Karachi: More than 400 cancer patients will receive free advanced radiotherapy every day at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) from September this year following the launch of a dedicated breast radiation facility, significantly expanding access to world-class cancer treatment.
Pakistan faces a growing cancer burden, with an estimated 185,000 to 200,000 new cancer cases diagnosed annually and more than 120,000 deaths each year, making timely diagnosis and advanced treatment one of the country’s biggest healthcare challenges.
Professor Emeritus Dr Tariq Mahmood, Head of Radiation Oncology at JPMC, said the Bilquis & Abdul Sattar Edhi Breast Radiation Bay would begin operations in September 2026 and provide free radiotherapy to around 160 breast cancer patients every day. The expansion will increase the centre’s overall radiotherapy capacity to more than 400 patients daily.
The dedicated breast radiation facility will use state-of-the-art Tomotherapy systems equipped with fan-beam CT scanners, Surface Guided Radiation Therapy (SGRT) and Deep Inspiration Breath Hold (DIBH) technology to improve treatment accuracy while minimising radiation exposure to the heart. The entire unit will be staffed by female doctors, radiation therapists, nurses and technicians to ensure privacy and comfort for women.
Established through a partnership between the Government of Sindh and the Patients’ Aid Foundation, JPMC’s Radiation Oncology Department provides advanced cancer diagnosis and treatment completely free of charge regardless of patients’ nationality, religion or ethnicity.
Prof Mahmood said JPMC is the only centre in the world offering both CyberKnife robotic radiosurgery and Tomotherapy free of cost and is among the world’s leading radiation oncology centres in advanced treatment technologies.
Pakistan’s first CyberKnife was installed at JPMC in 2012, followed by a second unit in 2018 and a third-generation system donated by the Government of Sindh in 2024. The latest robot has reduced treatment time from about 150 minutes to just 25 minutes, enabling doctors to treat significantly more patients with greater precision.
CyberKnife is used to treat early-stage cancers of the brain, head and neck, spine, lungs, prostate and several other organs, usually in one to five sessions. It is also used to treat selected non-cancerous conditions, including trigeminal neuralgia and arteriovenous malformations.
Prof Mahmood said CyberKnife is among the safest treatment options for early-stage prostate cancer. The painless, non-invasive procedure requires no surgery, injections or anaesthesia, and patients usually return to their normal routine the following day.
He said CyberKnife treatment costs between US$50,000 and US$120,000 in Europe and North America but is provided entirely free at JPMC, making the facility unique in the world.
JPMC also became Pakistan’s first institution to introduce Tomotherapy in 2020. A second unit became operational in 2024, while two additional Tomotherapy systems are currently being installed. The technology combines daily CT imaging with 360-degree helical radiation delivery, allowing highly precise treatment while protecting surrounding healthy tissues. The centre also operates Equinox linear accelerators for patients with advanced-stage cancers.
Sharing the department’s achievements, Prof Mahmood said JPMC has completed 24,970 CyberKnife radiosurgery procedures since 2012, delivered 50,309 Tomotherapy treatments since 2020 and provided 104,332 Equinox radiotherapy sessions since 2018.
Its PET-CT facility, established in 2017, has performed 23,776 free PET-CT scans and now caters to around 4,000 patients every year.
Patients from 176 cities across Pakistan and 24 countries have received free diagnosis and treatment at the centre, reflecting Karachi’s growing recognition as a regional hub for advanced cancer care.
Prof Mahmood credited the success of the programme to the partnership between the Government of Sindh and the Patients’ Aid Foundation, saying the collaboration had enabled thousands of underprivileged patients to receive world-class cancer treatment free of charge. He said similar public-private partnership models could help transform healthcare and education across Pakistan by combining government support with philanthropic contributions from civil society.
He said the latest expansion would enable thousands more cancer patients to access cutting-edge treatment free of cost while substantially reducing the financial burden on families battling one of the country’s deadliest diseases.