Curie Centre to set up Rs 30 lakh cancer data management system

Vijaya K - Bangalore

Curie Centre of Oncology, one of Bangalore’s premier cancer institutes, is in the process of setting up a data management system. The data collected from the patients visiting the Centre could be used for basic research, clinical trials and national programmes. The system is expected to be ready in the next three months.

"Data collected from Curie Centre of Oncology will be extended to our other umbrella organisations in a phased manner," said Dr B S Ajai Kumar, chairman. The estimated cost of this project is about Rs 30 lakh, revealed Prof G Kilara, Director-Medical Services while speaking to Express Healthcare Management.

The data management system will collect all data relevant to cancer research and gradually build a large database which can then be used for research, teaching, etc. Emerging patterns of causative factors, lifestyle and most importantly, the outcome of various therapies being used can be analysed. This will aid clinical research, cancer epidemiology, basic research, etc, said Prof Kilara.

"The Government already has a National Cancer Registry Programme under the ICMR and runs several registries across the country. But these are currently collecting data on a one-time basis. It is not dynamic data collection like the one we are setting up," he added.

The Curie Centre of Oncology, Bangalore Institute of Oncology in Bangalore, Bharat Hospital & Institute of Oncology in Mysore and the newly-built Malnad Hospital and Institute of Oncology and Speciality Surgical Centre in Shimoga district of Karnataka come under an umbrella organisation with Dr B S Ajai Kumar as chairman.

Dr Ajai’s dream is to provide state-of-the-art treatment for cancer and carry on its efforts in research and clinical trials through the Group. The combined inpatient capacity of all the above centres dedicated to oncology is more than 300 beds. "In an effort to become the number one institution in the country, the centres are undergoing renovation with adequate manpower training, equipment and support facilities," said S D Ranganathan, director.

The Bharat Institute was set up under a Trust in 1986. The Bangalore Institute of Oncology, the first private cancer institute in the whole country established in 1989 with over 100 beds at present, will install sophisticated technologies like linear accelerator and Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy shortly.

The Curie Centre of Oncology set up in 1995 is also a faith healing centre for cancer care. It is associated with St John’s Medical College Hospital, a premier institution for medical education and research in the country. The Curie Centre offers detection, diagnosis, treatment, palliative care services under one roof.

The Centre is active in clinical research and has so far completed four multicentric trials in oncology internationally. The group is associated with Terryfox Foundation, an international body which generates funds for cancer research institutes every year. With current patient inflow from across the country and countries like Yemen, Bangladesh, Srilanka, the group plans to set up a cancer hospital in Tamil Nadu.

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