The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jammu achieved a major milestone in the healthcare sector by successfully performing interstitial brachytherapy.
This is the first time in the medical history of Jammu and Kashmir that interstitial brachytherapy was successfully performed in any hospital.
The advanced procedure was carried out on a 26-year-old woman diagnosed with Stage II vulvar cancer. The patient was treated under the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
According to a spokesperson of AIIMS Jammu, vulvar cancer is a rare gynaecological malignancy, accounting for only about four per cent of all gynaecological cancers, and is even rarer among young women.
Recognising the complexity of the case, a multidisciplinary tumour board comprising experts from the Departments of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Radiation Oncology, Surgical Oncology, Radiodiagnosis, and Pathology reviewed the case and formulated a personalised treatment plan.
The interstitial brachytherapy procedure was successfully carried out by the Department of Radiation Oncology under the leadership of Prof. (Dr.) D. N. Sharma, Executive Director and CEO, AIIMS Jammu. The advanced technique delivers radiation directly into the tumour with high precision, ensuring effective treatment while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissues.
A major benefit of the procedure was that it enabled the patient to avoid a mutilating surgical operation. The organ-preserving treatment is expected to provide excellent disease control while helping maintain the patient’s quality of life.
Prof. (Dr.) D. N. Sharma said the successful procedure marks a major step towards introducing advanced, organ-preserving cancer therapies in the region. He added that AIIMS Jammu remains committed to providing state-of-the-art oncology services and ensuring patients in Jammu & Kashmir have access to the latest treatment options within the Union Territory.
The achievement further strengthens AIIMS Jammu’s position as a leading centre for advanced cancer care and reflects its commitment to bringing cutting-edge medical technology and specialised treatment closer to the people of the region.
Earlier milestone in tongue cancer treatment
Earlier in March this year, AIIMS Jammu had successfully performed its first interstitial brachytherapy procedure for the treatment of tongue cancer. This advanced and highly precise form of radiation therapy marks an important milestone in strengthening comprehensive oncology services at the institute and in the region.
The procedure was performed on a patient diagnosed with tongue cancer and involved placing specialised catheters directly into the tumour, through which a radioactive source delivers radiation precisely to the cancerous tissue while minimising exposure to surrounding healthy structures.
This technique enables delivery of high radiation doses with exceptional accuracy, leading to improved treatment outcomes while preserving surrounding healthy tissues.
The successful introduction of interstitial brachytherapy for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir at All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jammu marks a major milestone in expanding advanced cancer treatment services in the region. With the availability of this highly specialised procedure locally, patients from Jammu and Kashmir and neighbouring regions will now benefit from access to advanced brachytherapy treatment without the need to travel outside the region.
This development represents an important step toward strengthening comprehensive cancer care and bringing state-of-the-art radiation therapy closer to patients in the Union Territory.
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