Asiri Hospitals, in its continuing endeavour to bring world-class healthcare to Sri Lanka, has signed a collaboration with the American Oncology Institute, the international arm of US-based Cancer Treatment Services International (CTSI), to launch the country’s first comprehensive Cancer Care Centre in the private sector.
The centre, which will be located at Asiri Surgical Hospital, will provide medical oncology, surgical oncology and state-of-art radiation therapy through a new generation linear accelerator. The hospital already provides PET scan diagnostic services along with medical oncology and surgical oncology services. 
American Oncology Institute (AOI) is the international arm of USA-based Cancer Treatment Services International (CTSI) Pittsburgh. CTSI was founded by a group of oncologists associated with the University of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania (UPMC), which is consistently ranked as a leading provider of Cancer services in 
the US. 
In 2012, AOI established its first centre in Hyderabad, India and since then has established a network of centres in the region incorporating US University level standard protocols in treatment of cancer at each centre. 
The incidence of cancer is on the rise in Sri Lanka. As per the country’s cancer registry, the number of new patients detected with cancer each year increased from 11,163 patients in 2008 to 13,890 in 2015. Oral cancer amongst men and breast cancer in women have also become leading issues in Sri Lanka with one in 10 Sri Lankans carrying the lifetime risk of developing cancer. The formation of the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) has been done with the objective of preventing and controlling the disease. 
“Improving access to comprehensive cancer care is an immediate priority for the country particularly in the area of a radiation therapy. The collaboration between Asiri Hospitals and AOI is aimed at bridging this gap and giving our clinicians the technology and protocols they need to provide better care to cancer patients,” said Asiri Hospitals Group Chairman Ashok Pathirage.
AOI utilizes a centralized management model that combines standardized, evidence-based clinical pathways and robust operational processes to promote consistent clinical decision-making in a patient-centric environment. The use of uniform treatment protocols is grounded in the latest advancements in oncology care, ensuring that all AOI patients benefit from the research and experience of the world’s top oncologists. 
AOI also administers an International Tumour Board, which will offer the team of Oncologists and Oncosurgeons in Asiri Hospitals the opportunity to receive inputs from their colleagues in the US as and when required. 
Commenting on the collaboration AOI Executive Director Joseph Nicholas said, “The association with Asiri Hospitals is a significant step towards our vision of bringing world-class cancer care based on established American standards to the people of Sri Lanka. AOI has a deep repository of knowledge in this field, which is constantly being updated based on cancer care research and new modalities of treatments being launched for patients. Patient care at Asiri will have the benefit of these advancements.”