Oncology

Outpatient Unit: Provides outpatient consultation services which includes screening, diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of solid tumours through cutting-edge technology and personalized multidisciplinary treatment protocols. The outpatient unit is equipped with two separate air-conditioned consultation rooms with secluded examination area, patient counselling room, OP procedure room and an OP pharmacy. The facility has service of four specialist oncology doctors currently.

Chemotherapy unit: Apart from External beam radiation treatment and brachytherapy, the facility also has a dedicated state-of-the-art day care chemotherapy unit which provides chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment to patients with solid tumours. Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment approach which uses powerful drugs to destroy cancer cells throughout the body unlike surgery and radiation which are meant for controlling the disease locally.

The day care chemotherapy ward is a 20 bedded unit equipped with recliner beds separated by cabinets, biosafety cabinet for mixing cytotoxic drugs, infusion pumps, multipara monitors, emergency lifesaving equipment and drugs, health care professionals including a team of doctors specialized in oncology, onco nurses, pharmacist, nursing assistants, attendants etc. The facility has provided holistic and comforting treatment to thousands of cancer patients.

Pharmacy: The facility has a separate OP pharmacy for cancer department which store and dispenses chemotherapeutic drugs, immunotherapy drugs and supportive medications distributed by KMSCL and donated by corporate companies utilizing their CSR fund and other generous people. The Pharmacy is managed by pharmacist specialized in handling cytotoxic drugs. The drugs unavailable in pharmacy are provided to patient from Karunya medical store utilizing the various insurance schemes and support programs.

Inpatient unit: The inpatient unit comprises of 26 bedded male oncology ward , 26 bedded female oncology ward, Neutropenia ICU with 16 beds and HDU unit with 16 beds which provides inpatient services including infusion chemotherapy, supportive care, ICU care to critically ill patients and patients with low blood counts. Each ward has a separate procedure room for carrying out different procedures like ascitic fluid tapping, pleural tapping, bone marrow biopsy, intraperitoneal and intrathecal chemotherapy etc.

HOSPITAL BASED CANCER REGISTRY, ICMR

The National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR), Bengaluru is one of its kind of unique institution which utilizes information science for health research as its integral component. This has been amply demonstrated by the evolution of the ICMR National Cancer Registry Program (NCRP) since 1981, which has now blossomed into a vibrant network of multi-disciplinary researchers representing more than 1000 sources of cancer registration across the country. Over the decades, NCRP has provided information on cancer incidence by sites, morbidity patterns, mortality, and patterns of care and survival. It plays a critical role in the country’s efforts towards cancer prevention and control.

Since 2012 General Hospital, Ernakulam has been run its Cancer Registry Programme funded by NCDIR, ICMR. This research department has handed two types of cancer registries such as Hospital Based Cancer Registry and Patterns of Care & Survival of Breast, Head & Neck and Cervix. According to its research outcome, Breast, Head & Neck and Lung cancers are the most commonly found cancers in Kerala. The common causes for the same as smoking, alcohol, over mental stress and harmful lifestyles.It is a dedicated department equipped with a Principal Investigator, Co-Principal Investigators, Research Social Worker, Registry Assistant and 3 Data Entry Operators. As of now ten thousand above cases abstracted and sent to ICMR for further tabulations and research activities. This will facilitate a comprehensive response for interventions, monitoring, evaluation and surveillance.