Healthcare Global Enterprises Group (HCG), a dedicated oncology major in the country, has commenced the Investigator Initiated Trials on cervical cancer to provide a right drug combination to treat the disease which currently affects around 1.3 lakh women a year in India. The trial has been cleared by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) to carry out the study specifically for cervical cancer.

This is possibly a one of-a-kind initiative to look into the data of drug regimes adopted by healthcare provider in the country and globally. Currently, Indian data on cervical cancer treatment is inadequate and there are hardly any details from West about the drugs and ideal therapy modalities. In order to have a system in place, HCG took on the onus to carry out the Investigator Initiated Trials which are expected to provide a documented information for oncologists to treat cancer of the cervix, Dr Niti Raizada Narang, consultant, Medical Oncology, HCG told Pharmabiz.

The key aim of the Investigator Initiated Trials is that it is carried out by experts who are sound in base in basic science, translational and clinical research. The effort is to ascertain a new combination of treatment from the existing drugs. Current drugs administered are Platinum, Paclitaxel and immunotherapy combinations. Our study will look at a combination which can provide good response to the treatment, said Dr Narang.

Worldwide, the annual incidence of the cancer of the cervix accounts for approximately 5 lakh cases, of which 3 lakh patients succumb to the dreaded disease. India accounts of 26 per cent of the total 5 lakh cases.

“In India, we are seeing only patients with advanced cases of cervical cancer. This is primarily because there is a serious lack of awareness and the inability to express the symptoms by the women who manifest the condition. The Investigator Initiated Trial could open up the possibility of saving a few cases. This is why HCG which is a private medical centre with a network of 20 hospitals in the country has taken on the onus of the study to assess the right combination of drugs which could provide some relief to these patients,” stated Dr Narang.

All the 20 centres of the HCG are roped in for the randomized trial which will have two groups comprising standard and experimental arms. The two groups of patients will be administered any of the two drugs: Platinum and immunotherapy in a combination, said Dr Narang.

The study requires 100 patients. It has a pilot study in place and a hypothesis of the outcome is being assessed.