Next gen sequencing technology for mutation testing now available at HBCH&RC, Punjab

Chandigarh / HNS
Bringing cutting-edge technology to patient care, the Department of Oncopathology at Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Punjab has initiated DNA & RNA based Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) for advanced cancer diagnosis and personalized treatment in its New Chandigarh unit.
NGS is a molecular diagnostic technology that enables rapid and comprehensive analysis of DNA & RNA, which helps to identify genetic mutations that drive cancer. This powerful tool allows doctors to tailor treatment plans based on a patient’s unique tumor profile, ensuring more precise and effective therapy.
It also plays a crucial role in detecting hereditary cancer syndromes and monitoring disease progression or recurrence. With this addition, the hospital further strengthens its commitment to offering world-class, personalized cancer care. The service is now available for patients with both solid tumors and blood cancers.
Congratulating the team of Oncopathology Department on the inauguration of this new facility at the hospital, Director Dr. Ashish Gulia stated that today marks a historic day as they launch this much-awaited service. He emphasized that very few hospitals in this part of the country offer this testing facility.
He highlighted how cancer treatment is becoming increasingly specialized. In the past, there were only a few types of chemotherapy and treatments, and cancer categories were limited. Taking lung cancer as an example, he explained that previously there were just two types. Now, by checking the genetic profile of lung cancer, doctors can determine its specific type. This test offers two main benefits. Firstly, it helps identify which cancers are treatable and which ones are likely incurable. This allows medical professionals to focus their efforts effectively, rather than applying the same energy to all types of cancer. Secondly, the test reveals specific tumors that can be treated in a specialized way, leading to better treatment outcomes.
Comparing past and present technology, Dr. Ashish Gulia noted that a decade ago, a lung cancer diagnosis often meant a bleak prognosis. However, with Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), it’s now possible to treat such patients much more effectively.
Dr. Sankalp Sancheti, Head of the Department of Oncopathology, described the new high-end test as a complex process and commended his team at Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre for their hard work in launching the facility.
Previously, samples for this test had to be sent to Mumbai. Now, with the facility available in-house, it will save considerable time for both the hospital and patients, thereby improving convenience.
In an endeavour to provide world-class Cancer care to the residents of Punjab and neighbouring states & UTs, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi Ji had dedicated ‘Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre’ to the Nation at Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar District, Mohali in August, 2022. The Hospital had been built at the cost of over Rs. 660 Crore by Tata Memorial Centre, an aided institute under the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India.
The cancer Hospital is a tertiary care hospital with a 300-bed capacity. It is equipped with modern facilities to treat all types of cancers using every available treatment modality like Surgery, Radiotherapy and Medical Oncology – Chemotherapy, immunotherapy and Bone marrow transplant.
The Hospital functions like a ‘hub’ of cancer care and treatment in the region, with the 100 bedded hospital in Sangrur functioning as its ‘spoke’.