IIT-M Launches Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas To Boost Research In Treatment

Chennai: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras on Monday launched Bharat cancer genome atlas to boost research and personalise treatment against the deadly disease both in India and worldwide.

The cancer genome programme was initiated by IIT Madras in 2020. Under this programme, the 960 whole exome sequencing from 480 breast cancer patient tissue samples collected across the country has been completed.

The institute has made this database publicly accessible at bcga.iitm.ac.in to researchers and clinicians in India and abroad. “We hope that this cancer–related data will provide deep insights on reasons leading to this deadly disease and help preventing the same with early interventions. The Atlas fills the gap in genomic landscape from different cancers in the country,” said Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.

Prof. Kamakoti also announced the completion of the Indian breast cancer genome sequence generation.

“It provides a compendium of genetic variants representing the contemporary Indian breast cancer population to classify variants involved in early diagnostics, disease progression, and treatment outcomes,” he added.

IIT Madras in collaboration with Karkinos Healthcare, Mumbai, the Chennai Breast Clinic and Cancer Research and Relief Trust, Chennai analysed the data and assembled the anonymised summary of genetic variants from Indian breast cancer samples.

Cancer is one of the most fatal health problems globally and in India and recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) report indicated that number of people living with this deadly disease continues to rise.

The National Cancer Registry Programme reported that one in nine people in India are likely to develop cancer in their lifetime and 14,61,427 people were currently living with cancer.