RAWALPINDI: Free cancer treatment through cryoablation has begun at Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi, with the facility initially preparing to treat 15 eligible patients.
According to details published by Express News, 15 cryoablation probes have been provided to the hospital for the initial phase. Each probe costs around Rs16 million and is intended for use on a single patient.
The process of screening cancer patients for cryoablation has also begun at four hospitals in Rawalpindi. Patients suffering from liver, lung, breast and kidney cancers will be considered for the treatment, with eligibility limited to cases involving tumors measuring up to 2 centimeters.
Under the procedure, cancerous tissue is destroyed by freezing it to extremely low temperatures and subsequently applying heat. The treatment at Holy Family Hospital will be provided free of charge, with no treatment fees to be collected from eligible patients.
Cases will be referred from Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital and PKLI for consideration. Patients will also receive consultation from specialist doctors from NORI Hospital, Islamabad before undergoing cryoablation.
The initial phase will cover 15 patients. Following completion of these cases, additional probes will be provided to allow treatment of more eligible patients.
Patients with tumors larger than 2 centimeters will not be eligible for the cryoablation programme, according to the report.