Mumbai: The Proton Therapy Facility at Tata Memorial Centre’s Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) has treated 541 patients in just two years since commencing services on August 15, 2023, marking a significant leap in India’s fight against cancer.
Of these, 65% were treated in the general category at subsidized cost, while 146 patients (27%) received treatment entirely free through Patient Welfare Funds or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
State-of-the-Art National Hadron Beam Therapy Facility
The National Hadron Beam Therapy Facility was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 11, 2023. It houses three patient treatment rooms with 360-degree rotating gantries, equipped with advanced Pencil Beam Scanning (PBS) technology to deliver Intensity Modulated Proton Therapy (IMPT) — enabling high-precision targeting of tumours while sparing surrounding healthy tissues.
Focus on Paediatric and Complex Cancer Cases
According to Dr. Siddhartha Laskar, Deputy Director (Academics) and In-Charge of the TMC Proton Therapy Centre, 16% of treated patients were children, reflecting the therapy’s potential to reduce long-term side effects in young patients.
The largest proportion of cases involved central nervous system tumors (38%), followed by bone tumors (23%), head and neck cancers (19%), and others including pediatric, gynecological, breast, prostate, and gastrointestinal tumors.
Patient-Centric Care and Support
The centre has specialized facilities for treating very young children under anesthesia, along with a dedicated play area to create a comfortable environment. Most patients are offered accommodation within the ACTREC campus at nominal rates. A voluntary patient support group called ‘Prerak’ has also been formed to encourage mutual support and information sharing.
Nationwide and International Reach
Patients have come from across India—52% from the western region, 23% from the eastern region, 14% from the north, 6% from the south, and 4% from the central region—along with 1% from overseas. Each case is reviewed by specialist treatment groups to ensure proton therapy offers maximum benefit, with all patients completing treatment with minimal side effects.
Research and Global Collaboration
ACTREC Director Dr. Pankaj Chaturvedi said several in-house research projects are underway to generate evidence for particle therapy use in adults and children. Collaborative studies with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) are also focusing on technology assessment and biological research.
The facility was developed in collaboration with IBA (Ion Beam Applications), Belgium, a global leader in proton therapy technology. The partnership has extended to training programs, with the first practical course for clinicians, physicists, and technologists scheduled for September 2025.
Also Watch:
Commitment to Affordable Advanced Cancer Care
TMC Director Dr. Sudeep Gupta said the facility reaffirms the institution’s commitment to providing advanced cancer care to all, irrespective of their ability to pay.
