TMC to assist BALCO centre on new cancer study using anaesthetic intervention

After presenting the findings of its decade-long study on the benefits of using anaesthetic intervention

After presenting the findings of its decade-long study on the benefits of using an anaesthetic intervention before breast cancer surgery at the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress in Paris last week, the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) is all set to assist BALCO Medical Centre (BMC) Raipur, in a similar trial for head and neck cancers.

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The two centres signed a memorandum of understanding on Saturday to drive excellence in cancer care in the country.

Head and neck cancers are the sixth most common cancer worldwide and contribute to 30-40% of all cancers in India. Annually, India sees over 200,000 cases of head and neck cancer, and an estimated 150,000 new breast cancer cases, of which 90,000-100,000 are eligible for the surgery.

“We will be collaborating with TMC for mutual learning and knowledge, including staff training, educational sessions, institutional fellowships, cross-referrals of patients and joint research, which will shape the future of cancer care in India,” Dr Bhawna Sirohi, medical director of Balco Medical Centre said.

“Balco sees many cases of HNCs, and therefore expressed interest in undertaking clinical trials using the local anaesthesia we used in our breast cancer study. We will assist them in the study,” Dr RA Badwe, director, TMC said.

The study, which will be overseen by Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, head and neck cancer surgeon and deputy director, centre of cancer epidemiology, TMC, will aim to see if the anaesthesia (0.5% lidocaine) is an effective intervention in cases of surgeries involving head and neck cancers.

The TMC’s study, presented at a global oncology congress on September 12, showed that the local anaesthesia, 0.5% lidocaine, which costs less than ₹100, injected just before breast cancer surgery worked an anti-cancer agent that significantly lowered the risk of death and recurrence by 29% and 30% respectively.

The study was conducted by investigators at 11 cancer centres across India and involved 1,600 patients in the age groups 30-70 and in stage I, stage II and early stage III breast cancer.

Dr Badwe, who was the principal investigator of this study, said the intervention had low toxicity and no side-effects.

“Seeing the success this small intervention brought in breast cancer management, we know it can be tried for other cancer treatments where surgery is part of the course of treatment. We are looking forward to the trial,” Dr Badwe said.