The Comprehensive Blood and Cancer Center of USA has proposed to extend its tie-up for Comprehensive Cancer Care Center with Apollo Hospital, Ahmedabad to six other Apollo group owned hospitals located in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
These Apollo hospitals are Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and one each in Colombo and Dhaka.
CBCC, led by a non-resident Indian oncologist Dr Ravi Patel, has tied up with Apollo hospital Ahmedabad for a comprehensive cancer care center to be set up at the cost of Rs 25 crore.
The Ahmedabad-based centre will be commissioned during the second quarter of the year 2006.
With the success of the first tie up with Ahmedabad, Dr Patel led CBCC has been encouraged to extend it to another Apollo hospitals owned exclusively by Apollo group.
The Bakersfield, USA based CBCC is eyeing mass of non resident Indians spread all over the world looking for alternative to expensive cancer treatment.
Treatment for cancer is expensive for any one and its all the more expensive if affected individual is exposed without an insurance cover, says Dr Patel.
India has an advantage in terms of low cost of treatment.
"We propose to bring in the much required technology in cancer treatment along with help from the US experts for the local as well as NRI," Dr Patel said.
The CBCC proposal to set up cancer treatment centers would offer all the treatment required in cancer.
The UK and East Africa are the overseas destinations from where Apollo Hospital and CBCC see major turnout of cancer affected patients.
Sharing his reasons for the tie-up with Apollo Hospitals in Ahmedabad, Dr Patel, said, "We are happy to associate with Apollo to spread the benefits of latest in the field of Cancer treatment, one of the biggest challenge in the modern times. Gujarat is special in my heart as it is my home land too".
Talking about radiation therapy, he added, "Radiation Therapy plays an important role in the treatment of cancer".
He pointed out, "By using radiation therapy cancer cells can be destroyed. It prevents these cells from continuing to reproduce and thus prevents the tumour from growing further".
He added, "It can also be given after surgery to prevent the cancer from coming back. For certain types of cancer, radiation is the only treatment needed. Radiation treatments include IMRT, brachytherapy and steriotactic radio surgery".
Addition of the radiation therapy unit is expected to enable it to offer comprehensive cancer care to its patients.
The hospital already provides specialised services in oncology and radiology and has a dedicated team of professionals to review cases and offer expert advice to those asking for a second opinion.