The department of Radiotherapy was started in 1940 with KV/ deep X Rays. A Janus machine was acquired in the 60s and this worked up to 1990. For 11 years from 1990‐2001 there was no radiation unit at King George Hospital. Under NCCP, radiation therapy recommenced with the Theratron 780 phoenix, a Tele cobalt unit. Recent cobalt source replacement was done in 2017.
Palliative care services now provided by the department started on 18/12/2017 in collaboration with a local NGO ‐ age care foundation ‐ SNEHA SANDHYA. Palliative services are now provided to terminally ill cancer patients and include pain management with opiods. The department moved to the CSR block once construction was completed in 2019. The department has a CELLAR floor that has 2 bunkers for Linac, 1 bunker for HDR Brachytherapy and 1 bunker each for RT simluation and CT simulation. There is also an inpatient ward with 30 radiotherapy beds for patients undergoing treatment. The department will be expanding soon as part of the AP goverment initiative to establish a comprehensive cancer care (CCC) center at King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam.
Services available in the department are cancer diagnosis, treatment, prevention and screening for cancer. Treatment services offered include radiation, chemotherapy, pain management and palliative care. The staff and faculty actively conduct cancer screening camps performing pap smears, mammograms as well as monthly cancer awareness programs. The department sees 40‐50 new patients per month and 150‐200 admissions for therapy per month.
The faculty are actively involved in academics, research and publish in national and international journals.