DURGAPUR: A Bengal institute has developed a self-check device that can indicate the possibility of breast, stomach and uterine cancer through a simple test at home.The National Institute of Technology, Durgapur , has developed the device, complete with a pricking needle, strips (electrodes) that collect a blood droplet to detect the presence of a cancer-indicating antigen and a digital output screen that gives the reading. Developed in partnership with the Central Mechanical Research Institute (CMERI) — which is the laboratory of ICMR — the device can point at the possible existence of the terminal disease but can’t offer a conclusive evidence. It must be followed by confirmatory tests. The device has just been successfully tested on a series of patients and NIT has applied for a patent.The test is based on the detection of levels of an antigen in blood, a rise in the level of which beyond a certain limit can be counted as a bio-marker for susceptibility to breast, stomach or uterine cancer.Normal healthy individuals have antigen HER2 concentration below 15 nanogram per millilitre in serum whereas patients with breast cancer show elevated levels of HER2.Experts, however, said that the test was an indicator and can’t conclusively prove the existence of the disease. “Even if your HER2 level crosses the 15 nanogram mark, it doesn’t mean that you have cancer. It indicates that you need to get yourself thoroughly examined. An individual may have a higher than normal count with no cancer and vice-versa. But the device would indeed be useful for the high-risk group, especially those with a family history of cancer,” said oncologist Gautam Mukhopadhyay.While the device was a quick way of getting yourself diagnosed, it was just the first step, said oncologist Subir Ganguly. “The success of this device will depend on whether one is actually taking the reading seriously and getting a test done. In India, preventive tests for cancer are rarely done. The only downside of this device is that it may lead to an unnecessary panic since the reading is not conclusive,” said Ganguly.“After the blood is collected and put into the required slot on the strip, it can be fitted into the digital device to get the reading. We have perfected the system to get readings as low as 4 ng/ml. Looking at one’s family history of breast cancer, the reading can work as an alarm bell, so that one can rush for detailed screening and tests the moment one nears the threshold limit or crosses it,” explained Monidipa Ghosh, associate professor of biotechnology at the institute and the leader of the project.The institute researchers stressed on the cost effectiveness of tests done through the device designed by them. “Today in most cases, after complications are noticed, women go for MRI of the breast or a mammogram, which costs a minimum of Rs 6000, whereas preliminary screening using our strips/device costs just Rs 200 at the moment. When we go for mass production, it will further go down to Rs 50…” Ghosh tried to quantify.The institute claims that this is the first time that an antigen-based home testing device for screening cancer has been designed.“This point of care diagnostic tool is designed in the context of the present Indian scenario, under the National Rural Health Mission India. If breast cancer is early diagnosed and it is determined that there is no metastasis to the lymph nodes (node negative, stage I or less), then the chances of survival increases by more than 38 percent,” said director of the institute, Anupam Basu.The institute is exploring partnership possibilities for manufacturing the device, with Central Manufacturing Technical Institute, Bangalore which is a wing of the ministry of heavy engineering.

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