Radiation Oncology

Department of Radiation Oncology at Shifa has been instrumental in providing radiation therapy services to cancer patients by trained and expert staff since 1994. The department is a pioneer in this field being the first radiation therapy center in the private sector in Pakistan. It was probably the first department that introduced and implemented SOPs for radiation therapy including Simulation, Customized Shielding Blocks, Computerized Treatment Planning, and Port Films for Treatment Verification.
Currently, we provide 2DRT (Two-dimensional Radiation Therapy), 3DCRT (Three-dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy), IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy), and Arc and Rotational Radiation Therapy.
The department is equipped with a state-of-the-art Linear Accelerator and CT Simulator (Wide Bore). The latter is used for accurate visualization of tumors and normal tissues in each individual patient for accurate targeting of tumors and protection of normal tissues. The department rightly takes pride as the pioneer center that trained many medical physicists and technologists who are now serving cancer patients in different hospitals in Pakistan as well as abroad.

Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy is a type of radiation therapy that’s used to treat cancer effectively (also called internal radiation). It minimizes the risk of side effects, due to the targeted and precise nature of delivering the radiotherapy from inside the body. Brachytherapy allows doctors to deliver higher doses of radiation to more specific areas of the body in comparison to the conventional form of radiation therapy.

Types of Cancer:

Brachytherapy is used to treat several types of cancer, including:

  • Bile Duct Cancer
  • Breast Cancer
  • Cervical Cancer
  • Vaginal Cancer
  • Lung Cancer (Recurrent)
  • Endometrial Cancer
  • Esophageal Cancer (Recurrent)
  • Head and Neck Cancers
  • Skin Cancer
  • Prostate Cancer

Benefits:

  • Minimizes risk of side effects in comparison to external beam radiation
  • No need for hospital admission (performed on an outpatient basis)
  • Requires fewer visits & shorter treatment time
  • Quick recovery for the patients
  • The minimally invasive technique (non-surgical)

Procedure:

  • Before Brachytherapy, it is advised to consult a Radiation Oncologist/ Brachytherapy expert
  • Some procedures may be performed before brachytherapy (i.e. X-ray, CT-Scan, or MRI) to help the doctor determine your personalized treatment plan
  • Brachytherapy treatment involves inserting radioactive material into your body near cancer affected area
  • Please consult our Radiation Oncologist if you require brachytherapy in addition to external beam radiotherapy