Dr. Hari Goyal, Oncologist, Artemis Hospital, Gurgaon

CANCER BY NUMBERS
Cancer is a lethal disease that is swallowing India silently. Even those types of cancer which were once known to be rare are no longer rare. With this fatal disease on a rise, it is taking lives of many with each passing day.
As per the reports “In India, approximately 4.5 lakhs people are living with the disease, and there are more than 7 lakhs new cases being registered yearly and 5,56,400 deaths which are known to be cancer-related. Also it is estimated 71 percent of all cancer-related deaths are happening in the age group between 30 to 69 years.”
In women cancer cases as well as mortality is uphill. The main reason can be attributed to low awareness and late detection. As per the data “Our country stands third after China and USA for the highest number of cancer cases among women which are growing per annum at 4.5-5%.” Among men lung, oral and stomach cancers are the leading causes of death due to this noxious disease.
Today many causes are known that play a role in the development of cancer, and many more factors are at least suspected of contributing to the emergence of cancer. Therefore, it is rather questionable whether a single main cause for the development of cancer will ever be identified. However some obvious reasons due to which cancer is on a rise in India is due to Tobacco, excess exposure to ultraviolet radiation, consuming carcinogenic chemicals and food and too much exposure to rays and emissions of ionizing radiation.

CANCER IS A COMPLEX DISEASE
About one hundred different types of cancer are known in humans, and all are different from one another such as the average age at which they appear, the growth rate and the tendency to metastasize. From newborn babies to aged people, everyone is at risk of cancer.
Every disease has some reason so does cancer! Many reasons have invited this deadly disease. There are many kinds of cancers attacking our body, regardless of our sex or age. Furthermore incidence of cancer is higher in the metros than in the rural areas due to the changing lifestyle and imitation of the western lifestyle. Therefore it is better to have a healthy diet, exercise well and be cancer-free.

“IMMUNOTHERAPY IS A NEW CLASS OF CANCER TREATMENT”
Considering the impact and progression of cancer, Immunotherapy is a new class of cancer treatment. Scientists working on immunotherapy have basically taken a diverse route by tricking the body’s own defences into combating the rival cancer within. For centuries, this has been an aspiration of medical scientist which has become a reality!
One of the most recent, innovating and exciting cancer treatments is Immunotherapy with “dendritic cells”. It is infusing a new ray of hope for the cancer patients. Countless research and treatment facilities worldwide are increasingly turning towards this dendritic cell therapy; in fact even modern nations like USA have well accepted and approved this treatment. Prostate and pancreatic cancers have even got FDA approval for using Immunotherapy for its treatment in the country.

IMMUNOTHERAPY WITH “DENDRITIC CELLS”OFFERS SECOND CHANCES TO PATIENTS
Although Immunotherapy has been there in the country in the form of vaccine and injections since the last 4-5 years but the results and success rate were not very promising and encouraging. On the other hand the effectiveness of a treatment with dendritic cells has been encouraging. It has been proven in the case of skin, kidney, breast, pancreatic, colon, ovarian and prostate cancer.
There are effective implementations of the therapy with LANEX-DC. This has been bought in the country by LDG INDIA. The results are astounding and encouraging. It utilizes better technology, technique and scientists. Cancer patients who have used this therapy as compared to those who undergone the previous and other versions of Immunotherapy, there has been an increase in quality of life, helped in prolonging the life span, controlling and abolition of symptoms by facilitating them live a routine life.
Also for most types of cancer there exist standard treatments which have been developed over decades. It is recommended to make use of these treatments and supplement them with immune therapy, since it is known that tumour cells damaged by chemotherapy or radiation are much easier to destroy with immune cells than undamaged tumour cells.
Treatment with dendritic cells is also often used when conventional therapies have not been successful.
In addition, treatment with dendritic cells is a gentle treatment in contrast to other forms of treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation. Also compared to other forms of treatment, side effects only occur very rarely after vaccination with dendritic cells.

EVERYTHING IS CHANGING AND SO HAS THE IMMUNOTHERAPY TECHNOLOGY AND TECHNIQUE
As indicated above there are other similar medical facilities already available in India that have been in use for a few years and which gives vaccination in 6 cycles. But at LDG INDIA clinic the same treatment is done in only 1 cycle and the treatment is like injecting immunity medicine into the body.
The facility basically provides a special type of vaccination, required to treat any type of cancer (except-blood cancer), at any stage. It is a unique vaccination which is made from patient’s blood and infused in the body which boost their immunity and help in curing the disease naturally. A patient can take the vaccination while taking chemotherapy, it will averse the side effects and help a patient live a routine life.
Doctors like me who have recommended this for the patients are now satisfied with the results and calling it encouraging. Some of them also believe immunotherapy has the potential to cure some cancers too!