HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd (HCG) is all set to start the head and neck cancer clinical trial before the year end. The main reason for the human studies is to provide the much-needed relief to the increasing number of cases being reported for cancers affecting the head and neck covering the brain and spine regions. These cancerous tumours are known as Glioblastomas and meningiomas which are proving to be a challenge to treat for oncologists.

“We will not be able to provide any details about the human studies now expect that it is an Investigator Initiated Clinical Trial,” Dr BS Ajai Kumar, chairman and CEO, HealthCare Global Enterprises Ltd. told Pharmabiz.

Faster diagnosis and growing awareness among consulting doctors early if symptoms of headache and nausea recur, have shown a rise in the number of cases diagnosed of cancers affecting the brain and spine. In fact, almost 80 percent of the neuro surgeries consist of removing cancerous tumours, he added.

Globally, brain and spine cancerous tumours account for 2 per cent of all cancers. But it is the increased incidence and fatality which are now throwing up a host of treatment challenges. In India , according to population-based cancer registry statistics, the incidence of brain and nervous system cancer in males is 4.16 per cent (213/4619) and in females is 2.15 per cent (121/5627) of all cancers.

The nuclear imaging technologies like Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Computed Tomography (CT) along with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are providing precise and faster diagnosis of brain and spine cancers. But the location of the tumours make it all the more complex to treat. Surgical expertise and advanced technology are required to ensure that cranial and spine regions are not damaged. In a number of cases, the tumours cannot be operated upon and only chemotherapy is the answer, said Dr Kumar.

In this scenario intelligent robotic systems like CyberKnife eliminate the need for invasive surgery. There are far fewer complications over conventional treatment, allowing patients to recover faster and resume work soon.

Although primary standard-of-care for brain-spine cancers is surgery, CyberKnife is only a form of therapy and not a substitute for surgery. At HCG, of the 115 procedures carried out with CyberKnife 40 cases are those with recurrence of brain and spine cancer accessing the radio-robotic technology for the first time to treat. The accuracy and convenience to treat the cases have proved CyberKnife as a better option. The last few weeks, the 40 cases have shown good response so far, but still it is too early to say anything more, said the HCG chief.