17-07-2025
Mohali: Homi Bhabha hospital begins DNA testing for advanced cancer diagnosis
The Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCHRC) in New Chandigarh has started in-house DNA and RNA-based Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), marking a major upgrade in cancer diagnostic services in the region. Hospital director Dr Ashish Gulia said that only a few hospitals in this region currently offer such testing. (HT file)
The department of oncopathology at the hospital will now use NGS technology to analyse genetic mutations in cancer patients, enabling doctors to personalise treatment based on individual tumour profiles. The facility is available for both solid tumours and blood cancers.
Officials said that until now, samples for this test had to be sent to laboratories in Mumbai. The new facility will reduce diagnostic time significantly and allow quicker initiation of targeted treatments. 'NGS is a molecular diagnostic method that allows detailed analysis of DNA and RNA to identify genetic drivers of cancer. It also helps detect hereditary cancer syndromes and monitor disease progression,' they added.
Hospital director Dr Ashish Gulia said that only a few hospitals in this region currently offer such testing. He explained that cancer treatment has evolved from broad chemotherapy protocols to targeted therapies that depend on genetic profiling.
Dr Sankalp Sancheti, head of the oncopathology department, noted the test's complexity and emphasised that the development of the facility was a team effort.
