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 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)
 - 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 which consists of Physicists Offices, computerised 3-D Planning Room, Physics Laboratory,Mould Room and Workshop.

- Radiotherapy Services Section:
  - 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

FIRST FLOOR :

- Clinical Oncologists’ Offices
- Medical Officers’ Offices
- Conference Room

SECOND FLOOR:

Old Wing – RT 2A/2B, with a total of 45 female third class beds.
New Wing - Surau, Matron’s office, RT 2C(with a total of 19 male second-class beds) and RT 2D( with a total of 20 female second-class beds).

THIRD FLOOR :

Old Wing – RT 3A/3B( with a total of 45 male third class beds).
 New Wing - RT 3C/3D (with a total of 29 male/ female first class beds) and Medical Officers’ Call Room.

FOURTH FLOOR:

Old Wing - RT 4A(with a total of 22 male third class beds) and RT 4B(with a total of 23 female third class beds.)

A total of 208 beds are available in the Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology

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.

OBJECTIVES

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.

Provision of radiotherapy and oncology services to cancer patients using non-surgical procedures i.e. radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, palliative care, etc. We provide the following services :-  

1. Radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is one of the modalities for the treatment of cancer. It can also be used to treat non-cancerous conditions like keloid, arteriovenous malformations, acoustic neuroma etc. Radiotherapy can be delivered either externally (teletherapy) or internally (intracavitary brachytherapy or interstitial). Currently we have 5 teletherapy machines and a treatment simulator. We also provide the following specialised radiotherapy services: -
  
   a. Stereotactic Radiotherapy
   b. Stereotactic Radiosurgery
   c. Brachytherapy
   d. Total / Half-Body Irradiation

2. Chemotherapy    

Using cytotoxcic drugs to treat systemic cancer spread or enhancing external radioterapy treatment.

3. Hormonal therapy
Using hormonal drugs to stop cancer growth in hormonal influence tumours.

4. Palliative care
To give care and support to patients who are terminally ill.


Out patient clinic opens from 7.30am-4.30pm on Monday to Friday and 7.30am-12.30pm on Saturday. 

   
Radiotherapy Clinic Schedule 

Note:-
Emergency Cases - New and follow up cases that need immediate attention.
New Cases - New cases according to appointment

Reminder to patient
Please bring your referal letter and old film for doctor's review.

Radiotherapy section

Treatment
The radiotherapy services start from 8.00am to 4.30pm, out patients are given appointment time to minimize waiting time.

Planning
The radiotherapy planning services start from 8.30am to 4.30pm. Patients are given appointment time to minimize waiting time.

The Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology provide training for therapeutic radiographers in collaboration with the Colleg of Radiotherapy and Radiography, Department of Public Health, Federal Territory. This training period is for 3 years and we have government sponsored candidates as well as those from local universities and private hospitals.

We provide post-graduate training for those who are interested in oncology as a career. Our centre is recognised by the Royal Colleges of England and Ireland for the part 1 of the Fellowship training.

The Department of Radiotherapy and Oncology is also the training center for practical training in post-basic oncology nursing run by the Training and Manpower Division of the Ministry of Health, whereby nurses following the post-basic course in oncology nursing are posted here for their practical attachment.

We have our own research unit called the Oncology Reseach Center (ORC).The ORC was set up in 2001 providing assistance and guidance to any staff of the department who are interested in doing any form of research projects related to radiotherapy and oncology.