Karnataka seeks Rs 500 crore grant from Centre for India’s first govt Proton Therapy Unit at Kidwai

Bengaluru: The department of medical education recently submitted a proposal to the Central government seeking Rs 500 crore to establish the country’s first government-run proton therapy facility at Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) in Bengaluru.

According to the department, KMIO registers over 21,000 new cancer cases annually. Proton therapy — an advanced form of radiation treatment — offers superior tumour control while safeguarding critical organs near the tumour, thus reducing long-term side effects, especially in sensitive areas, said a release issued by the department on Monday.

"Unlike conventional radiotherapy, that uses high-energy gamma rays or X-rays — which can impact healthy tissues beyond the tumour — proton therapy delivers precise, targeted doses with significantly reduced collateral damage," Dr Sharan Prakash Patil, minister for medical education, wrote in his letter to Union health minister J P Nadda, recently.

The proposal highlighted the therapy’s benefit in treating paediatric cancers, especially hereditary types like NF-1 and retinoblastoma, and a wide range of other cancers. It has also shown to contribute to accelerated recovery after treatment and reduce the risk of developing secondary cancers, with a better long-term survival rate.

Dr Patil says that it is estimated that over 1.2 lakh patients in India may require proton therapy by 2025. "The facility at KMIO will not only provide cutting-edge cancer care with less toxicity but also support referral cases from NIMHANS and Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health (IGICH)," he said.