The Hindu / Rasheed Kappan

• The Institute for Aerospace Medicine has developed a non-invasive procedure to treat cancer
• Surgeries failed to improve Doddananjaiah's condition
• The technique was started after he underwent two cycles of chemotherapy
• In this technique, electromagnetic beams are used to degenerate cancerous cells

Bangalore, Sep 28: Police constable Doddananjaiah's life turned upside when he was diagnosed with a tumour in his pancreas in August 2003. At that time he was down with jaundice, and the discovery of his ailment triggered a mountain of problems. Suffering with pain, Doddananjaiah tried Ayurvedic treatment and when that failed, he got himself admitted to a hospital where doctors suggested surgery to remove the tumour. Doddananjaiah had no choice but to start chemotherapy. He had to undergo five cycles of chemotherapy at Rs. 36,000 a cycle.

After two cycles of chemotherapy someone told him about the Rotational Field Quantum Magnetic Resonance (RFQMR), a path-breaking, non-invasive technique developed by researchers at the city-based Institute of Aerospace Medicine (IAM) and the Centre for Advanced Research and Development (CARD), to treat terminally ill cancer patients.

Driven by this ray of hope, Doddananjaiah approached the doctors at IAM in January this year. Nine months later, he has a reason to thank himself for his decision. The constable is back on duty as the growth of the tumour has been arrested. "When he came here his condition was deteriorating.

A CT scan showed that the tumour mass had increased," Wing Commander V.G. Vasishta, professor and Head of Department of Radio Diagnosis at IAM told The Hindu . The IAM researchers had to wait till Doddananjaiah's chemotherapy cycle was completed.

However, the pain in his abdomen was getting worse. Eventually, the treatment began and his condition gradually improved. "Before treatment, the tumour marker read 18.6. It came down to 13.6. Although not a significant reduction, a CT scan confirmed the destruction of the tumour," said Mr. Vasishta.

It was a silver lining for the 44-year-old police constable. Months later, the tumour growth has been completely arrested.

Serial CT scans have confirmed that there are no more signs of growth. RFQMR, the technique that has saved the lives of over 30 terminally ill patients, has saved one more. For Doddananjaiah, the fresh lease of life couldn't have come a day later. Since he stopped going to work in November 2003, the constable has had to sell his land in Kunigal to raise funds for his expensive treatment. The RFQMR technique, using electromagnetic beams through 288 guns focused on the target area is said to be the first of its kind in the world. The beams in varying wavelengths can either degenerate proliferating cells such as cancerous cells or regenerate them to treat problems such as osteoarthritis.

About 40 per cent of the 77 terminally ill patients who have undergone the treatment have recovered.

Patients can call 25235991 to get in touch with the RFQMR researchers.