Udupi: The 27-year-old Shirdi Sai Baba Cancer Hospital and Research Institute of Kasturba Hospital, Manipal will get a complete makeover and will be known as Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre.

Historically, it is the second cancer institute to be established in Karnataka and is considered to be one among the few recognized cancer centres in India providing affordable, quality and ethical cancer treatment. Presently, the centre offers state of the art, cutting edge cancer treatment in a number of areas.

The centre has a multi energy Linear Accelerator one of its kind in coastal Karnataka - Elekta Versa-HD, with capabilities of delivering advanced treatment techniques such as Stereotactic Radiosurgery/Stereotactic Ablative Body Radiotherapy (SABR). Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) with Volumetric Image Guidance (kV-CBCT) and Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT).

With this facility, the Centre is able to provide affordable world class radiation treatment facilities for patients. The Department of Radiation Oncology was established in 1974 and is a pioneer in cancer care. In the last four decades it has helped thousands of people from the region and across India. The department also has facilities for both teletherapy and brachytherapy, and has kept itself abreast with advances in radiation treatment technology.

The medical oncology department at KMC Manipal has been consistently providing quality cancer services over three decades. It has one of the largest day care facility in the region with 18 beds for day care chemotherapy. The department provides treatment to infant and adult cancers and is able to provide host of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted treatment options. In the last 12 months, the bone marrow transplant unit has successfully conducted 24 autologous transplants.

The department of surgical oncology is one of the earliest departments in Karnataka, which was established in 1993. With cancer surgery moving towards the goal of adequate cancer clearance along with function/organ preservation, the department of surgical oncology has kept abreast with the latest developments. Currently, the department is run by a team of expert surgeons trained at the prestigious Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. The department offers all basic and advanced cancer surgeries.

The Nuclear Medicine department at Kasturba Hospital offers both diagnostic and therapeutic services. Among the diagnostic services, the department is presently conducting neurology specific SPECT scans such as ECD, TRODAT and GHA and cardiopulmonary specific scans such as myocardial perfusion SPECT, radionuclide ventriculography, MUGA and V/Q scan. Skeletal scintigraphy and three phase SPECT bone scan done at the department helps in identifying bone involvement of the cancers.

The Palliative Medicine Department provides access to competent care for patients within the environs of a tertiary oncology care center. It is aimed at benefiting the patients, right from diagnosis of cancer through their difficult journey through the different phases of the diseases including the end of life phase. The department helps in managing complex pain and physical symptoms, psychological, social and spiritual issues of patients and their families. It facilitates improvement in quality of life, shared decision making, goals of care discussion and advance care planning.

Following the make-over, the cancer centre, Manipal Comprehensive Cancer Care Centre will aim to provide a 10-point programme for better care of patients and to facilitate their families meet their needs. The 10-points include; Person-centered Cancer Care: Precise Cancer Care: Personalized Cancer Care, Population and Molecular Cancer Registry, Bench to Bedside to Bench Cancer Research, Community Oncology and Cancer Prevention, Integrated Palliative Care Services, Comprehensive Cancer Rehabilitation, Hub and Spoke Model of Cancer Service and Education, Universal access to cancer treatment.