In an Indo-European Nuclear medicine Forum that was held at PD Hinduja hospital the 10-day treatment was discussed as the latest and best way of treating thyroid cancer.
There is new hope for thyroid cancer patients as Mumbai hospitals (Tata and Hinduja) will soon start a 10-day protocol treatment for treating the disease which earlier took three to four weeks. So far, the 10-day protocol was on a trial run and 12 patients have been treated successfully at AIIMS, New Delhi.
In an Indo-European Nuclear medicine Forum that was held at PD Hinduja hospital the 10-day treatment was discussed as the latest and best way of treating thyroid cancer.
“It is a great achievement and we will soon start it in Mumbai,” said Dr BA Krishna, head of nuclear medicine in PD Hinduja Hospital.
According to the protocol, on the fourth day after the surgery isotope scans are done, sixth day the treatment begins and 10th day, the patient can go home. Previously, a thyroid cancer patient had to be called back three weeks after the surgery to start isotope treatment. “This prolonged the agony of the patient. It was a problem for people having insurance too as they found it difficulty to get reimbursement for two treatments in quick succesion,” said Dr Krishna.
“Earlier, when we stop the thyroid hormone, the patient has to suffer from lot of discomfort. The person would feel dull, constipated, could not attend work etc.,” added Dr Krishna.
During the 10-day protocol, the patient is injected with rTSH injection that ensures the continuation of the hormone treatment. “Now we can continue the isotope treatment even when the patient is on hormone treatment,” said Dr Krishna.
The hospitals are waiting for logistics to fall in place and proper permission from the government as they will be dealing with heavy radiation. “In Mumbai we are waiting for permissions as the treatment deals with heavy radiation. There has to be a special ward where the patients need to be kept for three days as he emits radiation. We should begin the procedure with in a month or two after getting the necessary permissions,” said Dr Krishna.
The hospital along with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) is also working on isotope therapy for B-cell lymphoma.
“So far we have been treating B-cell lymphoma cancers through drugs, chemotheraphy. Over 15- 20% people suffer from the disease after treatment. These people can be treated with isotopes. Presently these patients have to go to UK or Europe where the treatment cost around Rs11-14 lakh. BARC is presently working on the products after which we can start the treatment in India for Rs1 lakh,” Dr Krishna said.
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