Newer advances in genomic testing for cancer screening leading to early detection & prevention

Global Cancer Conference & Medicare Summit

September 15-17, 2014 Hyderabad International Convention Centre, India

Manjeet Mehta

Accepted Abstracts: J Cancer Sci Ther

Abstract :

Cancer is now one of the top causes of death in India, after heart attack, up from seventh position in 2000. According to the World Cancer Report from the World Health Organization (WHO), more women in India are being newly diagnosed with breast cancer annually. Nearly seven lakh Indians die of cancer every year, while over 10 lakh are newly diagnosed with the disease. The Indian Council of Medical Research has released an analysis of breast cancer cases among women from 1982 to 2005. They stated that the incidence of women who got breast cancer had gone up from 10 per 1, 00, 000 to 23 per 1, 00, 000 in ten years. India is facing a cancer epidemic. By 2020, 70% of the world's cancer cases will be in developing countries, with a fifth in India. The Global battle against cancer won?t be won with treatment alone. Effective prevention measures urgently needed to prevent cancer crisis. At this time, there is no sure way to prevent Breast Cancer. Once a person with breast cancer presents in the clinic, it is often too late. The only solution seems to be Early Diagnosis & Early Intervention. Only genetic tests find mutations in genes known to increase risk for inherited cancer. A woman?s risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer is greatly increased if she inherits a deleterious/harmful mutation in the BRCA1 or the BRCA2 gene. Men with these mutations also have an increased risk of breast cancer, and both men and women who have harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations may be at increased risk of additional types of cancer. Genetic tests can check for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations in people with a family history of cancer that suggests the possible presence of a harmful mutation in one of these genes. If a harmful BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation is found, several options are available to help a person manage their cancer risk. Harmful mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 increase the risk of several cancers in addition to breast and ovarian cancer.

Biography :

Manjeet Mehta is a board certified Medical Geneticist practicing since more than 25 years. She has been Principal Investigator with ICMR. Followed by which she?s had advanced training from top Institutes in Toronto & London. She has worked with some of the big hospitals in Bombay including H N Hospital, Jaslok Hospital, Lilavati, and, most recently, Kokilaben Ambani Hospital, where she has been heading the department of genetics & Molecular Medicine since the last five years. She has contributed tremendously to Cancer research by genetic testing for mutations in tumors.