Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy treatment of diseases, mainly cancer, by ionizing radiation. It is estimated that in Bangladesh there are about 800,000 cancer patients at any given time and newly diagnosed cases in each year are about 200,000 out of which 150,000 die each year. In Bangladesh radiotherapy treatment for cancer patients started in Kumudini Hospital, Mirzapur in 1955. In 1959, steps were taken to install a radiotherapy centre in Dhaka Medical College Hospital with three deep x-ray therapy machines; subsequently in 1960-61, one Cobalt60 and one Cesium137 machines were added. At present there are 16 Radiotherapy centres in Bangladesh. The country has now 75 radiation oncologists (specialists for cancer treatment). [Mohammad Kamaluddin]