The Tata Institute in Mumbai, a leading center for cancer research and treatment in India, has announced a breakthrough in preventing cancer recurrence.
After a decade of research, they’ve developed a tablet aimed at stopping cancer from reemerging in patients for the second time, while also decreasing the adverse effects of treatments such as radiation and chemotherapy by half.
Dr. Rajendra Badve, a senior cancer surgeon at Tata Memorial Hospital involved in the research, explained that they conducted experiments on rats where human cancer cells were introduced, leading to tumor formation.
These rats were then subjected to various treatments like radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and surgery.
It was observed that dying cancer cells release chromatin particles, which can potentially trigger healthy cells to become cancerous, thus aiding in the spread of the disease.
[adinserter name="One"]To tackle this issue, the researchers administered tablets containing pro-oxidants with resveratrol and copper (R+Cu) to the rats.
[adinserter name="Two"]These tablets generate oxygen radicals in the stomach, which are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream.
The oxygen radicals destroy the chromatin particles released by dying cancer cells, thereby preventing metastasis (the spread of cancer cells) and reducing chemotherapy toxicity.
[adinserter name="Three"]The researchers have coined this approach the “Magic of R+Cu”.
They claim that this tablet can cut down the side effects of cancer treatment by half and is around 30% effective in preventing cancer recurrence.
[adinserter name="Four"]Moreover, it shows promise in treating pancreatic, lung, and oral cancers.
Despite being in development for nearly a decade, the tablet is pending approval from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
[adinserter name="Five"]Once approved, it is expected to hit the market by June-July. Remarkably, the tablet will be priced at just ₹100, making it accessible to a wider population.
[adinserter name="Six"]While the tablet’s impact on side effects was tested on both rats and humans, its efficacy in preventing cancer recurrence was only assessed in rats.
[adinserter name="Seven"]Human trials are anticipated to take approximately five years to complete.
[adinserter name="Eight"]Dr. Badve acknowledged the challenges faced during the research, with some doubting its potential, but now, the success has brought excitement and satisfaction to everyone involved.
