A New Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment
- More effective Dendritic Cell Therapy (DCT) - Stimulates the T-cells that fight cancer
Hyderabad: A major step forward has been taken in the battle against cancer. A new revolutionary approach has emerged — Dendritic Cell Therapy (DCT). This treatment involves extracting dendritic cells from the patient's blood, concentrating them, and injecting them back into the body. These dendritic cells activate the body’s T-cells, which are natural cancer fighters. They help detect and destroy cancer or bacteria-related cells throughout the body.
Though it falls under immunotherapy, this method is significantly different from existing ones, according to Dr. Sadat A. Ali, an orthopedic surgeon and professor of regenerative medicine at Stem Cells Regenerative and Research Labs in Hyderabad, where this therapy is being offered.
Cancer has become increasingly widespread in India. As per WHO statistics, over 1.4 million new cases were reported in 2022 alone, with nearly 900,000 deaths. DCT provides new hope in this context. Not only do dendritic cells directly attack cancer cells, but they also awaken dormant T-cells to fight more effectively.
India already offers several treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy and monoclonal antibody therapy. When combined with DCT, these treatments become more potent, leading to faster cancer reduction. While DCT was discovered in the 19th century, it received approval from the US FDA in 2010. It has shown significant success, particularly in treating metastatic prostate cancer, where cancer spreads from the prostate to other parts of the body.
Compared to traditional treatments, DCT is far more effective and has minimal side effects. Patients undergoing this therapy have shown significant improvement in both life expectancy and quality of life. It can reduce the tumor burden by over 65%. When administered in the early stages, DCT can reduce the chances of metastasis by four to five times more than other treatments. Scientifically, it’s proven to boost the effectiveness of chemo and radiotherapy by two to three times.
The process involves collecting 5-10 mL of blood from the patient, along with tissue samples from the tumor. These samples are processed in the lab for 5-7 days to produce around 10 million dendritic cells. These are then injected under the skin, into the muscles, nerves, or directly into the tumor. Initial results are visible within the first three months, with full results taking around 6 to 9 months.
Currently, there are very few labs offering this treatment in India. For the southern states — Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka — the only available lab is in Hyderabad. Established in 1999 in collaboration with the U.S. Consultancy for Applied Research in Illinois, the lab provides injections once every two weeks (3-4 doses) or a set of 10 injections every 3-4 weeks.
This cutting-edge therapy offers hope where traditional treatments fall short — and all at a significantly more affordable cost compared to other regions.