Amritsar: Doctors at Livasa Hospital, Amritsar, have successfully treated stage 4 tongue cancer in an 88-year-old man using low-cost oral metronomic chemotherapy combined with low-dose immunotherapy.
Dr. Amritjot Singh Randhawa, the medical oncology consultant who managed the case, said that this advanced tongue cancer treatment offers new hope for patients who are not fit for intensive cancer treatment.
The patient was admitted to Livasa with severe difficulty in eating, speech problems, right-sided headache, and excessive thick saliva. Clinical examination revealed swollen neck lymph nodes along with a large, ulcerated growth on the right side of the tongue. A CT scan confirmed metastasis to the lungs.
Considering the patient's age and poor fitness for aggressive chemotherapy, the oncology team at Livasa initiated oral metronomic chemotherapy combined with low-dose nivolumab immunotherapy. After completing four cycles of treatment, the results were encouraging. The tongue growth completely disappeared, the patient resumed a regular diet, and his speech improved significantly, leading to a remarkable improvement in his quality of life.
Dr. Randhawa said, "This approach is particularly valuable for elderly patients who cannot tolerate intensive chemotherapy. Metronomic oral therapy combined with low-dose immunotherapy can provide meaningful disease control with minimal side effects while remaining affordable and patient-friendly."