A hospital in Kolkata has set up a laboratory where results for advanced cancer tests will be given within seven days, the same tests that took between 18 and 25 days earlier as the samples were sent outside Kolkata.
The laboratory at the Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS) will also reduce the cost of the tests by about 25 per cent on an average. The higher cost that patients had to bear earlier included the manpower cost as well as cost for transport of samples.
The laboratory will analyse abnormalities in chromosomes and genes, which are common causes of cancer, said a doctor associated with the new lab. It will help achieve better precision in treatment. The lab will do molecular analysis, which is the detection of the abnormalities in the genes, and cytogenetics, which is the detection of abnormalities in the chromosomes.
Most samples were earlier sent to Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore for analysis. “It took between 18 and 25 days for the results to come. Now patients will get the results within 7 days,” said Devmalya Banerjee, consultant and the lead onco-pathologist of Narayana Health Cancer Centre.
Narayana Health is the owner of the Rabindranath Tagore International Institute of Cardiac Sciences (RTIICS). “The cost will also reduce by 25 per cent on an average,” said Banerjee.
Identification of the exact abnormality will then help doctors to decide what form of treatment will give better outcome. It will also help doctors to distinguish between a patient who is relatively well off than someone else and plan treatment accordingly, said
“Many doctors wanted to do a molecular analysis and cytogenetics,” said Banerjee. He added that Tata Medical Centre in New Town was also doing the molecular analysis and cytogenesis before RTIICS set up the lab. Besides, there was also an agony among patients and their families about what would happen if the samples get lost in transit or gets mixed up, he said.
Surgical oncologist Gautam Mukhopadhyay, said the lab will help in cancer treatment in Kolkata. “A detailed biopsy report is extremely useful to treat cancer cases. This helps in the evidence based management of cancer that is crucial. All vital molecular markers necessary should be easily available for this purpose. It is best to have such a facility within the cancer centre,” said Mukhopadhyay, who is not associated with RTIICS.
But he added that the cost of tests should be affordable for people.
Banerjee said that since molecular analysis and cytogenetics will tell the exact type of abnormality along with the type of chromosome or gene where the abnormality has occurred, it will help doctors determine what type of chemotherapy or medicine would work better for that abnormality. It will also help them determine more accurate dosage.
R. Venkatesh, the regional director east and south of Narayana Health, said that the “advanced technology would help them to provide better treatment to patients”.
The common causes of cancer are abnormal mutation, duplication, amplification or deletion of genes. The common causes also include abnormal structural or numerical changes in the chromosome.
According to a report by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), an average of 4,835 persons are detected with cancer every year per 1,00,000 people of all ages.
The report also says that the top five common cancers in males are lung, prostate, mouth, tongue and larynx. The five most common cancer in women are in breast, cervix uteri, ovary, gall bladder and lung.