Bengaluru : With the mission to provide the most comprehensive and advancedcancer care in India, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (APCC), South Asia’s first and only proton therapy centre, has successfully treated a 12-year-old boy from Bengaluru with proton beam therapy (PBT) for Pinealoblastoma —a rare type of cancer that occurs in the pineal gland of the brain. The pineal gland is located in the centre of the brain and it produces a hormone called melatonin, which plays a role in the natural sleep-wake cycle of the human body.
Addressing press conference doctors said, Venkata Srisaravana Vemula, from Bengaluru,who was present during pressconference was diagnosed with pinealoblastoma in Oct 2018.After undergoing an endoscopic third ventriculostomy and biopsy, he was started on chemotherapy HEADSTART III protocol. The patient received five cycles of chemotherapy and was consulted at APCC, Chennai, for further treatment. After a thorough check-up and evaluation of his medical reports, the experts at APCC planned for craniospinal radiation (CSI) using proton beam therapy followed by tumour bed boost using IMRT (photons). The patient was immobilized using a customized headrest and 4 clamp mould for radiation planning. After quality assurance checks, clinicians adviced for radiation therapy which started on 25th March 2019. The treatment significantly reduced the size of the pineoblastoma lesion. The family was counselled in detail regarding treatment plans and the benefits of proton beam therapy in reducing acute and late toxicities.
Globally around 330,000 children and adults were diagnosed with cancer of the Central Nervous System(CNS) in a year and the number continues to rise along with the increasing mortality rate of brain tumours. In India, CNS cancer ranges from 5 to 10 per 100,000 people with a rising trend and accounts for 2% of cancer.
The International Association of Cancer Registries (IARC) states that there are around 28,000 cases of brain cancer reported in India every year and alarmingly 24,000 people die due to brain tumours annually. So far, APCC has treated over 300 cases of brain tumours, 22 of which are from Bengaluru.
Dr. Srinivas Chilukuri, Senior Consultant, Radiation Oncology, Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, Chennai said, “Master venkata’s response to the treatment for pinealoblastoma has been remarkable, demonstrating the efficacy of the comprehensive treatment plan. In this case, the tumour was in the pineal gland , a risky location in the centre of the brain, and proton therapy helps deliver highly focused protons, spot-by-spot and layer-by-layer, to disrupt the tumour and target radiation to the size and shape of the tumour without harming the surrounding healthy tissues. It has been shown to be effective in curing or controlling many cancers, as well as reducing both immediate and long-term side effects of treatment, resulting in improved survival and survivorship.” He added.
