Kolkata’s IPGMER among 4 global sites for breast cancer kit trial
Times of India | 1 November 2024
Testing institute IPGMER. It’s the first centre in the world (of four) where the trial was launched, in April KOLKATA: A global trial for a portable ultrasound device that can readily detect breast cancer and promises a “significant breakthrough in diagnosis” — even doorstep diagnoses — is now in progress at the state-run IPGMER in Kolkata.
Conducted by WHO and aimed at quick and precise detection, especially in India, where breast cancer strikes women at an earlier age than in the West and often goes undiagnosed, IPGMER is the first centre in the world where the trial was launched this April.
It is being held in three other centres — Malabar Cancer Centre in Thalassery, Kerala, and two undisclosed locations outside India, said experts at the IPGMER Breast Centre.
“We are conducting the trial on 70 women who have not been tested for breast cancer before,” said Diptendra Sarkar, head of IPGMER Breast Centre, who also heads the Indian collaboration for the trial. “The process is directly supervised by WHO and follows all their trial specifications and rules.
The initial results are extremely encouraging, and we are looking ahead to perhaps the most significant breakthrough in breast cancer diagnosis. It will ensure instant screening, diagnosis at doorsteps and help save millions of lives.” The device on trial is fivesix inches long and can be used by doctors for on-the-spot diagnosis.
This will make a difference, especially in India, since conventional mammography done to detect breast cancer often fails, especially in young women who have denser breast tissue, said experts. Breast cancer has two subtypes: basal, which is hormone-independent and cannot be prevented through lifestyle alterations and is more rampant in India; and luminal, which is aggressive and results in more deaths. In the West, including UK, luminal was more common and it rarely struck before the age of 55. Basal, on the other hand, has been striking Indian women aged between 40 and 48.
Breast cancer cases have been rising sharply in Kolkata, widening the gap with cervical cancer, which is the second-most common form of the disease among women.
Around 40 per 1 lakh women in the city are now afflicted with breast cancer, largely due to lifestyle reasons, say experts. It could shoot up by 40% in next five years in absence of early screening and awareness, they feared. The breast cancer patient load could soon turn too big to handle, Sarkar felt.
“Late marriage, fast food and irregular working and sleeping hours were responsible for the spurt. Genetic reasons were also important and those with a family history are frequently affected.
The only way to check the rising cases was to spread awareness, making women identify early symptoms,” he said. More than half of the city’s female population in 45- 55 age group, the most vulnerable to breast cancer — and are overweight, said Subir Ganguly, oncologist at Medica Cancer Centre. “Excess fat produces oestrogen in the body, which is responsible for breast cancer.
Urban, working women are also frequent users of hormonal drugs, which trigger the disease as well. They also tend to lead a sedentary life, which makes them vulnerable to the disease,” said Ganguly. The trial will end early next year and the data and device will be presented at a global meet at Birmingham, in May