Amol Akhade, Senior Consultant at Fortis Hospitals Mumbai, shared on LinkedIn:
“An important Phase III trial from India with the potential to change practice in oral cavity cancer!
At ESMO 2026, Dr Vanita Noronha and colleagues from Tata Memorial Hospital and collaborating centres presented a multicentre Phase III randomised trial comparing weekly paclitaxel-carboplatin plus oral metronomic therapy (PCm) versus DCF in technically unresectable oral cavity cancer.
475 patients randomised:
DCF: 236 patients
PCm: 239 patients
Key findings:
- Significantly higher response rates with PCm
- Higher conversion to resectability, offering more patients an opportunity for surgery
- Significantly lower toxicity
- Non-inferior overall survival
2-year OS: 38.9% with PCm vs 29.4% with DCF
Importantly, PCm can be administered on an outpatient basis without central venous access or continuous infusion pumps.
Why does this matter?
In a country like India, where oral cavity cancer is a major healthcare challenge, a regimen that delivers better responses, less toxicity and comparable survival while reducing treatment complexity and beingore cost effective, is particularly valuable.
Innovation in oncology does not always require expensive new drugs. Sometimes, smarter combinations of existing medicines can make a meaningful difference.
A wonderful example of pragmatic, clinically relevant research from India with potential global implications.
Congratulations to Dr Vanita Noronha and the entire team!”
You can also read: Inside ESMO 2026 with Amol Akhade
