India-specific cancer genome database in the works

IIT-Madras is in the process of creating an India-specific cancer genome database aimed at early detection and development of better treatment strategy for the disease.

The National Cancer Tissue BioBank (NCTB), a first-of-its-kind community-based initiative in the country, is collecting cancer tissues from Indian patients to generate a cancer genome database which has not been available so far.

Professor S Mahalingam faculty-in-charge of NCTB said different types of cancer tissues were being collected for this purpose. “This (collection of samples) is critical for identifying specific changes happening in our own population to develop the diagnostic kit for early detection (of cancer) and this will help us to design a better treatment strategy,” he said. He said that the creation of such a database would also help in developing a specific drug for India’s population.

While the medication had an 80%-90% success rate in treating cancer in Western countries, it was less than 50% in India, Mahalingam said.