ILife Discoveries introduced Gene Test to Evaluate Cancer
Genetics and Genomics Company ILife Discoveries has introduced a revolutionary new gene test called MammaPrint and BluePrint in India that will help oncologists to get a deeper insight into tumors and assist them in deciding if chemotherapy can be avoided in some cancer patients.
These new tests are able to analyze molecular subtypes of cancer, risk of reoccurrence at an early stage cancer, making the doctors well aware of the course of action to be taken. Today, Anand Gupta (Founder and CMD), ILife Discoveries along with oncologists- Dr. Ramesh Sarin (Senior consultant, Surgical Oncology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi), Dr. Ajay Sharma (Medical Oncologist, Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Hospital) and Dr. Amit Verma (Molecular Oncologist at Max Hospital, Saket) specifically spoke about breast cancer and also introduced the audience with the benefits these tests can provide to the patients.
The MammaPrint Test analyses the expression of 70 crucial genes in the patient’s tumor which are responsible for helping the cancerous cells to spread. It correctly stratifies patients into low risk (patients who are at 20% risk of cancer) and high risk (patients who are at 80% risk of cancer) categories based on risk of recurrence of the disease. BluePrint Test on the other hand analyses the expression of 80 crucial genes that distinguishes tumor on the basis of its functional biology.
Talking on the occasion, Anand Gupta said, “This test is a step towards giving a good life to people who are affected with cancer and to change this disease from life taking disease to a chronic disease. Now people have the opportunity to get away from the sad side effects, especially for women, of chemotherapy.”
According to Dr. Ramesh Sarin the number of people being affected with cancer in our country is increasing on day to day basis because of change in lifestyle and various unknown factors and it is expected to increase even more in future. “Though there is so much written about cancer, especially breast cancer, still there are very few who are actually aware of it. People come to us at 3-4 stage where medical help may not work. USA has been able to spread better awareness and has been able to get down the number of deaths because of cancer but we have a long way to go.
Here people are still living in delusion that cancer cannot happen to them but I have seen healthy people getting affected with it as well. It is high time that women know how to detect themselves for breast cancer. These are the first four signs to look for:
Self examine: Look if you have painless lump in the breast (not necessarily cancer) especially after age of 30. India doesn’t have many machines to examine breast cancer and even if they do, the cost is really high. So, it is important to examine your breast, bloody discharge from nipple, Skin thickening of viola and nipple, check if nipple has gone inside.
A tumor can spread to entire body with the help of blood and sadly there is no technology to detect cancer with blood test. I would also like to tell all the readers that chemotherapy doesn’t guarantee 100% cure to cancer, so through these tests when we provide right remedies, we would be able to eliminate almost every possibility of reoccurrence of cancer.”
In India, more than one million people are affected with cancer and are expected to become the concern after the infectious diseases. Though most of the causes for different cancers have been detected, the reason behind breast cancer is still not revealed. When spoken about prevention, Dr. Sarin said that few factors are to get married at right age, have children before 30, breast feed but this is not a 100% cure. However, one has to take care of not putting on weight, being physically active, exercise and eat right food.
In US, the tests cost $4000 each; however for India both the tests are available at $4000 and as per Anand Gupta, the price may fall depending on the usage of the tests. However, in the beginning how many people agree to get test done is a big question.
