Suspense Crime, Digital Desk : India is experiencing a significant surge in cancer cases. Today, India ranks third in the world in terms of cancer patients. This statistic is quite alarming, but recently, some good news has emerged regarding cancer treatment.Until now, most cancer patients were given the same chemotherapy and medications, but now the treatment approach is about to change. Doctors will now choose their treatment based on changes in their DNA. Let's learn more about this.Cancer treatment by identifying DNA changesThis cutting-edge technology in cancer treatment is called Next Generation Sequencing (NCS). It's a genomic test that helps identify changes in DNA. The advantage is that doctors won't have to prescribe treatments based on guesswork and patients will avoid unnecessary side effects from medications.How is this test done and what is its costNCS uses a patient's blood, saliva, tissue, or other biological sample. A machine then creates a digital map of the DNA, allowing doctors to easily identify even the smallest gene changes.This will provide a better understanding of the genetic factors of the disease and the effects of medications. However, the cost of this testing can range from 20,000 to 4 lakh rupees.80% of patients are identified at the last stageCancer cases are increasing rapidly in India, but what is even more dangerous is that more than 80% of the patients in the country are diagnosed in the last stage, which significantly increases the risk of death.Furthermore, the pattern of cancer in India differs significantly from that in Western countries. For example, a gene defect that contributes tolung cancer is found in 25% of patients in Western countries, but in India it is found in only 10% of patients. Meanwhile, a different gene defect is found in 35% of patients in India, but only 10-15% in Western countries.The use of this technology will increase significantly by the year 2030.Demand for this technology is growing rapidly, and it is estimated that the genetic testing market in India could reach approximately ₹14,155 crore by 2030, growing at an annual rate of 27%. Furthermore, the market for precision medicine for cancer will also grow fivefold compared to its previous level.Expensive medicines are the biggest hurdleFor cancer patients, the cost of medication is a significant challenge, not just diagnosis. Cancer medications cost between one and one and a half lakh rupees, while a single vial of many essential injections costs over one lakh rupees. Therefore, the biggest challenge is to reduce the cost of treatment so that more patients can benefit.
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