Centre of Excellence to advance lung cancer testing to come up at RGCI

Team L&M

To enhance the availability of subsidized, high-quality and validated NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) molecular panel testing for eligible individuals diagnosed with lung cancer in India, a Center of Excellence (CoE) will be set up at the Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute and Research Center (RGCI&RC) in Delhi. The RGCI&RC has joined hands with biopharmaceutical company AstraZeneca Pharma India Ltd for the same.

The molecular diagnostics lab at RGCI&RC will offer a 34 gene panel based subsidised NGS test to eligible patients. It will include major biomarkers that will help the oncologist to provide appropriate treatment to lung cancer patients. Molecular diagnostics at RGCI&RC is an NABL accredited laboratory and it is one of the pioneers in the country to embark on the journey of liquid biopsy through both PCR as well as NGS technologies. AstraZeneca and RGCI&RC hope that this collaboration will increase access to NGS based testing which, in turn, will aid in appropriate treatment decisions for patients.

Over the past decade, the treatment landscape has undergone a significant change with the advent of multiple actionable biomarkers as companion and complementary diagnostics, for personalized medicine options leading to increased quality of life and overall survival of patients with lung cancer. But, access to quality assured and validated biomarker testing in lung cancer remains inadequate despite the advances in NGS based testing. According to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), in 2018 <50  per cent of lung cancer patients receive appropriate molecular testing worldwide.

Says Dr Sanjeev Panchal, Country President and Managing Director, AstraZeneca India, “We are on a mission to revolutionise and redefine cancer care in India. Our ambition is to provide science led cures for cancer, by understanding cancer and all its complexities to discover, develop and deliver life-changing treatments and increase the potential for cure. Through this collaboration with RGCI&RC, we will be able to overcome the barriers in precision diagnostics and treatment of lung cancer and empower oncologists to provide quicker, more accurate treatment. Our shared vision is to empower patients and healthcare professionals with next generation technologies that will ultimately improve survival rates and quality of life. Together, we are determined to make a lasting impact in the fight against lung cancer through the power of gene sequencing, seeking to drive deeper and more durable responses.”