Cancer genetic clinic opens at Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre & Research Institute
Telegraph | 3 February 2025
Calcutta: The cancer hospital in Thakurpukur has inaugurated a cancer genetic clinic, offering testing and counselling services to individuals with a high risk of developing hereditary cancers.
The clinic was inaugurated at the Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre & Research Institute on Saturday.
"About five to 10 per cent of all cancers are because of hereditary or genetic factors. If there is a genetic mutation in an individual then he or she is at a higher risk of having cancer than the normal population," said Rajiv Sarin, who is in charge of the cancer genetic clinic and cancer genetic lab at Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai.
Sarin inaugurated the clinic in Calcutta.
Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre & Research Institute has collaborated with Tata Memorial Hospital in Mumbai where the genetic testing will be done.
There are three components to the entire process: pre-test counselling, genetic testing and post-test counselling.
"Genetic testing helps to identify if a family member is at risk of developing cancer. A patient or a family member can consult the genetic clinic to find out whether he or she has a probability of a genetic mutation or a family member can inherit that particular genetic mutation," said Arnab Gupta, director, SGCCRI.
"When it's a family member, we prepare a family tree to see who all had cancer, in which organ, and the relationship with the individual who has come for testing," said Gupta.
All counselling does not translate into genetic testing, said doctors. "Not all cancers are hereditary, so we may not recommend testing for everyone," said Gupta.
But if a gene mutation is positive for cancer then the family member should go through regular screenings and can also opt for risk-reducing surgeries and medicines, said Gupta.
Cancer in the breast, ovary, prostate, and colorectal are some cancers that can be hereditary, said Gupta.
The testing is done on a blood sample, said Sarin. He has trained a team of genetic counsellors and senior surgeons at the Thakurpukur hospital.
The genetic clinic at Tata Memorial Hospital has been functioning for the last 20 years and currently has 17,000 families.
"There is a need for more genetic counsellors and more doctors who will take an interest in cancer genetics," said Sarin.