As clinical trials on two sets of cancer patients are said to be successful, oncologists from TATA Memorial Centre (TMC) are hailing the silent revolution of Metronomics, the next generation multi-targeted anti-cancer therapy. TMC oncologists said that if the trials continue to yield minimal post-operative management and cost effectiveness post the phase III trials, it would be the most effective line of treatment in the low and middle-income countries.
The oncologists said that while two sets of clinical trials on patients suffering from head and neck cancer and oesophagus cancer patients are showing promising results, they are willing to test the line of treatment on breast cancer patients as well. “Out of 400 patients suffering from the two types of cancers, around half the percentage have shown excellent recovery and no recurring. The patients needed minimal post-therapy care, fewer chemotherapy sessions and developed good immunity,” said Dr Shripad Banavali, professor and head Of the department, Medicine and Paediatric Oncology at TMC.
Metronomical Rescheduling of Anticancer Treatment (MSAT) is progressively gaining interest after the antiagiogenic (decreasing blood supply to the tumour, thus slowing its growth or killing it) properties of metronomics chemotherapy and its potential to overcome drug resistance came to light. The treatment itself is based on increasing the number of drugs, which aren’t necessarily developed as anti-cancer agents. However, the drugs nonetheless target cancer cells but also the tumor microenvironment, reducing the chances of patient developing resistance.
Oncologists confirmed that since MSAT protocols are based on older chemotherapy as well as biological response of the newer drugs, which have their generic variants available, it makes the treatment extremely cost-effective. “The treatment protocol allows post therapy follow ups after three months, which also reduces the cost of entire cancer management because we have patients coming from different parts of the country to TMC,” added Dr Banavali.
As the hospital is slated to step into the random clinical trails soon, where two sets of patients will be put on orthodox cancer management therapy and metronomics, they said the results of the trials will decide weather the treatment can be accepted as a mainline cancer treatment or will remain an investigative therapy.
