MADURAI
A new material that can be used as a 'human tissue equivalent bolus' in improving the efficiency of radiotherapy treatment for cancer, particularly in treating the superficial lesions in cases of skin cancer, has been developed by S. Senthilkumar, Associate Professor of Radiology Physics at Madurai Medical College (MMC).
Elaborating on his development of the material to journalists here on Friday, he said that bolus is presently used since the dosage of radiation beams becomes fully efficient only after it travels a certain distance through the skin and hence it was difficult to specifically target the tumours on the skin’s surface.
"Hence, for treating the surface of the skin, we place 'human tissue equivalent bolus' material on the surface so that the radiation beams travels through this before it hits the skin," he said.
Claiming that such material is presently imported, Mr. Senthilkumar said that a square feet of such material roughly costed around ₹ 60,000. “The material I developed, which can be used in the same manner, will cost just around ₹ 5,000,” he said.
Stating that he cannot divulge the exact composition of the new material since he was yet to receive the patent approval from Intellectual Property India, he said that it was made of a variety of elements along with polymer gel and paraffin oil.
He said that his invention received the best paper award at the Association of Radio Oncologists of India’s conference held in Rajasthan last month.
Appreciating Mr. Senthilkumar for the invention, D. Maruthupandian, Dean, MMC and Government Rajaji Hospital, said that the material would be used for treating patients at GRH after obtaining approval from the Director of Medical Education.
