Breast Cancer (BC) occurrence is on the rise in younger and urban Indian women with peak incidence around 46.2 years. This is in contrast with the US and UK where the majority of patients are in a much older age-group. The incidence of BC is 25.8 per 100000 women and is expected to rise to 35 per 100000 women in 2026 says health ministry.

The current research has become challenging in India because most of the knowledge come from studies in western population. On one hand it is incorrect to simply gather the data from one ethnicity and extrapolate it to another group. On the other hand the molecular nature of BC in India raises research questions whether the findings based on western population apply to Indian women. To address this research question and many more incidental questions large number of samples from Indian BC patients are needed.

To assist, accelerate and address this unmet medical necessity in our country Chennai Breast Centre in collaboration with Sharana Breast Cancer Research and Relief Foundation has started a bio repository storing fresh frozen, FFPE blocks. This will help the researchers to undertake a clinical and translational biomedical research program in BC to understand more about the disease scientifically.

Sharana Breast Cancer Research and Relief Foundation is a non-profit, NGO and a public charitable trust in Chennai established (in the year 2008) by like-minded and socially conscious individuals from various walks of life with initiative taken by Dr. Selvi Radhakrishna. The trust has been closely associated with Chennai Breast Centre and working in the area of providing affordable medical treatment and rehabilitation to underprivileged cancer patients and their families.

“Giving a part of me which would have normally been chucked into the bin, now going to be used for research which in turn may save many women in future is definitely meaningful” -Latha*(Patient who has donated her tissue. Name changed)