Srinagar-The number of cancer patients is on the rise in Jammu and Kashmir as around 6,000 patients have been registered at the Department of Radiation Oncology, SMHS Hospital Srinagar since 2017.
Around one thousand cases of various cancers have been registered this year alone at the department and officials said that number is likely to reach around 2,000 by the year end, KNO quoting medical records reported on Monday.
The details reveal that 491 new cancer patients were registered at the radiation oncology department, SMHS in year 2017; 1,032 in 2018, 801 in 2019, 650 in 2020, 1,010 in 2021, 1,169 in 2022 and 953 in 2023 till date.
The report quoting officials said that around 5 to 6 new cancer patients were being registered at the department every day.
Prof Manzoor Ahmad Head of Department, Radiation Oncology, SMHS Hospital, GMC Srinagar, said that the OPD of the department remains functional for six days (Monday-Saturday) from 10 am to 4 pm where the consultant along with senior resident and PG students remains available.
“After checking the relevant reports in the OPD, patients are registered and data is digitised,” he said, adding that there are two separate units where patients are being admitted and four consultants along with senior residents remain available in each of the wards.
“Later, plans are being discussed after proper unit meetings and accordingly, the patient is being treated for months. The patient comes for follow-up in OPD whenever it is feasible for him,” he said.
All high-tech and latest technologies are available at the department including Intensity-modulated radiation therapy, Image-guided radiation therapy, Stereotactic body radiation therapy, Stereotactic radical surgery and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT), the doctor said.
Prof Manzoor said all treatments are being done easily. “There is an inpatient ward, day care ward for patients who come for blood transfusion and chemotherapy besides that there is a ward for terminally ill patients as well,” he said, adding that all kinds of tumours among adults as well as children except acute leukaemia are being treated at the department.
The department has Telecobalt 60, linear accelerator, Brachytherapy and CT stimulator machine available and everything is being managed very well, he said.
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