A No-Pain, No-Radiation Way To Detect Breast Cancer

THRISSUR, 23 JAN 2019: Now, women do not have to go through the painful mammography for screening of breast cancer.

A. Seema, a scientist of C-MET (Centre for Materials and Electronics Technology), Athani, under Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has developed a wearable screening device for the early detention of breast cancer.

“It is just like an undergarment, embedded with high sensitivity thermal sensors. It measures the temperature difference of the body caused by cancer cells. It will provide a 2D image of breast thermal profile,” said Dr. Seema.

It does not need any expert hand to operate it. Even an ASHA (accredited social health activist) worker can operate it. It is a portable device and ideal for rural India, she said.

Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in India and accounts for approximately 27% of all cancers in women. In India, a stigma towards regular screening for cancer exists due to fear and ignorance. Many women have been avoiding mammography because of the pain. And since mammography is an X-ray technique, it involves radiation exposure. Even the WHO restricts mammography for women under 40 years, Dr. Seema said.

High cost of the machines and shortage of trained manpower are also a problem.

“The initial clinical trials were conducted in 117 patients and around 200 volunteers, and the results are in line with the standard diagnostic tools such as mammogram, ultrasound and CT scan. It is also low-cost and doesn’t need much expertise to operate,” Dr. Seema said.

This device can be operated with minimum training and is portable. It does not inflict any pain or involve any radiation exposure and, above all, the privacy of the woman is ensured. Hence this low-cost device has a potential to revolutionise the screening of breast cancer in India.

The idea was conceived four years ago: a joint project between C-MET, Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) and the Malabar Cancer Centre (MCC). This innovation has been shortlisted among the 10 best innovations for Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Governance - 2017 in innovation category.

C-MET has filed one U.S. patent and two Indian patent applications for this technology.

C-MET has transferred this technology to a multinational company, M/s Murata Business Engineering India Private Limited, Hyderabad, a subsidiary of Murata Manufacturing Company, Japan.The Hindu