Phone
Fax
03-26155810
03-26925713
onkologi@hkl.moh.gov.my
In 1960, the Radiotherapy centre was a single storey building located adjacent to the present Maternity Hospital. There was only a handful of staff running the department. It consisted of a consultant radiotherapist, two radiographers, a staff nurse, a receptionist and a female attendant. Dato’ Dr S.K Dharmalingam, the consultant radiotherapist at that time, mooted the idea of setting up a new radiotherapy department. With the support of the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister at that time, the project was approved. A sum of RM3 million was allocated for the Institute.
The physical construction that was started in August 1967 and completed in November 1968 was then called the Institute of Radiotherapy, Oncology and Nuclear Medicine. The centre treated about 1000 patients a year and had an inpatient capacity for 100 patients. It was an exciting year as the department moved from the kilovoltage era (<100 kvphotons) to the megavoltage era (> 100 kv photons). This meant we could treat deep-seated tumours with less fields and spare normal superficial tissues from side effects.
In the mid 80’s new equipments were bought to replace the old. In 1986 a Treatment Simulator was bought to simulate and verify treatment fields to ensure that we were treating the tumour sites accurately whilst at the same time sparing critical structures. A dual energy Linear Accelerator (Linac) with electron beam facility was installed. Electrons were particularly useful in treating superficial tumours, sparing deep-seated normal tissues.
By early 1990’s we had 4 linear accelerators, a Cobalt-60 and a Caesium-137 Teletherapy machines, and a diagnostic CAT scanner. In 1990 radium sources were disposed of in line with the ICRU (International Commission on Radiation Unit) recommendation. They were replaced with Caesium 137 low dose rate manual after loading sources for the treatment of gynaecological malignancies.
Today the centre boasts of treating about 4000 new cases of cancer annually and has an in-patient capacity of about 200 patients. There are 5 consultants, 4 physicists, 41 Therapy Radiographers, 94 nurses of all categories and 59 attendants.
In late 2001 a brand new state of the art Linear Accelerator (Linac), a Treatment Simulator with integrated digital imaging facility and a 3-D Treatment Planning System were installed and commissioned under the Three-In-One package project. The new Linac is fitted with multileaf collimation enabling conformal radiotherapy and Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) to be performed.
Linear Accelerator with MLC
Treatment Simulator
The Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur is the national referral centre in the field of oncology. Besides providing radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and palliative care services, the Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology, Hospital Kuala Lumpur acts as the impetus for the development of Radiotherapy and Oncology in Malaysia.
The present Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology is situated opposite the Institute Kaji Saraf Tunku Abdul Rahman (IKTAR), Hospital Kuala Lumpur.
The Department comprises the following:
GROUND FLOOR:
- Administrative Section (Head of Department’s Office, Administrative Office and Meeting Room)First Floor :-
- Out-patient Clinic
- Day-Care Centre (Bilik Penawar)
- Satellite Pharmacy
- Clinical Laboratory
- Records Office
- Operation Theatre/ CSSD/Brachytherapy Unit
(The Brachytherapy Unit includes the Caesium Ward and High Dose Rate [HDR] Room).
- Physics Section:- Physicists’ Offices- Radiotherapy Services Section:
- Computerised 3-D Planning Room
- Physics Laboratory
- Mould Room
- Workshop- Planning Unit
- Simulator 1
- Simulator 2
- Linac 1
- Linac 2
- Linac 4
- Linac 5
- Linac 6
- Theratron Cobalt 60
- General X-Ray
- C.T.Scan
- Electronics Room
- Physiotherapy-Rehabilitation Room - Paediatric Room
- Chief/Senior Therapy Radiographers’ Offices
- Staff Rest Room
- Clinical Oncologists’ OfficesSecond Floor: -
- Medical Officers’ Offices
- Conference Room
Old Wing – RT 2A/2B, with a total of 45 female third class beds.Third Floor :-
New Wing –- Surau
- Matron’s office
- RT 2C, with a total of 19 male second-class beds
- RT 2D, with a total of 20 female second-class beds
Old Wing – RT 3A/3B, with a total of 45 male third class beds.Fourth Floor: -
New Wing -- RT 3C/3D, with a total of 29 male/ female first class beds.
- Medical Officers’ Call Room.
Old Wing –A total of 208 beds are available in the Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology- RT 4A, with a total of 22 male third class beds
- RT 4B, with a total of 23 female third class beds
Departmental Vision and Mission
Vision
The department shall be a centre of excellence providing high quality cancer care, such that cancer patients have the opportunity to receive the best possible management.
Oncology services shall at all times be delivered with emphasis on precision, accuracy, quality, innovation and commitment by a multidisciplinary team which is dedicated, caring, responsible, efficient and highly-skilled.
Mission
1. Promote clinical oncology services of high professional quality.
2. Promote integrated and holistic care of cancer patients.
3. Uphold human dignity of patients including those patients who are terminally ill.
Objective and functions
OBJECTIVE
1. Deliver optimal treatment to cancer patients with radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other non-surgical modalities in order to achieve cure whenever possible.
2. In all patients, including those in whom cure is not possible, the objective is to optimize care and comfort.
3. Ensure the delivery of timely cancer treatment that is accurate, appropriate, affordable and patient-centred.
4. Promote the principles and the practice of quality improvement in all areas of cancer management including curative, palliative and rehabilitative aspects.
5. Promote professional ethics relating to practice of quality cancer care.
6. Promote a working environment that is safe for staff, patients and their families.
7. Be a reputable centre for training of oncologists and allied health professionals involved in cancer care.
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