HYDERABAD: Ethanol can help in curing squamous cell carcinoma which is a type of skin cancer that involves the abnormal growth of squamous cells on the upper layers of one’s skin. A study conducted by Duke University says that by injecting an ethanol based gel directly into the tumour, it could fatally dehydrate the cancer cell.
Dr Priyanka Nair, a dermatologist said that in squamous cell carcinoma, rashes begin to appear on one’s skin, turning into patches, open wounds and others that might crust or bleed. “In some cases, it can spread to lymph nodes in the body and begin to appear on the sun exposed parts. Early detection helps in curing the same,” she said.
Meanwhile, oncologists said that ethanol has been used in curing liver and lung cancer and more tests are being conducted for using it for treating other kinds of cancers.
Dr Srinivas Chilukuri, a senior oncologist, said that ethanol is directly injected into the tumour which coagulates blood vessels supplying the cancer cells. “It causes tumour destruction by drawing water out of tumour cells, causing dehydration, and thereby altering the structure of cellular proteins,” he said.
The method adopted by the university was developed from an existing mode of treatment that is used to cure liver cancer i.e. ethanol ablation. The treatment is generally performed for liver cancer where concentrated alcohol is injected into the cancer cell when the tumour is of a small size i.e. no longer than 3 centimetres.
Doctors state that the positive aspect of this treatment is that there are no serious after effects of the same and very few cases crop up which is why the method is being developed for treating other cancers.
“With the earlier mode of treatment, there was a risk of the liquid ethanol leaking to other tissues. The study involved hamsters whose tumours were cured in 8 days with a 100 per cent success rate. There needs to be further study,” Dr Pratap R. V, an oncologist, said.
TATA trust, ts join hands for BETTER cancer CARE
Telangana government and Tata Trusts signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to handle complex cancer cases and provide better care to the people.
Under the MoU, a three-tier model was being proposed. Two apex super speciality hospitals in Hyderabad like MNJ Institute of Technology and Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences would be upgraded to handle the complex cases on a referral basis.
Medical colleges in Adilabad, Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar and Warangal would be strengthened for diagnosis and treatment of cancer cases.
District hospitals in Karimnagar, Khammam and Nalgonda would be developed to offer diagnosis and day care chemo-therapy. The existing networks of hospitals would be strengthened where cancer cases from government hospitals were referred to the centres.
The government was planning to mount an extensive awareness, screening and early detection programme with trust help. There would also be proper measures carried out to offer palliative care to the end-stage patients.
