Simple device to detect breast cancer launched

Hyderabad: The city Mayor Bonthu Ram Mohan launched a wearable device for breast screening, at his office on Wednesday, in the presence of Baba Fasiuddin, the Deputy Mayor, D S Lokesh Kumar, the Commissioner, Hari Chandana, Zonal Commissioner, Serilingampally, and Ragash Thachat, Murata. The Mayor appealed to all the sanitation women workers who were present to get body screening for breast cancer for early detection.

In the world scenario, breast cancer is the principal cause of death amongst different cancers affecting women. According to the latest reports by WHO and ICMR, breast cancer ranks first among the cancers found in Indian women. Studies have shown that early detection can help in 100% cure of the disease.

In India, a stigma towards regular screening for cancer exists due to fear and ignorance. Reliance on Western guidelines employing regular mammography is impractical in India due to the large population of young patients with more dense breasts along with the high cost of the machines and trained manpower and staff requirements. Therefore a more practical alternative should be there to identify potential patients in a community by quick initial screening process and then refer them for mammography.

It will be ideal if there is a screening tool to identify potential patients in a community by quick initial screening process and then refer them to advanced medical care. Ministry of Electronics and information technology in the year 2015 funded a project on development of wearable device for early cancer detection. C-MET, an autonomous scientific society under MeitY along with C-DAC Trivandrum and

Malabar Cancer Center Kannur, developed a simple cost effective device for early breast cancer detection suitable for community screening. C-MET has transferred the technology to Murata Business Engineering India a wholly owned subsidiary of Murata Electronics, Japan.

Niramai, a startup from Bengaluru founded by Dr Geeta Manjunath and Nidhi Mathur, developed a path-breaking patented algorithm to process the captured thermal images through Medical Grade Thermal camera. Murata Business Engineering India is a strategic investor and partner in developing world-class hardware to make thermography affordable and reach the masses.

The salient features and advantages of the device developed by C-MET under 'Make in India' and Niramai are: Privacy of the women is ensured. Highly trained manpower not required; Even an ASHA worker can operate; Portable, works on battery power. Ideal for rural India. Economical; Do not inflict any pain to women. Suitable for younger women also; No radiation exposure. Helps in early detection of breast cancer.