New Delhi, Feb 18: The immune systems of cancer patients may play a significant role in their treatment outcomes, according to a study on Tuesday.

In the study, researchers at the University College London and the Francis Crick Institute found that cancer patients with a higher number of immune cells in their blood have a better survival rate.

They used a pioneering technique — Immune Lymphocyte Estimation from Nucleotide Sequencing (ImmuneLENS), which enables researchers to calculate the proportion of T cells and B cells (types of immune cells) from whole genome sequencing (WGS) data.

The team analysed over 90,000 WGS samples — both of healthy individuals and cancer patients. The findings described in the journal Nature Genetics showed that cancer patients had a lower proportion of T cells circulating in the blood compared to healthy individuals.

Further, T cell proportion was found to be a strong predictor of cancer outcomes, with higher proportions associated with 47 per cent fewer deaths over five years after surgery.

This effect was still significant when accounting for age, cancer stage, and across all cancer types — biological markers which can be added to current genetic diagnostic tests to help clinicians with more information on which to base treatment plans, said the researchers.

Professor Nicholas McGranahan, senior author of the study from UCL Cancer Institute, said while most immune system analysis until now has focused on the tumour itself, with the new tool, doctors “may be able to predict how long a cancer patient will survive better than the number of T cells in the tumour alone”.

The study also showed that in people with cancer, particularly males, the proportion of immune cells in the blood diminishes faster. However, the reason behind these sexual differences remains unclear.

They also observed that individuals who were seemingly healthy at the time their sample was taken for sequencing, who subsequently went on to develop cancer, had below-average levels of B cells in their blood.

This could be because of undiagnosed early-stage cancer, or pre-cancerous changes to the immune system that could potentially have been an early sign of disease or even a factor in cancer development.

This information could be used in the future for cancer early detection or to help clinicians understand how the patient may respond to treatment, said the researchers.

Pune: The Maharashtra Health Department reported that 205 suspected cases of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS) have been detected in the state so far, with 177 patients diagnosed with GBS.

Further, as per officials, 8 deaths have occurred, and out of these, 4 deaths were confirmed as GBS.

Maharashtra Health Department said, “A total of 205 suspected patients have been detected till date. Of these, 177 patients were diagnosed with GBS. A total of 8 deaths have occurred. Of these, 4 deaths were confirmed as GBS and 4 suspected deaths were reported. 41 patients from Pune MC, 94 from newly added villages in PMC area, 29 from Pimpri Chinchwad MC, 32 from Pune Rural and 08 are from other districts. Out of these patients 113 have been discharged till now, 50 are in ICU and 20 are on ventilator.”

Maharashtra Health Department further said that 2 suspected new GBS cases were reported on Thursday, and the remaining 5 cases are from previous days.

The health department said that common symptoms of GBS include sudden weakness in hands or legs/ paralysis, trouble while walking, or weakness with sudden onset and diarrhoea (for sustained periods).

The state health authorities are closely monitoring the situation and have intensified surveillance efforts in affected areas.

Earlier, on February 6, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) sealed 30 private water supply plants in the Nanded village, Dhayari, and adjoining areas on Sinhgad Road in Pune City. These areas have been identified as the epicenter of the outbreak. The action was taken against these plants in the last two days, said a PMC official.

The PMC took action against these plants after collecting water samples that were found unfit for drinking. Some plants lacked proper permission to operate, while others were contaminated with Escherichia coli bacteria. Additionally, certain plants were not using disinfectants and chlorine to control contamination.

On February 3, the Union Health Minister held a high-level meeting with Maharashtra’s key health and medical ministers and reviewed the public health measures being undertaken by the state health authorities, including testing and treatment of patients affected by GBS.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nervous system, leading to symptoms such as muscle weakness and, in severe cases, paralysis.

Mumbai: Mumbai reported its first death due to Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) on Wednesday. A 53-year-old resident of Wadala, who worked at the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s BN Desai Hospital passed away after battling GBS. The patient was receiving treatment at Nair Hospital in Mumbai, where he ultimately succumbed to the illness.

In Pune, Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) has been actively affecting residents. A 37-year-old driver from Pune recently passed away due to GBS. The number of suspected and confirmed GBS cases in Pune has risen to 197, with five new cases reported.

As of yesterday, there were 192 reported cases of GBS, with 39 patients from the Pune Municipal Corporation area, 91 from newly added villages in the civic region, 29 from Pimpri Chinchwad, 25 from the rural Pune area and eight from other districts. Today, Pune has reported 5 new GBS cases bringing the total to 197, while the death toll remains at 7.

GBS Management in Maharashtra

With the rise in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) in Maharashtra, the Central government recently issued guidelines for the people of the state.

According to public health officials on Thursday, a high-level, multidisciplinary team from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has provided the GBS guidelines to the state government.

Press Release Issued on January 27, by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare

The guidelines state that the Ministry has deployed a multi-disciplinary team to Pune, Maharashtra, to assist state health authorities in implementing public health measures and managing the growing number of suspected and confirmed GBS cases in the area.

The central team includes seven experts from the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) Delhi, NIMHANS Bengaluru, the Regional Office of Health & Family Welfare and the National Institute for Virology (NIV), Pune. Three NIV experts had already been supporting local authorities, and the team has now been expanded.

The team will work closely with the state health departments to assess the situation on the ground and provide recommendations for necessary public health actions. The Union Health Ministry is actively monitoring the situation and coordinating with the state.

Deputy Director of Health Services and Rapid Response Team (RRT) who is managing the GBS situation. Dr.Radhakishan Pawar stated, “The guidelines are detailed and focus primarily on patient management. These will be shared with all local bodies, including the Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporations, Pune Rural, and other local authorities across the state.”