Proton Beam Therapy [UPSC Science & Technology]

According to the medical fraternity in India, though Proton Beam Therapy is an effective alternative treatment method for treating cancer patients, the facility is out of reach for many poor and vulnerable patients in India. What is the proton beam therapy? What are the advantages and challenges associated with it? Read on for more on proton beam therapy for the IAS exam science & tech segment.

What is Proton Beam Therapy?

• It is a proton-based radiation therapy used to treat cancers, especially of neck and head regions.
• It has shown promise for other cancer types as well.
• It has the advantage of targeting the precise locations and tumours which reduces the toxic effects of conventional X-ray-based radiation treatments.
• Some of the side effects of proton beam therapy are as follows:
  • Hair loss around the area of the body that is being treated
  • Fatigue
  • Soreness around the area of the body that is being treated
  • Skin redness around the area of the body that is being treated

Image source: www.proton-therapy.org

Challenges with PBT:

• The installation cost of PBT goes well into the 500 crores range.
• Daily check is required to ensure no hydrogen leakage. 
• There are safety concerns from the Department of Atomic Energy.
• No government facility has yet been established which provides PBT for the masses.
• The treatment costs reach lakhs of rupees which is unaffordable for the majority.
• As of now, the whole of South and West Asia has just one PBT centre at Apollo Hospital, Chennai.

Way forward:

• The government needs to find a way to have at least a couple of such facilities to cater to the needs of the masses especially the children.
• It will further promote the huge untapped medical tourism sector of costly therapies.

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