KARACHI: A state-of-the-art radiation therapy centre for breast cancer patients will be established at the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) with the support of the Edhi Foundation.

The Bilquis & Abdul Sattar Edhi — Breast Radiation Bay will operate under the management of the Patients’ Aid Foundation (PAF-JPMC) and the provincial government.

The $4 million facility is expected to become operational within the next 12 months.

Highlighting the centre’s significance, Dr Tariq Mahmood, professor emeritus of radiation oncology at JPMC, representing PAF, shared that around 30,000 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed in Pakistan every year.

“It is a leading cause of death among women. Almost all malignant breast cancer cases require surgery, chemotherapy and radiation,” he said, pointing out that while facilities for surgery and chemotherapy are widely available in both public and private sectors, radiation therapy services remain limited, causing delays in timely treatment, especially for underprivileged patients.”

Facility named after Bilquis and Abdul Sattar Edhi is expected to become operational in one year

“This situation is directly linked to the lack of linear accelerators in the country. Most centres in Pakistan offering breast radiotherapy still use the 2D/3D CRT technique, whereas the updated global standard of care demands IMRT/VMAT radiotherapy. However, this advanced treatment is available at very few centres and its cost is beyond the reach of the common man,” Dr Mahmood explained.

According to him, a new technology — Surface Guided Radiotherapy and Deep Inhalation Breath Hold (SGRT/DIBH) — has been introduced worldwide to deliver radiation with high accuracy, minimising unnecessary exposure to healthy critical structures.

“To date, this technology isn’t available in Pakistan. It prevents women’s hearts from unnecessary radiation exposure, making it especially crucial for younger breast cancer patients,” he emphasised.

Regarding the new facility at the JPMC, Dr Mahmood said that the units would also feature fan beam CT scanners for precise lesion localisation and radiation delivery in a helical mode from 360 degrees.

“These units will also be equipped with the SGRT/DIBH facility, ensuring zero risk of unnecessary radiation exposure to the heart. We are expecting to treat 160 breast cancer patients daily, free of charge, on the state of the art Helix Tomotherapy units,” he added.

According to officials, the provincial government has also promised that funds required for the repair and maintenance of the equipment would be provided after its annual warranty expires to ensure smooth and efficient operation.

The administration will hire only female staff for the new facility, considering religious and cultural values and to provide privacy and comfort to patients.

“The PAF-JPMC is working in partnership with the Government of Sindh. It has increased JPMC’s bed capacity from 1,100 to 2,208 beds by constructing new buildings for various wards, providing the latest equipment and ensuring continuous maintenance. An additional 600-bed project is nearing completion,” said a press release.

The radiation oncology facility at JPMC is the only center in the world offering free cancer treatment with cutting-edge technologies such as CyberKnife and Tomotherapy.

“So far, patients from 167 cities across Pakistan and 15 countries have benefited from this free facility,” it added.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2025