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With India expected to record around 1.87 million new cancer cases in 2026, researchers are exploring space oncology, an emerging field that uses the unique conditions of space to improve cancer research, drug discovery, and treatment development.

What is Space Oncology?

Space oncology is an emerging interdisciplinary field that studies how microgravity and cosmic radiation influence cancer cells, tumour growth, metastasis, and treatment response. The space environment acts as a natural laboratory, allowing scientists to investigate cancer biology under conditions that cannot be replicated easily on Earth.

Research in space helps scientists develop better tumour models, identify biomarkers, understand treatment resistance, and accelerate the discovery of new cancer therapies.

Why is Space Important for Cancer Research?

Microgravity alters the behaviour of cancer cells by changing their structure, gene expression, and interaction with surrounding tissues. These changes enable researchers to observe tumour development more accurately and improve drug testing.

Space-based research also supports:

• Development of 3D tumour spheroids that closely resemble human tumours.
• Better protein crystallisation for drug design.
• Improved drug formulation and targeted drug delivery.
• Reduced dependence on animal models during early-stage research.

Effects of Microgravity on Cancer Cells

• Studies show that microgravity causes cytoskeletal reorganisation, alters cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, and gene expression.
• It also promotes the formation of multicellular tumour spheroids, which provide more realistic models for studying cancer progression and evaluating new therapies.
• Changes in cellular behaviour under microgravity can also influence drug uptake and improve understanding of treatment resistance.

Applications in Cancer Research

Research has shown promising outcomes in different cancers.

• In breast cancer, microgravity can reduce tumour aggressiveness by affecting cell adhesion, migration, and cell-cycle regulation, making tumour models more responsive to targeted therapies.
• In gastrointestinal cancers, exposure to microgravity has been associated with altered tumour progression and increased sensitivity to certain anti-cancer drugs due to changes in resistance-related genes and proteins.

India's Potential Role

• India can leverage ISRO's growing space capabilities, expanding commercial space ecosystem, and strong pharmaceutical sector to become a leader in space biotechnology.
• Greater collaboration among ISRO, research institutions, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and space startups can accelerate innovation in cancer diagnostics, drug development, and advanced therapies.
• Space-based biomedical research also offers India an opportunity to develop affordable and indigenous cancer treatments, while strengthening its position in the global biotechnology sector.