor hailing from the Department of Radiation Oncology Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai.
- She has performed extensive research in the diagnosis and treatment of Gastro-Intestinal Cancers and related metastasis.
- She has been awarded the Parvati Devi Gold Medal for Best Paper at the 34th Annual Conference of the Association of Radiation Oncologists of India.
- Radiation Oncologist, Chennai, India
- Over 33 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Sapna Nangia is a highly proficient clinical and radiation oncologist with versatile experience in cancer management.
- She has an experience of more than thirty-three years as a doctor and twenty-four years as a doctor across various eminent institutions in the country.
- Dr. Sapna Nangia has been trained for proton therapy at Miami Cancer Care, New York
- Radiation Oncologist, New Delhi, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. G K Jadhav is one of the leading radiation oncologists in India.
- He has a complex understanding of cancer biology, clinical care, and radiation physics.
- Dr. Jadhav has an experience of more than 20 years in the field of radiation oncology.
- Radiation Oncologist, Gurugram, India
- Over 20 years’ experience
Profile Highlights:
- Dr. Indu Bansal Agarwal is the Director and Senior Consultant in the Department of Radiation Oncology at Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Gurugram.
- Dr. Indu Bansal Agarwal is extremely skilled in high-end techniques such as SRS, FSRS, IMRT, intraluminal, and interstitial brachytherapy. Her special areas of interest are Pediatric tumors, Central Nervous System Tumors, and Breast, Head and Neck Cancers.
- Dr. Indu Agarwal has co-authored chapters of several books and also has numerous publications to her credit in National and International Journals.
Best Hospitals in India for Proton Therapy
Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Indraprastha Apollo Hospital is a 700-bedded multispecialty hospital in the heart of the capital of India. It is a part of Apollo Hospital group, one of India’s most reputed healthcare chains. Indraprastha Apollo Hospital has been accredited by Joint Commission International, making it the first internationally accredited hospital in the country in 2005.
- There are 52 specialties in the hospital with one of the best cardiology centers in the country. The hospital is also equipped with State of the art infrastructure facilities with the largest Sleep Lab in Asia and the largest number of ICU bed facilities in India.
- The hospital also has one of the largest dialysis units in India along with a dedicated Bone Marrow Transplant unit.
- The latest and highly advanced technologies that are installed in the hospital include Da Vinci Robotic Surgery System, PET-MR, PET-CT, Cobalt-based HDR Brachytherapy, Brain Lab Navigation System, Tilting MRI, Portable CT scanner, 3 Tesla MRI, 128 Slice CT scanner, DSA Lab, Endosonography, Hyperbaric Chamber and Fibro scan.
Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Memorial Research Institute is a multi-super-specialty, quaternary care hospital with 1000 beds. The hospital comprises reputed clinicians, and international faculty and is also equipped with cutting-edge technology. The hospital is a part of Fortis Healthcare Limited, a reputed chain of private hospitals in India.
- It is a NABH-accredited hospital that is spread across 11 acres of land and has a capacity of 1000 beds. The hospital has 55 specialties and is one of the premier health care centers in the Asia Pacific region popularly known as “the Mecca of Healthcare”.
- The hospital has 260 diagnostic centers and is also equipped with the latest and advanced techniques that include 3 Telsa which is the world’s first Digital MRI technology. The hospital also has world-class Radiation Therapy techniques which have been developed by leading technology experts from Elekta and Brain Lab.
Apollo Hospital, Chennai
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, is one of the best hospitals for heart care in India. Over the years, Apollo has expanded all over India, as a healthcare chain.
- India’s first ‘Only Pancreas’ transplant was performed in Apollo Hospital. The hospital is known for successfully performing Asia’s first en-bloc combined heart and liver transplant, and over the years, it has attained a remarkable achievement in the global healthcare space. Around 3-4 organ transplants are performed in the hospital per day.
- Equipped with over 500 beds, this hospital in Chennai was established in 1983 and since then has been among the most preferred hospital for patients from all over the world.
- The hospital holds accreditation of the NABH and JCI and is the first hospital in India to be ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified. It is also the first South Indian Hospital to receive subsequent reaccreditation from the JCI USA 4 times.
Medanta-The Medicity, Gurgaon
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- One of India’s best and largest multi-specialty hospitals, Medanta was built with the aim to bring India to the highest standards of medical care. The hospital has been providing the best medical services to its patients, since its inception, with care, commitment, and compassion.
- Equipped with 1250 beds, the hospital was founded by Dr. Naresh Trehan in the year 2009 with an aim to provide the best medical care at affordable costs. The hospital is spread across 43 acres and includes 45 operation theatres and 350 beds dedicated solely to ICU. The hospital includes over 800 doctors, and more than 22 specialty departments and has a dedicated floor for individual specialty in order to offer the best services under one roof.
- The hospital is considered one of the premier institutes in India for Cardiac Care and includes staffs and members of high caliber. The hospital has 6 distinct centers of excellence.
Max Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- One of the well-regarded providers in India committed to the highest standards of clinical excellence and patient care, Max Super Specialty Hospital is a part of Max Healthcare, which is the second-largest healthcare chain in India. Regarded as one of the most well-regarded healthcare providers in the country, Max Super Specialty Hospital is committed to the highest standards of clinical excellence as well as patient care. The hospital is also equipped with the latest technology as well as cutting-edge research. The hospital is known to deliver and ensure the highest level of patient care.
- The hospital has more than 500 beds and offers treatment for over 35 specialties. The hospital also holds the credit of having installed the first Brain Suite in Asia. This is a highly advanced Neurosurgical machine that allows MRI to be taken while surgery is ongoing.
- Other advanced and latest technologies are also installed in the hospital such as the 1.5 Tesla MRI machine, 64 Slice CT Angiography, 4D ECHO, LINAC, and 3.5T MRI machine.
Artemis Hospital, Gurugram
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- One of the most well-known hospitals in the Delhi NCR, Artemis Hospital is the first hospital in Gurugram to get accredited by the Joint Commission International.
- With more than 40 specialties, the hospital has been designed to be one of the most technically advanced hospitals in the country, with the best medical and surgical health care. The hospital has eleven special and dedicated centers, for Heart, Cancer, Neurosciences, etc.
- The latest technologies in the hospital include Endovascular Hybrid Operating Suite and Flat panel Cath Labs for the cardiovascular department, 3 Tesla MRI, 16 slice PET CT, 64 Slice Cardiac CT Scan, HDR Brachytherapy, and highly advanced Image Guided Radiation Therapy techniques (LINAC) are installed in the hospital.
- The hospital has won several awards as well, since its inception.
BLK Max Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Equipped with 650 beds, BLK Superspecialty Hospital is the largest stand-alone private sector hospital in Delhi.
- With over 1500 healthcare providers and 150 globally renowned super specialists, the hospital is one of Asia’s largest Bone Marrow Transplant Centres. The hospital is known for having some of the best cancer doctors in the country.
- The hospital is NABH and NABL accredited and was inaugurated by the first Prime Minister of India. Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru.
Gleneagles Global Hospitals, Chennai
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 1999, Gleneagles Global Hospital, Chennai, is one of the top healthcare facilities in Southern India. It is part of the Gleneagles Hospital Chain, which is the fourth largest healthcare chain in the country. The hospital specializes in multi-organ transplants of kidneys, liver, lungs, heart, etc.
- The hospital has an excellent infrastructure and state-of-the-art lab and equipment set-up. The hospital boasts cutting-edge technologies, a highly skilled team of doctors and surgeons, and trained support staff. Located in Perumbakam, Chennai, it is one of India’s premier health care destinations. The hospital has performed some of the most complex surgical and clinical procedures in India including multi-organ transplantations.
- The hospital’s lung transplantation program is one of the best in the country. The hospital is known for having performed India’s first single lung transplant and first minimal invasive lung transplant. It is also the only Indian hospital to be associated with King’s College Hospital, London, United Kingdom for liver transplantations.
Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital in Mulund is a 315-bed multi-speciality tertiary care hospital with five JCI accreditations that offers a wide variety of diagnostic and therapeutic services. The Fortis Hospital in Mulund delivers patient-centred treatment with cutting-edge technology, highly skilled and experienced surgeons, and paramedical staff.
- This institution houses Maharashtra’s largest multi-organ transplant centre. It is also the first heart transplant centre in western India to conduct 100 or more consecutive heart transplants in under four years. It is the only hospital in the city to have multi-organ transplants and has handled the youngest patient for angioplasty. Fortis Hospital Mulund now boasts the first advanced surgical robot in central Mumbai.
- Cardiology and heart surgery, urology, nephrology, neurosciences, orthopaedics, digestive care, emergency and critical care, and maternity care are among the services provided by the hospital.
Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai
- City: Mumbai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Named after the wife of Indian industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani, the founder of Reliance Industries, this is one of the top hospitals in Mumbai. This 750-bed multi-specialty hospital became operational in 2009. Known as one of India’s most advanced tertiary care facilities, the hospital is designed to raise India’s global standing as a healthcare hub, with an emphasis on excellence in clinical services.
- Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital uses Protocol and Care Pathway based treatment models to ensure the best outcomes for patients.
- The hospital represents a confluence of top-notch talent, cutting-edge technology, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and, most importantly commitment.
- The hospital also holds the accreditation of the NABH, NABL, CAP, and JCI.
- The hospital has been recognized as the No. 1 Multispecialty Hospital in Mumbai and the West Zone for the fifth year in a row in 2020 by The Week.
Proton Therapy
Proton therapy also termed as proton beam therapy, is a type of radiation therapy which uses high energy beams for treating various types of cancer. This treatment delivers external beams of radiation directly to the cancerous tissues.
The procedure is generally performed in outpatient treatment centers, where they use a machine known as cyclotron or synchrotron. Since these machines are quite large and expensive, only a limited number of centers offer this treatment. Studies have shown that proton therapy causes fewer side effects, compared to other traditional radiation therapies, as doctors are able to better control where exactly the proton beams will deposit their energy.
Proton therapy is also used quite often in combination with other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and surgery, though in some cases, proton therapy might be the only treatment recommended by your doctor.
Purpose
Proton therapy is a preferred treatment method for cancer as well as some noncancerous tumors. Sometimes, it is the only treatment required for your condition, though in other cases it is used in conjunction with other treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy.
This procedure can be used for treating:
- Brain tumors
- Esophageal cancer
- Breast cancer
- Lung cancer
- Cancer in children
- Eye melanoma
- Head and neck cancers
- Liver cancer
- Sarcoma
- Pituitary gland tumors
- Prostate cancer
- Tumors affecting your spine
- Tumors in the base of your skull
Preparation
Before you undergo this procedure, your health care team will be guiding you through a planning process for ensuring that the proton beam reaches the precise spot in the body where it is required.
The planning typically includes:
Determining the best position for you during treatment
During radiation simulation, the radiation therapy team will work so that they are able to find a comfortable position for you during the treatment. It’s imperative that you lie still during treatment; therefore, it is quite important to find a comfortable position. To do this, first you will be positioned on the table to be used during your treatment. Cushions and restraints are used for placing you in the correct position and for helping you hold still. The team will mark the area of your body that will be receiving the radiation. Depending on your situation, you might receive temporary marking with a marker or you may also receive permanent tattoos.
Planning the path of the protons with imaging tests
Your team might require you to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT) scans to determine the area of your body to be treated and how best to reach it using the proton beams.
Procedure
Typically, you will need to undergo proton therapy for five days a week for several weeks. Depending on your condition, in some cases, however, you may need only one or a few treatments. The actual treatment should take only a minute or so. However, you need to spend over 30 minutes generally preparing for each treatment session.
You might also need to undergo weekly CT scans to see if the dose you are receiving needs to be recalculated based on changes in weight or tumor size and shape depending on your situation.
During the procedure, first, you are positioned on a table. To hold your body still, cushions and restrains will be used. Then you will undergo an imaging test such as an X-ray or CT scan, to ensure that your body is in the same precise position before each treatment.
Then the team will leave the room and go to an area from where they will be able to monitor you.
What you experience next will depend on the type of proton therapy machine which your treatment team is using:
- If you’re undergoing the treatment with a machine called a gantry, you will be placed on a table that is slid slowly into the circular opening of the machine. The machine then rotates around you to direct the proton beams at the precise points.
- If you’re undergoing proton therapy with a fixed-beam machine, the table where you are positioned on will move while the proton therapy machine will remain still. Your table’s movement during the treatment is controlled remotely by your radiation therapy team. How often your table will move during the treatment can depend on your situation.
You will not be able to feel the radiation during your treatment.
After proton therapy
Once your treatment session is over, you can resume your daily activities. You will not be radioactive or give off any radiation.
It is to be noted that the side effects of radiation usually develop over time. Though you may experience few side effects at the beginning, after multiple treatments you will be experiencing fatigue, which can make it feel like your usual activities are requiring more energy or that you have very little energy during your everyday tasks. You might notice sunburn-like skin redness as well in the area where the proton beams are directed.
Your doctor can recommend periodic imaging tests during and after your proton therapy. This is to determine how well your cancer is responding to the treatment. How often you will need to undergo these scans depends on your situation.
Risks
Proton therapy can cause multiple side effects, especially when the energy from the proton beam damages any of your healthy tissues. Since doctors are able to better control where the energy is released during the treatment, the treatment is believed to have fewer side effects as compared to traditional radiation therapy.
The side effects that you will go through will depend on which part of your body is being treated as well as the dose that you receive.
Generally, the common side effects of this treatment include:
- Fatigue
- Headaches
- Eating and digestion problems
- Skin redness around the part of the body being treated
- Hair loss around the part of the body being treated
- Soreness around the part of the body being treated