PUNE: Doctors from Columbia Asia Hospital used immunotherapy drugs to help a stage four cancer patient who had suffered a relapse which had affected his lungs and bones. Four years ago, his kidney was removed as cancer had spread in the organ. 

Dr Reshma Puranik, Consultant Medical Oncologist from Columbia Asia Hospital, where the patient was treated, said that the treatment modality of immunotherapy drugs is used to stimulate the immune system to help the body attack cancer cells. 

“The patient was detected with kidney cancer four years ago, due to which the affected kidney was removed and he was put on oral medicines. However, after two years of medication, his cancer relapsed and in a much severe form - it reached stage four and affected his lungs and bones,” Dr Puranik said. 

She added that the 50-year-old patient had lost hope when the doctors introduced immunotherapy to treat him. “The treatment harnesses the body’s natural defence against disease causing agents and targets them to kill the cancer cells. It not only allows the patient to become symptom-free and return to work but has also enabled a near-complete regression of the disease, something extremely difficult at that stage of cancer,” said Dr Puranik. 

Dr Sweta Lunkad, Consultant Haematologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, said that immunotherapy is now approved for blood cancers like Hodgkin’s lymphoma. 

“However, high cost is a major factor preventing these drugs from reaching the masses. It boosts the natural tumour-fighting abilities of the immune system, flags cancer-affected cells for destruction, and programs DNA to detect and fight cancer,”  she said. 

Dr Amit Bhatt, Medical Oncologist, Columbia Asia Hospital, said that the treatment modality cannot be recommended blindly to all patients. “Careful selection of patients who would benefit from immunotherapy is very important,” cautioned Dr Bhatt.