Chittaranjan National Cancer Research Centre on Expansion mode to
meet increasing clinical load
Cancer not beyond us is the tagline of World Cancer Day, 2015
Cancer not beyond us is the tagline of World Cancer Day, 2015
Worldwide cancer statistics are estimated at 14.1 million new cancer
cases and 8.2 million cancer related deaths in 2012. It is estimated that there
would be a substantive increase to 19.3 million new cancer cases per year by
2025, due to growth and aging of the global population. More than half of all
cancers (56.8%) and cancer deaths (64.9%) in 2012 occurred in less developed
regions of the world, and these proportions have been indicated to increase
further by 2025.
Cancer is a disease where myth can bring an end to a life. Under such
circumstances when India along with many other nations of the world is on the
verge of a disastrous cancer epidemic, cancer awareness and prevention should
be the prime focus. In view of this, the world cancer day which is observed
annually on 4th February is an initiative to raise awareness
against cancer and to encourage efforts in prevention, detection and treatment.
United Nations in the year 2011 had adopted a World Cancer Declaration which
included an important issue to “dispel damaging myths and misconceptions” about
the disease. Last year i.e. in 2014, the focus was on dispelling damaging myths
and misconceptions about cancer under the tagline “DEBUNK THE MYTHS”. In 2015,
a year has passed and the tagline has changed. This year the World Cancer
Day has a contemporary stand point, which is ‘Not beyond us’.
The World Cancer Day 2015 is expected to undertake positive and
proactive approach to the fight against cancer. The theme of this year will
highlight that the solutions for cancer do exist and they are not beyond our
reach: they are very much accessible for all. This year’s campaign intends to
explore how to implement known areas of cancer prevention, early detection,
treatment and care, and in turn, open up to the exciting avenues that will
leave an impact on the global cancer burden – for the betterment of the
society. This day is marked with hope and opportunities to raise awareness. The
cumulative effort of an individual, a community and governmental would help to
harness and mobilise these solutions and catalyse positive change. Thus though
a dreadful disease, it is not beyond our scope. Together we stand and it will
be easy to curb and fight the disease. Therefore, Cancer is not beyond
us. This year emphasis has been put on four key areas, these are
adopting healthy lifestyle, advocating early detection, imparting
treatment for all, thereby maximising quality of life.
Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute (CNCI) has a glorified history as
renowned personalities like Matatma Gandhi, Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, Deshbandhu
Chittaranjan Das and Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy had been associated with this
Institute. The eminent gynaecological oncologist, Dr Subodh Chanda Mitra, the
founder Director of this institute laid the foundation stone of Chittaranjan
Cancer Hospital (CCH) as a centre for cancer treatment with the help and
support of Dr B, C. Roy. Dr Mitra felt that there should be a specialized
hospital in this city for the treatment of malignant diseases and to carry out fundamental
research on cancer. The institute was formally inaugurated by Nobel laureate
Prof. Madame J Curie on 12th January, 1950 and named after
Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das. In order to pursue fundamental research on
Chittaranjan National Cancer Research Centre (CNCRC) emerged in 1957. Later on
the amalgamation of the two separate entities CCH and CNCRC took place in 1987
emerging as CNCI with the prime objective of serving as a premiere Regional
Cancer Centre for Eastern region of India. Presently CNCI is an autonomous
organisation under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India.
This one and only Regional Cancer Centre cater to people from different states
of India as well as neighbouring countries for the last sixty years. The
institute is funded by Government of India and Government of West Bengal in
fixed proportion. CNCI has another chapter at Chandannagar, which is for the
treatment of patients in adjoining area; this is Ruplal Nandy Memorial Cancer
Research Centre (RNMCRC).
CNCI today is a centre for excellence so far as medical treatment and
research activities are concerned. The hospital is fully dedicated for the
treatment of the cancer patients. Patients who are below the poverty line get
free treatment from the hospital, more than 500 patients get the benefit free
treatment of whom a large number get support to obtain chemotherapeutic drugs
from the Rashtriya Arogya Nidhi (RAN) Scheme, Govt of India.
Cancer affects children as well. A paediatric oncology ward is going to
be functional soon for special attention and care of the child patients. The
preventive oncology division has imparted special efforts in prevention and
palliative care of the patients. A new Day care unit was opened on 6th March,
2009 for the benefit of the cancer patients requiring chemotherapy treatment,
blood transfusion and small procures. For the benefit of patients and their
companions who hail from remote and faraway places from the hospital, a Night
Shelter and toilet complex with drinking water facility has become operational.
The research wing of CNCI has qualified and highly skilled scientists
who own their fame in their respective field of cancer research. Scientists are
focussing mainly towards understanding the molecular mechanisms in the development
of cancer, identification of molecular markers, targeted therapy, prevention of
cancer, epidemiology, anticancer drug development and immune regulation.
Recently need for a new area has been felt, which is a bridge between basic and
clinical research; this area has come up with the hope that in future ‘bench to
bed side research’ will be carried out at CNCI. With this aim in view the
department of Translational Research was established. This department is
equipped with modern, highly sophisticated gadgets with the hope to perform
best quality research work. Clinical trials under various National and
International collaborations have been undertaken at CNCI.
On an average there are around 50 publications from CNCI in peer
reviewed national and international journals. Some of the research activities
have been patented by IPR. Every year a good number of summer students from
various Universities and colleges from India are being trained by the eminent
scientists of the research wing. Good quality PhD work is carried out at CNCI.
DNB course has been successfully launched at CNCI hospital and well qualified
doctors have been enrolled for the same. It is a great honour that the Royal
College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has selected CNCI to conduct the MRCS Part III
examination for two consecutive years.
Since the existing CNCI has no adequate facilities to cater the need of
ever increasing number of patients, need for expansion of hospital and research
was felt. CNCI has already initiated the process of building a 500 bedded
multi-disciplinary sophisticated cancer therapeutic facility over 10 acres of
land at New Town, Rajarhat, Kolkata. The land has already been acquired.
Boundary walls have been constructed and soil testing has been done. Final DPR
prepared by HSCC (I) Ltd. has been submitted with MOH & FW, Govt of India
for final approval.
With a vision of a steady progress in the field of basic and clinical
cancer research and targeted therapy, CNCI hospital and research is envisaged
to work hand in hand for a better tomorrow where the ill-fated cancer
patients can combat the disease with the most effective and modernised
treatments.
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