~ The Radiation Oncology team at AOI, Hyderabad has successfully performed two-hybrid interstitial brachytherapy procedures ~
Hyderabad, April 22nd, 2022: American Oncology Institute (AOI) attained yet another landmark by performing India’s first Hybrid Interstitial Brachytherapy Procedure using Varian’s Aarhus Applicator at Citizens Specialty Hospital in Hyderabad. At the press conference, AOI announced that the Radiation Oncology team has successfully conducted two-hybrid interstitial brachytherapy procedures under the guidance of Dr. Sushil Beriwal, a Fellow of the American Society of Radiation Oncology and American Brachytherapy Society. On the occasion present were Dr. Prabhakar P, Regional Chief Operating Officer, AOI, Dr. Raza Ali Khan, Medical Services, AOI, Dr. Suneetha Mulinti, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist, AOI, and Dr. Prashant Yarlagadda, Radiation Oncologist, AOI.
Both the female patients were suffering from cervical cancer. The procedure was performed using the newly launched Varian’s Aarhus hybrid brachytherapy applicator. Apart from Dr. Sushil Beriwal, Dr. Suneetha Mulinti was part of the team to perform the first hybrid procedure in the country.
Dr. Prabhakar P, Regional Chief Operating Officer, AOI, said, "American Oncology Institute (AOI) is committed to offering best-in-class clinical expertise, technological superiority, and service excellence for our patients in South Asia. There have been a lot of advances in the field of radiotherapy for cancer treatment and we are delighted to introduce the Varian’s Aarhus hybrid interstitial brachytherapy applicator into the department. A multi-disciplinary care program was backed by the latest technology, centralized radiation treatment planning, and international standard cancer treatment protocols. AOI stands at the forefront of treatment excellence offering precision cancer care for all types of cancers across all age groups.”
Elaborating on the procedure, Dr. Sushil Beriwal, Radiation oncologist, USA said, “Brachytherapy is the most important and an integral part of cervical cancer treatment. The conventional Intracavitary brachytherapy might not be enough for optimal coverage of the tumor in all the patients and especially if they have significant residual disease after external radiation. The traditional template based interstitial brachytherapy is a bit cumbersome process, technically demanding and at the same time has a higher chance of critical organ injuries. The advent of Varian’s new hybrid AARHUS interstitial brachytherapy applicator combines the advantages of both intracavitary and interstitial brachytherapy and integration of MRI imaging. This hybrid interstitial applicator with state-of-the-art MRI imaging can help increase the tumor dose and at the same time keep the normal tissue doses to a minimum. This advanced form of brachytherapy has shown to improve local control and reduce morbidities.”
Dr. Suneetha Mulinti, Senior Consultant Radiation Oncologist, AOI, said, “According to the WHO, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among Indian women globally. Over the years, great advancements in medicine and technology have revolutionized the field of oncology and the survival chances of patients have improved drastically. Starting at the time of the diagnosis, it is imperative to consider the right approach for treatment. Depending on the anatomy and the disease extent, we decide on the choice of technique. With this hybrid Interstitial Brachytherapy procedure, we ensure a holistic precision cancer care approach for the patients’ well-being. This has created potential opportunities to do advanced MRI-based hybrid interstitial brachytherapy planning at the American Oncology Institute.”
American Oncology Institute is the leading cancer hospital chain in South Asia operating 16 cancer hospitals in the region. AOI founded in 2012 by a group of physicians and industry experts, is today a wholly-owned subsidiary of the largest cancer medical technology company - Varian Medical Systems, a Siemens Healthineers Company.
For more info, please visit:
https://americanoncology.com/
