Early diagnosis, timely cure

BREAST CANCER is the most common cancer in women worldwide. In India, it accounts for 28% of all female cancers. Late diagnosis and inadequate access to quality treatment are major challenges, leading to lower survival rates. While mammography remains the gold standard screening technique, it has limitations—the test does not detect all cancers, is not effective in dense breast tissue, and there are also concerns around radiation exposure. It is also not readily available everywhere due to limited resources, infrastructure constraints, and cost.

- SUDHIR CHOWDHARY

Mumbai-based UE LifeSciences has come up with iBreastExam—a palm-sized, non-invasive hand-held device that is making early detection of breast cancer a quick and hassle-free affair. It is ultra-portable, painless, and radiation-free, requires minimal training to operate, works offline, and offers instant results with high efficacy. Mammograms in most cities cost over ₹4,000, whereas an iBreastExam test can cost anywhere between ₹100-350.

"With over 1.2 million women screened, iBreastExam is impacting equitable access to vital early detection, regardless of location or socioeconomic status," Gauri Navalkar Godse, director and CEO, India, UE LifeSciences, told FE. This battery-powered device empowers community healthcare workers to conduct point-of-care screenings, providing immediate results and improving patient compliance, she added.