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Hindustan Times
28-06-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Teen beats cancer after ‘ultra-high' dose nuclear therapy at Mumbai's TMC
In a pathbreaking medical feat, a 17-year-old boy suffering from relapsed Neuroblastoma, an aggressive form of paediatric cancer, was given a new lease of life through an experimental nuclear therapy conducted at ACTREC (Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer), R&D wing of the Tata Memorial Centre in Navi Mumbai. The boy, who was first diagnosed in 2022 at age 14, had undergone a stem cell transplant but suffered a relapse earlier this year, leaving doctors with limited options.(Unsplash/Representational) Doctors at the facility administered an ultra-high dose of radioactive 131-Iodine MIBG therapy, 800 millicurie, nearly three times the permissible limit set by the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), making it the highest dosage ever used in India for treating Neuroblastoma. The procedure, conducted on May 5, was the result of a meticulously planned, three-month-long collaborative effort by six departments at ACTREC, with guidance from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the US. 'This form of cancer is almost never diagnosed early. Most cases, by the time they come to us, are already in stage four,' said Dr Venkatesh Rangarajan, head of nuclear medicine at Tata Memorial Hospital. The boy, who was first diagnosed in 2022 at age 14, had undergone a stem cell transplant but suffered a relapse earlier this year, leaving doctors with limited options. That's when the medical team proposed 131-I MIBG—a form of targeted nuclear medicine therapy. While Indian protocols have previously capped radioactive dosage at 300 millicurie, this particular case warranted a drastic step forward. 'Administering 800 millicurie required exceptional safety measures and a special nod from the AERB,' said Dr Rangarajan. 'The major challenge was to shield healthcare staff and others from gamma radiation, which meant constructing an isolated high-safety ward and ensuring no one except the core team was exposed.' Also read: He stole to fund his son's cancer treatment, was still behind bars when boy died One of the most dangerous side effects of such high-dose radioisotope therapy is bone marrow suppression. To mitigate this, doctors harvested and stored the patient's bone marrow before treatment. It was reinfused into his body after the therapy concluded. Another unusual condition for the therapy: the patient had to remain in complete isolation for five days. Today, the boy is back home, cancer-free, and dreaming of becoming a doctor himself. 'His resilience and the team's extraordinary commitment made this success possible,' said Dr Gupta.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
India's highest radiation dose used at Tata hosp, may slash kid cancer treatment cost
Mumbai: The treatment chamber's walls had to be lead-shielded, the next few rooms vacated and several other strict safety measures put in place before two highly radioactive injections were given at a gap of just 15 seconds to a 17-year-old with stage 4 neuroblastoma at the Tata Memorial Centre's ACTREC facility in Kharghar recently. It marked the first time such a high-radiation dose procedure had been attempted in India, requiring extensive planning over three months, multiple safety checks, and full-scale mock drills, reports Eshan Kalyanikar. Treatment for neuroblastoma, a type of cancer mostly associated with children, will change significantly and could be provided for Rs 4-5 lakh. At the moment, treating a high-risk neuroblastoma requires a multi-modality approach, including anti-GD2 immunotherapy, and costs could go up to Rs 75 lakh, said oncologists. The patient was treated on May 5 and discharged in 5 days. This week, he was considered out of danger — for now. The outcome of the treatment will be determined over the next two years depending on if the patient has cured or had a relapse. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai We were coordinating with Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York. There were three meetings with them, as they have performed over 100 such procedures before. Our confidence increased after learning that our hospital was already extensively equipped," said Dr Archi Agrawal, head of the nuclear medicine department who spearheaded the pioneering treatment and was one of the two doctors who administered the injections. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 Most Gorgeous Women, Ranked BigGlobalTravel Undo A patient remains highly radioactive after the therapy and even bodily fluids and excretions pose a risk of nuclear exposure to others. To prevent this, urine and stool were collected and stored in special containment systems — 'delay-decay tanks' — designed to hold radioactive waste for several days until the radiation decays to safe levels before disposal. From lead-shielded walls and a high-isolation treatment room to a long-term nuclear biomedical waste holding system, doctors said the procedure was only possible because the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) had much of the required infrastructure in place. The treatment, called 131I-mIBG, is a type of radiotherapy in which a radioactive form of iodine is attached to a molecule (MIBG) that is absorbed by neuroblastoma cells. This allows targeted radiation to the tumor while sparing most healthy tissues. "Until now, only a 300-millicurie dose of this therapy was administered to patients," said TMC director Sudeep Gupta. Most hospitals typically administer 200 millicuries. "We aimed to deliver 800 millicuries: four times the usual dose and the highest ever given in India," said Dr Venkatesh Rangarajan from the department of nuclear medicine. The permissions had to be obtained from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB). The hospital recalled that two AERB officials were sent to ACTREC to monitor the procedure. Dr Agarwal emphasised that there was no room for error and that the safety of the patient and everyone in the hospital was the top priority. "We managed it because the patient and their family were highly cooperative, and isolation protocols were strictly followed. Everything, from food to medical assessments, had to be managed through the door, from a distance," she said, adding that she would have risked radiation exposure herself to rush to the patient had he experienced an emergency hypertensive episode. "That was a risk, but thankfully, it did not occur," she said. Other departments involved include departments of paediatric oncology, the bone marrow transplant unit, and the transfusion medicine department. Dr Navin Khatry of haematology department said that the cure rate for this treatment is 30%, with a relapse typically occurring within two to three years. He added, "The condition impacts paediatric patients. This treatment will be only given to patients who have had a relapse. We will be doing clinical trials before moving ahead with this therapy for others." No Mixed-Media Items
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
'MenCan' initiative for cancer awareness
Mumbai: There is an urgent need to spread awareness about "men's cancers," which have been steadily increasing in numbers in recent years, said doctors of Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) while setting up an initiative called 'MenCan' on Thursday. The initiative stems from the fact that many men refuse to discuss symptoms of these cancers - prostate, testicular, and penile - in the early stages. So, 60% to 70% of Indian patients reach out for medical help only in the advanced stages of their cancer. "TMC has special initiatives for women's cancers as well as paediatric cancers, but this would be the first time we will raise awareness about men's cancers," said director (Academics) Dr Sripad Banavali. The hospital gets 1,100 fresh cases of prostate cancer and about 250 to 300 cases each of testicular and penile cancers every year. Dr Gagan Prakash, chief of the uro-oncology division in the hospital, said that there are many misconceptions about men's cancer. "Men do not come forward about these cancers because they are afraid of how society will treat them. Due to this, the number of patients with all three cancers is increasing due to the hesitation of men in seeking medical help," he added. The reverse is true in the West. "In developed countries, the majority of the men with these cancers arrive in the early stages, and the survivorship is over 90% for, say, testicular cancer ," said Dr Amit Joshi, head of medical oncology at ACTREC - the Tata Memorial Centre's hospital in Kharghar - during the initiative's launch. The MenCan initiative will focus on creating awareness and raising funding for patients who can't afford treatment. It will have an arm for psycho-social counselling, including helping survivors with getting jobs. "Many of these cancer survivors have a long life after cancer. We want to ensure survivors rehabilitated," said ACTREC director Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi.
Time of India
25-04-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Can music help treat cancer? TMC's new facility to study role
Mumbai: Music is known to improve people's mood and reduce stress levels, but does it have a role in cancer therapy? This is one of the questions that doctors at Tata Memorial Centre will try to scientifically answer once their new research facility in Khopoli, Raigad district, is established next year. The 100-bed hospital and research centre will test commonly held anti-cancer beliefs to ascertain if they have a scientific basis. "We will assess yoga's role in cancer as well as the effectiveness of ayurvedic medications, plant extracts, or seaweed in combating cancer," said Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, director of Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC), TMC's centre in Kharghar. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai He said social media mentions many natural cures for cancers. "We will check if these social media posts are worthy or harmful for the people," said Dr Chaturvedi. Music, like yoga, has many anecdotal reviews of having a positive effect on patients. On Thursday, when singer Shaan inaugurated a MENCAN initiative focusing on male-only cancers at ACTREC, Dr Chaturvedi said music has a role in palliative care and the Khopoli centre would explore the connection in detail. "Work has already begun, and it is likely to be ready next year." Music has long been used as an add-on therapy. Sarod player Vivek Joshi, who calls himself a 'music healer', has performed for inmates of Thane Mental Hospital on multiple occasions. A year ago, Jaslok Hospital conducted a pilot study to assess whether performing music or dance, along with meditation, checked the progress of Parkinson's disease. A 2022 study of 102 cancer patients in Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, Ahmedabad, indicated that those undergoing pain and palliative care experienced "notable outcomes from music therapy sessions, including a significant decrease in anxiety and pain perception, along with enhancements in mood and motivation". An American study of 750 patients found music could be used as a tool for "distress reduction" during chemotherapy. Patients were randomly assigned to either music (listen to music for up to 60 minutes) or control (no music) conditions. "Patients who listened to self-selected music during infusion showed significant benefit in improved positive mood and reduced negative mood and distress (but not pain) from pre- to post-intervention," said the report published in 2023. "Music medicine is a low-touch, low-risk, and cost-effective way to manage patients' psychological well-being in the often stressful context of a cancer infusion clinic."
