Non-invasive and radiation-free testing for breast cancer is now available in the country, following a tie-up between drug-maker Cipla and the US-based UE Life Sciences Inc.
The ‘No Touch Breast Scan' is touted to be the world's first fully computerized thermal-imaging technology, Cipla said.
It uses infra-red cameras and thermal imaging to detect unusual activity or “hot spots” by detecting changes in temperatures, explained Dr Jaideep Gogtay, Cipla's Medical Director.
Breast cancer is associated with increased formation of new blood vessels that show up as ‘hot spots', which could indicate a cancerous growth. According to estimates, one in 22 women in India is expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer.
Contrary to perception, breast cancer is a young woman's disease, the company said, adding that it was more prevalent in urban than rural areas. According to the World Health Organisation's International Agency for Research on Cancer, there will be approximately 2,50,000 new cases of breast cancer in India by 2015.
Touch-free
The technology is painless, touch-free (non-invasive) and without radiation, and is useful in preventive screening to detect unusual activity, Dr Gogtay said.
Further, he added, it was particularly useful for younger women, where mammography could be inconclusive because of dense breasts. While the technology helps avoiding too much exposure to radiation, it acts as a filter — only those who show unusual activity would have to go for further investigation, he said.
The tests are priced between Rs 800 and Rs 1,000. The equipment to conduct such tests are available at Pune's Magnolia Clinic and Beam's Hospital's Mumbai and Indore centres, he said.
The equipment costs about Rs 40 lakh, he said, and added that Cipla would look to bring in about 15 more, depending on requirement in the country.
The drug-maker has made cancer-related drugs, and has a palliative care centre in Pune.
The tie-up is part of the company's activity in this area, he said, indicating that it did not mark the company's foray into medical technology.
Pointing out that the non-invasive technology was excellent for screening, he said that in Western countries, survival rates have greatly improved following the combination of better screening and effective medicines.
UE has also installed its equipment in the US and the UK, among other countries.