Mohali, July 17 -- 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.

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 diagnos...