Mumbai : Dr Rajendra Badwe, Director, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai today presented the results of a landmark multi-centre Indian study on breast cancer. The results of this study show that this simple, low-cost intervention significantly and substantially increases the cure rates and survival of breast cancer patients, with a benefit that is ongoing for several years after surgery. The injection requires no additional expertise, is inexpensive, and can result in saving up to 100,000 lives annually globally. These benefits are substantial and were achieved with an intervention the cost of which was less than Rs.100/- per patient. For comparison, benefits of far lesser magnitude have been achieved in early breast cancer patients by much more expensive, targeted drugs which cost more than ten lakhs per patient. The clinical trial is hence an important milestone in the treatment of breast cancer. The trial in women undergoing breast cancer surgery involved the injection of a commonly used drug around the tumour, on the operating table, just prior to surgery.
