Adyar Cancer Institute
Encyclopedia
Adyar Cancer Institute is a cancer
specialty hospital situated in the city of Chennai
, India
; founded by Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy on June 18, 1954. Land was donated by Mr. S.K.Puniyakoti Mudaliar.
, gifted a Cobalt-60 Teletherapy unit (radiation therapy
machine). It was the first such unit in Asia
.
The Institute has several other firsts to its credit. They include:
Its centre for preventive oncology has been working in conjunction with non-government organisations and government hospitals to conduct cancer screening camps and Pap smear
tests at the district level and in various parts of the city.
The Institute's hereditary cancer clinic, the first in the country, is studying the genetic
factors related to the disease.
The Tobacco Cessation Clinic has been helping people to fight various forms of tobacco
consumption, which is the most common cause for cancer.
Annually, more than 95,000 to 100,000 patients from all parts of India visit the hospital; hardly 0.5% of whom are covered by health insurance
. In fact, only 15–20% of the population can afford treatment at private hospitals. The rest must depend on hospitals like the Adyar Cancer Institute or government hospitals, where treatment is either free or subsidised. The Institute has 423 beds, of which 297 are free. Last year alone saw nearly 100,000 patients, of whom 60% received free treatment. The number of patients coming to the hospital has increased each year. Generally, 66% of them get free or subsidised treatment.
A satellite cancer care centre of the Adyar Cancer Institute is located at Pallikaranai
, which was inaugurated on February 12, 2011.
, honorary chairperson of the Cancer Institute, was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award
.
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
specialty hospital situated in the city of Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
; founded by Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy on June 18, 1954. Land was donated by Mr. S.K.Puniyakoti Mudaliar.
Several firsts
The Institute's first break came on December 24, 1956, when Atomic Energy, CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, gifted a Cobalt-60 Teletherapy unit (radiation therapy
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy , radiation oncology, or radiotherapy , sometimes abbreviated to XRT or DXT, is the medical use of ionizing radiation, generally as part of cancer treatment to control malignant cells.Radiation therapy is commonly applied to the cancerous tumor because of its ability to control...
machine). It was the first such unit in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
The Institute has several other firsts to its credit. They include:
- A department of Nuclear MedicalNuclear medicineIn nuclear medicine procedures, elemental radionuclides are combined with other elements to form chemical compounds, or else combined with existing pharmaceutical compounds, to form radiopharmaceuticals. These radiopharmaceuticals, once administered to the patient, can localize to specific organs...
OncologyOncologyOncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
in 1956; - Paediatric oncology in 1960;
- Installing a linear accelerator in 1976;
- Introducing Blood Component Therapy in 1978;
- Introducing hyperthermiaHyperthermiaHyperthermia is an elevated body temperature due to failed thermoregulation. Hyperthermia occurs when the body produces or absorbs more heat than it can dissipate...
treatment in 1984; - Installing an ND-YAG Surgical LaserLaser surgeryLaser surgery is surgery using a laser to cut tissue instead of a scalpel. Examples include the use of a laser scalpel in otherwise conventional surgery, and soft tissue laser surgery, in which the laser beam vaporizes soft tissue with high water content...
in 1985 and performing endoscopic laser surgery; - Intra-operative Electron Therapy is available since 1992.
- First in the country to introduce RapidArc treatment in January 2009
Present facilities
The Institute has a hospital, a research centre, a centre of preventive oncology, and a College of Oncology Sciences (a postgraduate college that conducts super-speciality courses in surgical oncology and medical oncology).Its centre for preventive oncology has been working in conjunction with non-government organisations and government hospitals to conduct cancer screening camps and Pap smear
Pap smear
The Papanicolaou test is a screening test used in to detect pre-cancerous and cancerous processes in the endocervical canal of the female reproductive system. Changes can be treated, thus preventing cervical cancer...
tests at the district level and in various parts of the city.
The Institute's hereditary cancer clinic, the first in the country, is studying the genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
factors related to the disease.
The Tobacco Cessation Clinic has been helping people to fight various forms of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
consumption, which is the most common cause for cancer.
Annually, more than 95,000 to 100,000 patients from all parts of India visit the hospital; hardly 0.5% of whom are covered by health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
. In fact, only 15–20% of the population can afford treatment at private hospitals. The rest must depend on hospitals like the Adyar Cancer Institute or government hospitals, where treatment is either free or subsidised. The Institute has 423 beds, of which 297 are free. Last year alone saw nearly 100,000 patients, of whom 60% received free treatment. The number of patients coming to the hospital has increased each year. Generally, 66% of them get free or subsidised treatment.
A satellite cancer care centre of the Adyar Cancer Institute is located at Pallikaranai
Pallikaranai
Pallikaranai is a town in Tambaram Taluk of Kancheepuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is now one of the Chennai prime suburbs.-Demographics:...
, which was inaugurated on February 12, 2011.
Recognition
In 2005, Dr. V ShantaV Shanta
Dr.V. Shanta is a prominent Cancer specialist and the Chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute, Chennai. Her career which spans over 50 years has been dedicated to organising care for cancer patients, and intensive research in the prevention and cure of the disease...
, honorary chairperson of the Cancer Institute, was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award
Ramon Magsaysay Award
The Ramon Magsaysay Award is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in government, courageous service to the people, and pragmatic idealism within a democratic society. The Ramon Magsaysay Award is often considered Asia's Nobel...
.