Uttar Pradesh: 2 new cancer therapies introduced in Lucknow

Lucknow: The city of Lucknow has opened its doors to two new therapies for its cancer patients . The first an expensive one called immuno-therapy and the second a relatively cheaper option called-metronomic chemotherapy.

Discussed at the oncology conference, organized by medical oncologists at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences and Command Hospital , facts related to these therapies were spoken about and an awareness drive generated against tobacco, in the city’s colleges.

Dr Gaurav Gupta, Organizing Secretary and Associate Professor, RMLIMS Medical Oncology Department, said, "In Immunotherapy, substances made of body material or in the laboratory are used to boost the body's immune system to fight cancer cells. Through the therapy, reactivation is done to fight cancer cells."

Trial therapy applications have witnessed a success rate between 20% and 25%, while its after-effects are long term; with some patients not being able to recover even after two years of treatment.

Organizing Chairperson of the Conference and Associate Professor at the Department of Medicine and Oncology at Command Hospital,Dr Manish Kumar, has already performed these therapies.

At RMLIMS, experts are available to use immunotherapy drugs on patients who need them. "The therapy is extremely expensive at the moment and suitable for only specific cases," Dr Gupta.

Metronomic Chemotherapy, on the other hand, is a low-dose continuous chemotherapy, available at a cheaper price. "It is still experimental and we perform it only after patient’s approval. But it is a simple therapy that uses non-cancer and some chemo drugs in select cases. It keeps the cancer cells in control, and in some cases, can give long term benefits too," Dr Gupta told TOI.