TMC to open cancer test centre in Mumbai

Separate ward at Wadia hospital will screen Thane women residents for risks of cervical and breast cancer

The Thane Municipal Corporation in a novel initiative has proposed starting precancer screening and cancer detection centre for women.

It will screen women for risks of cervical and breast cancer.

The TMC will be the first municipal corporation in the state to provide such a facility for women.

Civic commissioner Sanjeev Jaiswal said, “Cervical and breast cancer are the two common types of cancer affecting women. We have come up with the proposal of a separate ward at Wadia hospital in Mumbai for detecting this type of cancer. We will also screen women through DNA testing to detect if they are at risk of developing the cancers.”

As per the corporation’s health department survey, the city’s population is over 23 to 25 lakhs. “Out of these, 52 per cent people reside in slums, out of which, 25 per cent people are from chawls or lower- middle class families,” said an officer from the department requesting anonymity.

“There are over 72 to 80 per cent population from lower socio economic group. Fifty per cent of this population includes women,” he added.

The department said there are 12 lakh women in the city, out of which, 10 lakh are in the age group of 16 to 60 and at the risk of developing cervical and breast cancer.

“As per the WHO data, two to three per cent women in this age group are at the risk of developing breast cancer and five to 10 per cent are at the risk of cervical cancer. Taking this into consideration, around three to five per cent women in Thane might be at the risk of either of the two cancers,” he added.

Delayed detection of these cancers leads to loss of life or decreases the quality of life as it spreads faster in the body.

The officer said, “We have decided to screen five lakh women in the next five years. This will include pathological, microbiological, blood, DNA, RNA, biopsy and other cancerrelated tests."

"Most women who catch Human Papiloma Virus (HPV) infection are at 10 per cent risk of developing cervical cancer, t hus t he screening will detect the women for HPV infection,” he added.

The Thane Municipal Cor poration has proposed to buy the automated liquid based cytology system and the automated molecular HPV detection system which will detect the risk or actual cancer in women. The screening will be done at a state of art cancer detection ward to be set up at Wadia Hospital by the corporation.

The cost of both the machines will be Rs76.13 lakh.

We have come up with the proposal of a separate ward at Wadia hospital in Mumbai for detecting this type of cancer. We will also screen women through DNA testing to detect if they are at risk of developing the cancers. SANJEEV JAISWAL, TMC commissioner THERE ARE 12 LAKH WOMEN IN THANE, OUT OF WHICH, 10 LAKH ARE IN THE AGE GROUP OF 16 TO 60 AND ARE AT RISK OF DEVELOPING CERVICAL AND BREAST CANCER.