A revolutionary leap in treating recurrent head and neck cancers. Dr. Manish Tiwari is a lead investigator utilizing targeted, light-activated therapies (ASP-1929) to selectively destroy cancer cells from the inside out, offering new hope when standard surgery and radiation are no longer viable.
Cancers that have stubbornly returned after initial surgery, chemotherapy, or extensive radiation.
Patients whose tumors are wrapped around critical brain/neck arteries, making standard salvage surgery impossible.
Specifically targets Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas (HNSCC) that express the EGFR protein.
For patients who have reached their lifetime maximum dosage of radiation therapy and cannot endure more.
Photoimmunotherapy is not standard radiation. It is a highly targeted, two-step process that combines the precision of immunology with the physics of near-infrared light, physically bursting cancer cells without harming healthy tissue.
The patient receives an intravenous (IV) infusion of a specialized drug, typically Cetuximab sarotalocan (ASP-1929). This drug is an antibody that seeks out and permanently attaches *only* to the EGFR proteins located on the surface of the cancer cells.
The next day, Dr. Tiwari inserts a microscopic fiber-optic laser directly into the tumor. The laser emits a specific, non-thermal Near-Infrared (NIR) light (690 nm). This light passes safely through normal tissue but activates the drug attached to the cancer cells.
The light causes a rapid chemical reaction in the drug, physically rupturing the cancer cell's membrane. As the tumor cells burst and die (necrosis), they release antigens that stimulate the patient's own immune system to hunt down remaining microscopic cancer cells.
Dr. Tiwari provides exclusive access to global Phase III trials for recurrent head and neck cancer, carefully screening patients to ensure maximum safety and efficacy.
Patients undergo rigorous PET-CT mapping and tumor biopsy testing to confirm the cancer is EGFR-positive and suitable for light penetration.
The targeted antibody (ASP-1929) is administered intravenously. It circulates through the body, attaching specifically to the recurrent tumor mass.
Under light anesthesia, Dr. Tiwari places cylindrical diffusers directly into the tumor using ultrasound guidance, activating the drug to destroy the mass.
Because this is a specialized therapy, not all patients are candidates.
While recovery is generally faster than major salvage surgery, specific precautions must be taken.
