Transcript The Future of Registries

Education and Research
• Educational and Research Sector are interrelated
to Medical Sector
Health Sector
Academic & Research
Sector
Good reciprocal information flow
• These are two inter dependent environments
Education and Information – Health Sector
Education & Research and Health Sector in this
Century need:
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Access to Information
Equity in access of Information
Access and equity to information will facilitate
Virtual Enhancement of Academic Infrastructure
Quality of Education and Health care
I C T infrastructure
Health, Education and Research Sector require
ICT infrastructure which support applications
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Digital Library
Distance Learning
Internet
Information Portal
Simulation
Medi-Network
Lko
Medical V P N Network
Leased Line
VSAT
City
Medical
Institute
New Delhi
AI IMS
Chandigarh
PGI
Lucknow
SGPGI
Kolkata
Institute
Mumbai
Institute
Chennai
Institute
Network Connectivity of 8 ICMR location for Video Conferencing
ICMR Institutes in
India
Internet
ERNET
HQ, New Delhi
MPLS-VPN Network
Service provider’s
Cloud
Video
conferencing
equipment
2 Mbps link
VC facility at each ICMR site
Video
conferencing
equipment
Conference Room Layout
Remote/Regional Office Layout
Video
conferencing
equipment
Conference
Room Layout
Switch
Router
Modem
MPLS-VPN Link
Virtual Classroom and Connectivity of Libraries
Internet2
HQ, New Delhi
MPLS-VPN Network
Service provider’s
Cloud
Virtual Classroom
ICMR Project Implementation &
Application
• Project will implemented in 4 months.
• This will enable ICMR:
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To integrate their institutions
To access content and virtual class room
Tele-education
Tele-research
Digital Library
NATIONAL CANCER REGISTRY PROGRAMME
(Indian Council of Medical Research)
DELHI
SIKKIM
GUWAHATI
SILCHAR
AHMEDABAD
BHOPAL
KOLKATA
DIBRUGARH
IMPHAL
MIZORAM
MUMBAI
BARSHI
ICMR HEAD QUARTERS
CHENNAI
BANGALORE
NCRP COORDINATING UNIT
POPULATION BASED REGISTRY
POPULATION BASED RURAL REGISTRY
HOSPITAL BASED REGISTRY
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
MONITORING UNIT OF NERCR
Geographic Trends in
cancer in India
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ATLAS OF
CANCER IN INDIA
DEVELOPMENT OF AN ATLAS
OF CANCER IN INDIA
– Main Objectives and Overall Aim
• Obtain an Overview of Cancers in Different
Parts of the Country and know Similarities
and Differences in Cancer Patterns in a
Relatively Cost Effective way Using recent
advances in Electronic/Computer and
Information Technology
• Calculate Estimates of Cancer Incidence
wherever feasible
Other (Subsidiary) Objectives
• Strengthen Departments of Pathology in
Medical Colleges and other hospitals through
PC and Internet Connectivity
• Provide Orientation/Training in Cancer
Registration & Epidemiology to Pathologists
Concept - Methods
• Since over 80% of cancers reported under
the NCRP have a microscopic diagnosis of
cancer the focus of data capture is the
department of pathology
• Patient Identifying and Diagnostic details of
All malignant neoplasms reported are entered
on a prescribed format on a specifically
designed web-site
Application of Information
Technology (IT) Development of Website
• Domain Name
canceratlasindia.org
cancermapindia.org
• Functioning since January 2002
Application of IT (Contd.)
• Allows On-line Registration of New Centres
• Collaborating Centres provided with
- Login ID and Password for
• On Line Data Entry on Core Proforma and
• Onward Transmission
• Basic Checks on data entry provided
Map showing Distribution of Collaborating Centres (•), Registered
Centres (•) and Centres contacted but not responded (•).
Map Showing participating centres represented by dots ()
NORTH
Ajmer
Aligarh
Amritsar
Bikaner
Chandigarh 2
Dehradun
Delhi
Gorakhpur
Jaipur
3
Jodhpur
Kanpur
Lucknow
Ludhiana
Meerut
Patiala
Udaipur
Varanasi
EAST
2
Aizawl
Bankura
Berhampur
Burdwan
Cuttack
2
Dibrugarh
Gangtok
WEST
Ahmedabad
Amravati
Aurangabad 2
Barshi
Bhopal
2
Gwalior
Indore
Jalna
Karamsad
Kolhapur
Loni
Mumbai
Nagpur
Nanded
Pune
Wardha
Guwahati 2
Imphal
2
Kolkata
4
Patna
2
Sambalpur
Shillong
Silchar
SOUTH
2
3
5
3
2
Ambilikai
Bangalore 4
Chennai
2
Coimbatore 3
Goa
Hubli
Hyderabad 7
Kakinada
Kannur
Karaikal
Karunagapally
Kottyam
Kurnool
Mangalore
Manipal
Pondicherry
Thiruvananthapuram
Thrissur
5
Tirunelveli
Tirupathi
2
Tumkur
Visakapattanam
CENTER 1
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
WEB, EMAIL
& DATABASE
SERVER
MODEM
INTERNET
CO-ORDINATING UNIT
www.canceratlasindia.org
MODEM
Server
Firewall
CENTER 2
Workstation 1
MODEM
Workstation 2
INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER
WEB, EMAIL
& DATABASE
SERVER
INTERNET
CO-ORDINATING UNIT
www.canceratlasindia.org
MODEM
Server
Firewall
CANCER CENTRES
Workstation 1
MODEM
Workstation 2
Application of IT (Contd.)
Project Phases
Phase I
Emphasis on Data Capture
Phase II Generation of Basic Tables, Charts
Phase III On-line Feed Back of Data Received
Phase IV On line Validation Checks/
Programmes
Data Received
Total Cases for Two Year Period:
1 Jan 2001 - 31 Dec 2002 : 2,17,174
About 1000-1200 cases per week
Data also received through :
Floppy disks – Soft Copy
Form – Hard Copy
ALL SITES (ICD 10 : C00-C96) - Males
Districtwise Comparisons of MAAR with that of PBCRs under NCRP
Aizawl (MZ)
217.9
Sechhip (MZ)
155.1
Lunglei (MZ)
126.4
Kolasib (MZ)
125.5
North Goa (GA)
119.0
114.2
Mamit (MZ)
107.6
Chandigarh (CH)
106.7
Kollam (KL)
106.5
South Goa (GA)
103.3
Delhi - PBCR
103.0
Thrissur (KL)
101.9
Source: Development of an Atlas of Cancer in India
First All India Report 2001-2002. NCRP, Bangalore
Champhai (MZ)
97.8
Bhopal - PBCR
Thiruvananthapuram (KL)
90.8
Mumbai - PBCR
89.5
Imphal West (MR)
85.8
Chennai - PBCR
83.5
East Sikkim (SK)
81.2
0
25
50
75
100
125
Rate per 100,000
Bangalore – PBCR : 75.1
Barshi – PBCR
: 36.2
Remaining No. of Districts > MAAR of any PBCR : 55
150
ALL SITES (ICD 10 : C00-C96) - Males
Districtwise Distribution of MAAR
Champhai (114.2)
Kolasib (125.5)
Chandigarh (106.7)
Mamit (107.6)
Lunglei (126.4)
Aizawl (217.9)
North Goa (119.0)
South Goa (103.3)
Kollam (106.5)
Serchhip (155.1)
ALL SITES (ICD 10 : C00-C96) - Females
Districtwise Comparisons of MAAR with that of PBCRs under NCRP
Aizawl (MZ)
209.2
155.5
Sechhip (MZ)
Chandigarh (CH)
148.0
116.8
Kolasib (MZ)
Delhi - PBCR
113.9
North Goa (GA)
112.1
107.8
Mumbai - PBCR
102.4
Chennai - PBCR
101.6
Bangalore - PBCR
Source: Development of an Atlas of Cancer in India
First All India Report 2001-2002. NCRP, Bangalore
Lunglei (MZ)
99.0
Imphal East (MR)
95.1
Bhopal - PBCR
94.0
Imphal West (MR)
93.3
Panchkula (HR)
92.8
Champhai (MZ)
92.7
Pondicherry (PY)
92.3
Kollam (KL)
90.7
South Goa (GA)
90.3
0
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
200
Rate per 100,000
Barshi – PBCR : 45.0
Remaining No. of Districts > MAAR of any PBCR : 31
225
ALL SITES (ICD 10 : C00-C96) - Females
Districtwise Distribution of MAAR
Chandigarh (148.0)
Kolasib (116.8)
Lunglei (107.8)
Aizawl (209.1)
Serchhip (155.5)
North Goa (112.1)
TONGUE (ICD 10 : C01-C02) - Males
International Comparisons of AAR with that of PBCRs under NCRP
Bhopal
10.9
India, Ahmedabad
9.3
Fran, Somme
7.6
Delhi
6.0
Chennai
6.0
Mumbai
5.4
4.9
USA, Puerto Rico
4.5
Fran, La Reunion
4.5
USA, Mic., Det.: Black
Source: Development of an Atlas of Cancer in India
First All India Report 2001-2002. NCRP, Bangalore
USA, Haw.: White
4.2
Bangalore
3.4
2.6
Singapore: Indian
New Zealand
1.6
1.5
Barshi
USA, Cali., LA: Chi.
0.7
Italy, Ragusa Provin.
0.5
Costa Rica
0.5
0.2
The Gambia
China, Qi. County
0.1
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
Rate per 100,000
7
8
9
10
11
12
TONGUE (ICD 10 : C01-C02) - Males
Districtwise Comparisons of MAAR with that of PBCRs under NCRP
Aizawl (MZ)
10.2
10.0
Bhopal - PBCR
Mahesana (GJ)
8.0
Pondicherry (PY)
7.5
Gandhinagar (GJ)
7.5
Kheda (GJ)
7.2
6.6
Thiruvananthapuram (KL)
Source: Development of an Atlas of Cancer in India
First All India Report 2001-2002. NCRP, Bangalore
Ahmedabad (GJ)
6.5
Kollam (KL)
6.1
Anand (GJ)
5.9
5.8
Thrissur (KL)
Delhi - PBCR
5.6
5.4
Bhavnagar (GJ)
South Goa (GA)
5.0
Ajmer (RJ)
5.0
Chennai - PBCR
4.8
Indore (MP)
4.7
Kancheepuram (TN)
4.6
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Rate per 100,000
Mumbai – PBCR
: 4.5
Bangalore – PBCR : 3.1
Barshi – PBCR
: 1.4
Remaining No. of Districts > MAAR of any PBCR : 17
NASOPHARYNX (ICD 10 : C11) - Males
Districtwise MAAR / 100,000
Chamoli (1.0)
Kurukshetra (0.9)
Bhandara (1.1)
Lower Subhansiri (1.5)
North Cachar Hills (2.4)
West Kameng (12.6)
East Khasi Hills (1.4)
East Sikkim (3.4)
West Sikkim (4.4)
Wokha (5.2)
Kohima (19.4)
Ukhrul (12.7)
Imphal East (3.2)
Thoubal (3.7)
Chandel (4.4)
Gandhinagar (0.8)
Bishnupur (4.6)
Churachandpur (10.2)
Champhai (6.1)
Daman (1.0)
Mamit (9.7)
Lunglei (11.6)
Perambalur (0.8)
Tamenglong (5.5)
Dimapur (2.2)
Imphal West (7.4)
Senapati (3.5)
West Siang (1.7)
Mokokchung (2.4)
Tuensang (1.3)
Serchhip (21.7)
Aizawl (8.3)
Kolasib (5.0)
PHARYNX (ICD 10 : C14) - Males
Districtwise MAAR / 100,000
Marigaon (2.7)
Darrang (1.1)
Kamrup (1.7)
Aligarh (1.1)
Panchkula (1.4)
Mahendragarh (0.8)
Ajmer (1.0)
Sabar Kantha (0.8)
Gandhinagar (2.1)
Mahesana (1.6)
Patan (0.8)
Kheda (1.5)
Junagadh (1.1)
Surendranagar (0.9)
Ahmedabad (1.4)
Anand (1.8)
Vadodra (0.8)
North Goa (2.0)
South Goa (1.7)
Dakshina Kannada (1.0)
Kodagu (2.7)
Thrissur (1.2)
Nalbari (1.5)
Barpeta (1.9)
Cachar (0.8)
Papum Pare (1.9)
Golaghat (1.0)
Jorhat (1.8)
Dibrugarh (1.8)
Changlang (1.9)
Bongaigaon (1.7)
East Sikkim (2.1)
Nagaon (0.9)
Dimapur (1.5)
Thoubal (0.9)
Aizawl (2.0)
Lunglei (3.4)
Lawngtlai (3.8)
Karimganj (0.8)
West Khasi Hills (1.0)
SUMMARY
• Developments in IT used to collate data
• Easier in Private than in Governmental
settings
• Most feasible in comprehensive cancer
centres
COST
• Methodology extremely cost-effective
• Under the NCRP the cost per case is:
Urban PBCRs (average)= Rs 350($8)
Rural PBCR – Barshi = Rs 4100($90)
• Cancer Atlas Project
Average cost per case=
Rs 24($0.5)
International Journal of Cancer
Early View (Articles online in advance of print)
Published online: 22 April 2005
Epidemiology
Geographic pathology revisited: Development of an atlas of cancer in India
Data entry screen from Cancer Atlas website
Advent of IT
• Unique opportunity to leap frog into
establishing a system so as to have a
state/national disease data base - if
advances in electronic information
technology are harnessed
• Essential for a developing country like
India
– Vastness
– Necessity of having the data
– Economical
Major Urgent Reasons for
Building on the Idea and taking it
forward on Fast Track
Need for Expanding Project Scope with
Information Technology
Coordinating Unit of NCRP
• 500 man years of effort on data
capture, validation, consolidation,
analysis and report preparation
• Already existing knowledge and
trained personnel
• Fairly large exercise involving
participation by public and private
hospitals/medical institutions
laboratories
Advantages of using
Information Technology (IT)
as a tool for Cancer Research Essentially it would create
A System for Flow of Standardised
Information on Cancer
Advantages of IT in Cancer
Research
• Networking and integration of the
various parameters for continuous
ready flow of information to translate
into:
• Multi-disciplinary research:
– for eliciting cause
– undertaking type of control measures
– Regulating treatments, monitoring followup and measuring outcome
Overall the cancer
informatics infrastructure
would enable capture,
analyse, apply and reuse
knowledge of research
results
NATIONAL CENTRE FOR
DISEASE INFORMATICS AND
RESEARCH IN BANGALORE
Objectives and Broad Mission Statements
A. Objectives
The main broad and overall objective of the centre is to sustain
and develop a national research data-base on cancer, diabetes,
CVD and stroke through recent advances in electronic
information technology with a national collaborative network, so
as to undertake aetiological, epidemiological, clinical and
control research in these areas.
The newer areas that the forthcoming Centre aims is towards
generation of more data that will be helpful in developing
effective prevention strategies and programmes so as to
provide better care and support to patients. This is besides
research into mechanisms of causation, through a combination
of field, clinic and laboratory studies.
Broad Mission Statements
1. Plans, directs, develops, supports, coordinates and
evaluates a national programme of disease
surveillance involving the collection and analysis of
reliable data on magnitude and patterns, so as to
answer key questions about disease incidence and
mortality in different demographic and population
settings;
2. Evolves, coordinates and evaluates a national
standardised programme on patterns of patient care
in different anatomical sites of cancer, diabetes, CVD
and stroke;
3. Plans, innovates and integrates recent advances in
communications
and
electronic
information
technology to develop the emerging field of health
informatics, so as to have a National Electronic
Surveillance System that creates and generates a
national disease research database;
Broad Mission Statements (Contd…)
4. Designs, undertakes and implements multiregistry/centric collaborative research studies inkeeping with recent advances in epidemiological
research; this very forte of the Coordinating Unit is
helping it to evolve into a centre for National
Disease Informatics and Research that could foster
large scale consortial research;
5. Undertakes specific studies in molecular cancer
epidemiology, through harmonizing clinical and
epidemiological data on one hand and knowledge
from the progressing field of bio-informatics on the
other;
6. Develops human resources in the medical research
with focus on multi-disciplinary approach – field,
clinic, laboratory using the tool of electronic
information technology; in the process stimulate
cross training and inter and multidisciplinary
research.
SUMMARY – Achievements
• Over the years the NCRP has laid a strong
foundation for a data base on cancer
• More recently the approach and data from the
cancer atlas has complimented and added a new
dimension towards building and sustaining quality
national research data base through the power of
Information Technology (IT)
• Opportune Time to harness Advances in IT for
creation of such a data base
SUMMARY – TARGETS EXPECTED
(Contd)
• Entire activity of the NCRP and the projects under
it are directed, monitored and executed by the
Coordinating Unit in Bangalore
• Converting this unit into a permanent ICMR centre
would strengthen the existing cancer data base
and could find application in other diseases
Achievements / Targets expected
The Coordinating Unit of NCRP has taken a lead by demonstrating capability of
conducting research in various aspects of cancer. It enjoys a unique position
of being a leader in coordinating and undertaking epidemiologic studies on
cancer.
The Coordinating Unit has developed expertise in planning, directing,
developing, coordinating and evaluating a national programme of cancer
surveillance. Further, it has analysed and prepared reports on magnitude,
patterns and incidence of cancer in different population and hospital settings.
It is mainly through the NCRP and perhaps for only this disease in this country
that we have actual incidence rates (not estimates).
Achievements / Targets expected (Contd…)
Through the ‘Cancer Atlas’ the Unit has used recent advances in IT to
successfully collate, check, analyse and interpret data thereby creating a
platform for establishing a National Electronic Cancer Surveillance System.
The Unit has standardised various epidemiologic questionnaires and manuals
including patient information forms (and manuals) for specific sites of cancer
(breast, cervix, head and neck). A systematic plan of action is underway to
assess and evaluate clinical stage and outcome based on details of treatment.
A strategy for follow-up has been evolved. Software including web-based
programmes are in place for data entry on the internet by each of the five
hospital based cancer registries and 35 other centres in different parts of the
country.
Achievements / Targets expected
The future centre’s mission is to carry forward these activities in a
comprehensive manner so as to yield research results of long standing value.
To accomplish this mission, the goal is to bring together a multi-disciplinary
team of scientists in epidemiology, public health, bio-statistics, clinicians,
molecular biologists and those in other related fields.
The expected target is to provide on-line electronic national cancer data-base for
research, patient care outcome and cancer control. A national cancer research
data base has indeed been created and it needs to be sustained and enlarged both
horizontally to cover wider areas and vertically to undertake in-depth research.
Specific Function Statements
i.
To provide or plan to provide baseline information and technical
help in designing, monitoring and evaluating cancer and other
control programmes and activities.
ii.
The centre would encourage and extend technical support to all
Regional Cancer Centres, oncology wings in medical colleges,
non-governmental or private cancer centres / radiotherapy /
oncology units for constituting and establishing cancer or other
data
collection
in
their
institutions
along
internationally
acceptable and nationally adaptable formats and standards.
URGENCY FOR PROPOSAL MIDWAY
THROUGH 10th PLAN
• With control of communicable diseases and
increased life expectancy, Non-communicable
Diseases are emerging as a major Public Health
Problem
• Advances in IT in India have to be quickly applied
to Public Health and Research
MAIN OBJECTIVE
Sustain and Develop a National Research Data
Base on Cancer, Diabetes, Stroke, and other
Cardiovascular Diseases using advances in IT,
through a National Collaborative network, so as
to undertake aetiological, epidemiological,
clinical and control research in these areas
Specific Function Statements (Contd…)
iii. Studies in aetiology will receive special focus through disease
specific registers like lymphoma-leukaemia registry, childhood cancer
registry and bone tumour registry etc. Special purpose registries for
specific populations exposed to suspected chemicals, radiation etc
will also be focussed,
detailed
molecular
include in-depth laboratory component for
and
genetic
typing
using
a
battery
of
investigations such as immuno-histochemistry, flow cytometry, PCR
studies etc. The centre could act as a reference laboratory at least for
certain studies. The centre will devote to the conduct of multicentric
studies and meta-analysis of rare and unusual cancer types and
those tumours that are of special interest to Indian conditions.
Specific Function Statements (Contd…)
iv. Conduct studies in populations with exceptional or changing
incidence rates or unusual environmental exposures.
v.
The centre will have active interaction on scientific topics and
where feasible collaborative projects with related ICMR
permanent centres / institutes like Regional Medical Research
Centre, Dibrugarh, Institute of Pathology, New Delhi, Institute of
Cytology and Preventive Oncology, Noida etc. In the same way it
will also interact with local institutions in Bangalore like the
Indian Institute of Science, Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for
Advanced Scientific Research, NIMHANS etc.
Specific Function Statements (Contd…)
vi. The centre will create a Directory of on-going research
in India on cancer, diabetes, CVD and stroke.
vii. Psychological studies on cancer, diabetes, CVD and
stroke will be pursued and Quality of Life studies will
focus on rehabilitation needs.
Specific Function Statements (Contd…)
Specific areas of collaboration/proposed collaboration

With Triesta Sciences Pvt Ltd – a Bangalore based company for
laboratory support in the molecular epidemiology of breast and
colo-rectal cancers;

Collaboration with cancer registries in the North east for the
following project proposals:
i.
PBCR – Guwahati: Role of HPV and tobacco in the occurrence
of cancer cervix: a case control study ;
ii.
PBCR – Mizoram: Role of Helicobacter pylori and use of
smoked meat in the occurrence of cancer stomach: a case
control study;
iii. PBCR Manipur: Risk factors in the epidemiology of lymphoid
and haemopoietic malignancies
Basis for selection of location

The Coordinating Unit of the NCRP has been functioning at
Bangalore since 1991.

The entire activity of the NCRP and the projects under it are
directed, monitored and executed (including conduct of
workshops and coordination of Annual Review Meetings and
workshops) by the Coordinating Unit of NCRP.

The Coordinating Unit is in a unique position in that it is
coordinating an on-going multi-centric collaborative project (with
several studies under it). It is operating, from a rented premises,
in Bangalore and working with a skeletal staff and a shoestring
budget. Limited requirements are being met within the overall
budget allocation of the ICMR. However, even with limited staff
and infrastructure, the programme has demonstrated capability of
carrying out high quality of research.
Basis for selection of location (Contd)

Basic infrastructure of staff, internet connectivity and computers
and most importantly software programmes and modules have
been developed. This has been developed in-house with support
of hardware and software consultants.

Further software development activity is underway so as to have
user friendly state of the art modules that would meet the
requirements listed above.

The
ease
of
consulting
professionals/programmers

The Council has five acres of land and construction of the
building for the units of ICMR located in Bangalore including the
Coordinating Unit is underway.
and/or
hiring
IT
Basis for selection of location (Contd.)

The Coordinating Unit is also on the verge of collaboration with the Rajiv
Gandhi University of Health Sciences for enrolling students into the PhD
programmes and commencing courses in Epidemiology and Health
Informatics.

A Memorandum of Understanding is also to be signed with Triesta
Sciences Pvt Ltd for collaborative molecular and genetic epidemiological
studies in cancer breast and colo-rectal cancers.

Lastly, like several major cities (including the metros) in India, it would
promote the cause of medical research to have a permanent ICMR centre
in Bangalore for several reasons. It has a number of medical institutions
and several other scientific institutions. It would be important to have the
presence of ICMR with a permanent centre with scope of future
collaboration with many of these institutions.
Under the circumstances stated, Bangalore would be the ideal
location of this centre.
Manner of Scheme Implementation
I.
Department of Epidemiology with the following
units:
i.
Descriptive Epidemiology – which would concern the PBCRs
and the Cancer Atlas
ii.
Clinical Epidemiology – which would essentially be on
patterns of care and survival studies; followed in the next
stage by Patient Care and Management Strategies, Clinical
research and therapeutic trials for management of cancer in
India.
iii.
Analytic Epidemiology – case control studies
iv.
Molecular Epidemiology along with (iii) above will focus and
concentrate on aetiological studies.
Manner of Scheme Implementation (Contd.)
II.
Department of Bio-Statistics - which would contribute towards the
statistical methods and evaluation of different units listed above;
III. Department of Informatics and Programming - which would
contribute towards the development of software modules, internet
based programming and hardware maintenance of different
programmes/projects;
IV. Cancer Control and Prevention - would generate documents to
assist in cancer control activities at state or national levels.
Manner of Scheme Implementation (Contd.)
V.
VI.
Social, Economic and Behavioral Intervention Research - the
social relevance of cancer on society, behavioral patterns associated
with the disease and provision of counseling services.
Human Resource Development
Besides the above, the centre would be a hub of training in cancer
registration, epidemiology and research with the aim on National Human
Resource Development. The institute would collaborate with the Rajiv
Gandhi University of Health Sciences for MPH and PhD programmes in
Epidemiology and Health Informatics.
• Epidemiology has been described as a
science that moves slowly but with
great force;
• It is particularly relevant for a
developing country like India because
of paucity of information and low cost
in conducting such studies;
• By incorporating new tools that analyse
exposures at the chemical level, recent
advances in genomics and molecular
sciences on the one hand and the power
of electronic information technology on the
other there is an unique opportunity to
integrate and explore avenues in research
that was hitherto not possible.
• Studies in molecular epidemiology will
therefore, help in further understanding
mechanisms in causation of cancer and
identify new preventive, diagnostic and
therapeutic interventions.