<p>Researchers from a Pune-based start-up have demonstrated a new staging method to determine the stage of cancer based on cancer cells found in blood.</p>.<p>The earlier system was based on tumour size, Dr Jayant Khandare, Chief Scientific Officer of Actorius Innovations and Research, said.</p>.<p>"We also established that head and neck cancers are systemic like any other solid tumours and can spread through blood to other organs, including lung, breast, colon-rectal etc," Khandare told PTI.</p>.<p>"Till now it was assumed that head and neck cancers do not spread to other body parts," he said.</p>.<p>The outcome of this study was accepted by the American Association of Cancer Research at the recent Liquid Biopsy Conference in Miami, USA, Khandare said.</p>.<p>Head and neck cancers are among the most prevalent cancers in India, and almost 30 per cent of these cases are due to rampant smoking, tobacco, and alcohol consumption.</p>.<p>A report by the International Agency for Cancer Research has indicated that head and neck cancer accounts for 2.7 lakh new cases and 1.7 lakh deaths annually in India, he said.</p>.<p>Head and neck cancers develop in the mouth, nose, larynx, lips, throat, salivary glands and other areas of the head and neck region, he said.</p>.<p>The study, conducted at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai with the help of leading oncologist Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, showed that patients who received chemotherapy showed a noticeable reduction in circulating tumor cell (CTC) numbers - up to 22 per cent - compared to patients who got no treatment, he said.</p>.<p>"Advanced stage patients exhibited about 35 per cent higher CTC count compared to early-stage patients. A CTC count of more than 15 is suggestive of advanced-stage disease. These results indicate a positive and extremely high correlation of CTC number and disease progression in head and neck cancers," he said.</p>.<p>It was found that head and neck cancers and oral cancers can be detected very early through the blood test developed by the start-up, said Khandare, a recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Experienced Researcher Fellowship in Germany for his research in macromolecular chemistry.</p>
<p>Researchers from a Pune-based start-up have demonstrated a new staging method to determine the stage of cancer based on cancer cells found in blood.</p>.<p>The earlier system was based on tumour size, Dr Jayant Khandare, Chief Scientific Officer of Actorius Innovations and Research, said.</p>.<p>"We also established that head and neck cancers are systemic like any other solid tumours and can spread through blood to other organs, including lung, breast, colon-rectal etc," Khandare told PTI.</p>.<p>"Till now it was assumed that head and neck cancers do not spread to other body parts," he said.</p>.<p>The outcome of this study was accepted by the American Association of Cancer Research at the recent Liquid Biopsy Conference in Miami, USA, Khandare said.</p>.<p>Head and neck cancers are among the most prevalent cancers in India, and almost 30 per cent of these cases are due to rampant smoking, tobacco, and alcohol consumption.</p>.<p>A report by the International Agency for Cancer Research has indicated that head and neck cancer accounts for 2.7 lakh new cases and 1.7 lakh deaths annually in India, he said.</p>.<p>Head and neck cancers develop in the mouth, nose, larynx, lips, throat, salivary glands and other areas of the head and neck region, he said.</p>.<p>The study, conducted at the Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai with the help of leading oncologist Dr Pankaj Chaturvedi, showed that patients who received chemotherapy showed a noticeable reduction in circulating tumor cell (CTC) numbers - up to 22 per cent - compared to patients who got no treatment, he said.</p>.<p>"Advanced stage patients exhibited about 35 per cent higher CTC count compared to early-stage patients. A CTC count of more than 15 is suggestive of advanced-stage disease. These results indicate a positive and extremely high correlation of CTC number and disease progression in head and neck cancers," he said.</p>.<p>It was found that head and neck cancers and oral cancers can be detected very early through the blood test developed by the start-up, said Khandare, a recipient of the Alexander von Humboldt Experienced Researcher Fellowship in Germany for his research in macromolecular chemistry.</p>