Gamma Knife treatment now available in Karaganda

He visited the Center to see the stereotactic gamma whole body treatment system (SGS-1), or the so-called Gamma Knife of Chinese production installed at the medical facility. The Karaganda center is the first in Kazakhstan to provide the treatment and removal of malignant and benign tumors with the Gamma Knife worth 1 billion tenge.

The Gamma Knife is concentrated gamma radiation focusing through a lens system at the tumor itself. This radiation damages DNA of abnormal cells and cell membranes thereby stopping tumor growth. The main advantage of the Gamma Knife is that one procedure can create high-dose radiation in the pathological area, therefore this treatment requires on average 3-5 procedures, unlike conventional radiation therapy when the patient is to take up to 30-35 procedures in small doses.

According to head of the regional health department Tolegen Sadvakasov, his incumbent office together with the healthcare ministry will be working on free Gamma Knife treatment. He said that 30 people had already started to receive treatment.