Written by : Nikita Saha
February 4, 2025
The project was led by IIT Madras’ Centre of Excellence on Cancer Genomics and Molecular Therapeutics, funded under the Government of India's Institutions of Eminence initiative.
IIT Madras has launched the Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas (BCGA), India’s first breast cancer genome database, featuring data from 960 whole exome sequences collected from 480 breast cancer patients across the country.
The initiative, which began in 2020, was announced today by IIT Madras Director, Professor V Kamakoti, ahead of World Cancer Day.
The database, developed in collaboration with Karkinos Healthcare, Mumbai, Chennai Breast Clinic, and the Cancer Research and Relief Trust, Chennai, compiles anonymized genetic variants from Indian breast cancer samples. It is now publicly accessible to researchers and clinicians at [bcga.iitm.ac.in].
Highlighting the importance of the initiative, Professor Kamakoti said, “True to our 'IITM for All' commitment to society, we are releasing yet another health related data, the second this academic year, the Cancer Genome data after the Brain Data. We hope that this will provide deep insights on reasons leading to this deadly disease and help prevent the same with early interventions."
The Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas addresses the gap in India’s genomic landscape and will aid in classifying genetic variants involved in early diagnostics, disease progression, and treatment outcomes.
"The Atlas fills the gap in genomic landscape of different cancers in the country. It provides a compendium of genetic variants representing the contemporary Indian breast cancer population to classify variants involved in early diagnostics, disease progression, and treatment outcomes," added Kamakoti.
The project was led by IIT Madras’ Centre of Excellence on Cancer Genomics and Molecular Therapeutics, funded under the Government of India's Institutions of Eminence initiative.
"BCGA also aims to host data from researchers working on cancer genomics across cancer types and would be open to accepting submissions. The data will be utilised towards identifying biomarkers to identify high-risk groups, monitor cancer progression, design strategies for personalised treatment and understand treatment outcomes," Professor S Mahalingam of the Department of Biotechnology at IIT Madras stated.
The Genome Atlas is seen as a step toward personalized medicine in India, incorporating an individual’s genetic and molecular data into clinical decision-making.
Welcoming the initiative, Dr Venkataraman Radhakrishnan, Professor of Medical Oncology at the Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, said, “Most genome sequencing studies are based on Western populations. There is genetic heterogeneity based on ethnicity and race, so we can’t rely solely on Western data. To understand genetic alterations in Indian patients, we need Indian data.”
However, Dr Radhakrishnan pointed out the need for a more comprehensive dataset. “It appears the current data predominantly represents the southern region of India, highlighting the need for pan-India representation,” he added.