By Vivek Kanade
33-year-old Anuradha lost her mother to breast cancer. Although breast cancer screening guidelines advise women between 50-75 years to get clinical breast exams and mammography every two years, her mother missed it. The cancer was detected at an advanced stage, and she lost the battle within a few months of the diagnosis. Anuradha was aware that breast cancer could be hereditary and decided to take charge of her own health. The doctor told her that breast cancer is treatable if detected early and suggested certain genetic tests. Her results confirmed the presence of mutations in the BRCA1 gene which increased her risk of developing cancer. The doctor recommended several measures such as frequent and timely screening to detect the disease, which can help her manage it better.
Anuradha is not an exception. With the increasing cancer burden in the country, it is estimated that one in nine Indians will develop the disease in their lifetime. By 2025, about 29.8 million people are expected to develop cancer, a 12.8% increase from 2020. Rapid urbanization, a growing ageing population, a sedentary lifestyle, rampant use of tobacco and alcohol, and environmental factors are key contributors to the growing cancer burden in the country. Moreover, cancers of the lungs and breasts are dominating the disease landscape and are a major cause of morbidity and mortality.
Precision therapy: The future of cancer treatment
Diagnosis of cancer can be traumatizing for a patient. Depending upon the type of cancer and its stage at diagnosis, cancer presents an array of challenges which often include highly complex treatments. Further, as no two cancers are the same, the disease often requires a multi-disciplinary approach for a patient-specific treatment plan.
At the end of the day, all cancers occur due to a genetic mutation. With advances in technology, precision oncology can detect the molecular characteristics of an individual’s tumour. The in-depth knowledge of the tumour and related genetic markers along with the patient’s family and medical history can enhance cancer care delivery in several ways. It can help in the development of a tailor-made therapeutic approach that may improve patient outcomes. It can also serve as a navigation tool for all stakeholders in identifying obstacles in the therapy path.
Overall, precision oncology can improve standardized care and streamline complex care. In terms of standardized care, precision medicine can help identify individuals at greater risk for cancer, thereby increasing the likelihood of detecting cancer in its initial stages and enhancing preventive efforts. Precision oncology uses molecular testing to classify cancers with greater accuracy, facilitating targeted treatment. This can potentially improve clinical decision-making and outcomes.
Additionally, precision medicine also has a role to play across the cancer care continuum. For instance, technologically advanced imaging solutions provide precise and high-end image quality to help improve diagnostic accuracy. This helps rule out malignancy through accurate staging and offers necessary information for planning and disease management. Precision medicine thus enables personalized cancer care and refines therapy. Apart from this, precision oncology also facilitates long-term monitoring to aid in the estimation of treatment resistance and relapse.
Need to strengthen infrastructure
The concern about the high cancer burden in India is often worsened by the late-stage detection of the disease, mostly due to a lack of awareness. While the government and other stakeholders are emphasizing prevention programmes, there is still a general attitude of indifference towards the disease. A recent survey found that only 43% of Indians indicated that they were concerned or somewhat concerned about developing cancer in their lifetime, compared to a global average of 58%. Moreover, the uptake of screening for breast, cervical, and oral cancers remain low.
There is a tremendous need to increase knowledge penetration among the masses regarding cancer and help them avoid identifiable risks. Furthermore, in an era of personalized medicine, there is a need to invest in precision oncology to improve diagnostic accuracy and offer better outcomes. With such cutting-edge technologies, patients will be placed at the centre of the care paradigm, which may ultimately lead to better survival rates.
(The author is a Managing Director, Siemens Healthcare Pvt. Ltd. Views expressed are personal and do not reflect the official position or policy of the FinancialExpress.com.)
