B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital

B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital (or BPKMCH) is a hospital of Nepal located in Bharatpur. The hospital is one of the very few specialized hospitals outside the Kathmandu valley in Nepal. The hospital is named for Bishweshwar Prasad Koirala, who served as the first democratically elected Prime Minister of Nepal from 1959 to 1960 and who died of throat cancer in 1982.^[1] The hospital is the one of national cancer institute in Nepal entrusted with the responsibilities for diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, prevention and research in cancer in Nepal. The other comprehensive cancer centre is Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital in the Kathmandu valley.

The hospital is the first national cancer center of its kind for the fight against cancer in Nepal. Though there are no national survey records, it is estimated that deaths due to cancer are 120 per 100,000. And the assumption is that there are 35000 to 40000 cancer patients in the country at any given period of time.

History

The hospital was founded by the government in 1992. In 1995, it started offering day services, treating inpatients from 1999. The hospital was equally funded by China and Nepal, with China sending doctors and other personnel to help train staff for the new facility.

Services

The hospital provides diagnostic, therapeutic and supportive services to cancer patients. The hospital has different departments to cater the services to the patients. Medical oncology department: This department mainly deals with hematological malignancies like leukemia, lymphoma as well as for solid tumors. There is in- patient ward of 25 beds for adults and 15 for pediatrics. The chemotherapy services are provided via day care center for short and single day chemotherapy, and those needing further care are admitted and taken care of. Specialist nurses prepare the drugs in chemotherapy cabinet and deliver safely to the patients. Complications of chemotherapy are taken care at dedicated neutropenic area in the ward. Surgical Oncology Department: This department consists of different units: GI oncology, Breast, Urology, Neurosurgery, Thoracic oncology, Head and Neck, Gynecology and orthopedics. Respective team works in multidisciplinary approach with their medical oncology and radiation oncology colleagues to provide best possible care to their patients. This facility is a state of the art surgical facility in the country for cancer surgery. The examples of services to list among many are: sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancers, breast reconstructions and mammography guided needle localization biopsy in Breast Surgery; In GI surgery, three field lymphhadenectomy for carcinoma esophagus, D2 dissection for cancer of stomach, low and very low anterior resections for rectal cancers to preserve anus, Abdominoperineal excision resection for advanced rectal cancers. In urology, endourological, laparoscopic and open surgeries are all available for suitable cases. Cystectomy and reconstruction of orthotopic neobladder is done in suitable candidates of urinary bladder cancers , Laparoscopic resections are done for renal tumors and suprarenal tumors . Head and Neck oncology team expertises in Advanced composite resection and flap reconstructions of buccal mucosal, tongue and gingival cancers. They also provide conservative LASER surgeries to early stage laryngeal and buccal mucosal cancers. Gynecology oncology team is very good in Radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node dissection for early stage carcinoma of the uterine cervix; multi visceral resection in ovarian cancers are also performed when needed. Orthopedic unit deals with tumors of extremity with a multidisciplinary team approach to conserve the limbs of patients as far as possible. Radiation oncology department: The department uses linear accelerators and eclipse planning systems for the treatment and planning of tumors they treat. Conventional to Intensity modulated radiotherapy(IMRT) are delivered for the needing cancer patients. Brachytherapy service is also available. Radiology Department: This is the state of the art diagnostic department well equipped with latest version 1.5 Tesla MRI, 64 slice CT scanners, Gamma imaging system, digital mammogram, ultrasound scanners. Ultrasound guided biopsies, CT guided biopsy and planning are performed. Pathology department: The department is state of the art diagnostic department for cancer diagnosis as well for monitoring. This provides routine laboratory services like hematology, biochemistry etc. The speciality is this lab measures tumor markers for diagnosis and monitoring of cancer. Routine Histopathology service with immune-histochemistry facility is very unusual and is helps is accurate diagnosis. They also do flow cytometry and cytogenetics for diagnosis of hematological cancers. Department of cancer prevention and research is also under he umbrella of hospital. This departments conducts cancer registry program, rural and in hospital cancer screening programs, research programs in collaboration with different university and scientists home and abroad. A volunteer organization, Cancer Welfare Society, helps the patients who are financially deprived and provides help. Similarly Dietary unit is influential in helping patients on their food requirements..

Future Perspectives

1. Ewing Sarcoma Study: This group in collaboration with Norwegian scientist studies the clinical trial of patients of Ewing sarcoma to find out the better treatment options. 2.Head and neck Oncology research group: This group in collaboration with scientists in american university trying to study the genetic aberration in the tissue of head and neck cancer patients. This in the long term will provide help in finding cure to cancer. 3. Cancer registry Program: This program counts cancer patients in society and their pattern. This will help us to know our cancer burden and plan the preventive measures. 4. New hospital premises: New 300 bed facility is under construction. This facility will have bone marrow transplant unit, state of the art operating rooms and better intensive care units.

References

External links

• Official website
• Radiation Oncology Department news