Pushpagiri Research Centre to launch a comprehensive cancer screening project for women in three districts of Kerala

Pushpagiri Research Centre has received a grant from Italian Bishops Conference to launch a comprehensive cancer screening project for women in three districts of Kerala. The project will be for a duration of two years and will cover the commonest 4 cancers seen among women of the region- breast, thyroid, cervix and oral.

The project was submitted at the Italian Bishops Conference in response to multiple reports about the increasing incidence of cancer in this particular region. Apart from conducting screening and referral for cancers, the project aims to investigate the risk factors for cancer in the region. A large epidemiological study is being planned in this regard, apart from the evaluation of environmental risks. The project entails free camp based screening of women and subsidised referral to Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital. The travel to Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital and basic investigations will be covered through the project, for those people who are from lower socio-economic strata.

Rev Dr Mathew Mazhavancheril, Director (Academics and Research), is the principal investigator and Dr Philip Mathew, Associate Professor, will serve as co-investigator. The departments of general surgery, oncology, obstetrics & gynaecology, pathology and community medicine will be involved in the project. Though the project was supposed to start by July, we have postponed the date of start in view of the Covid19 outbreak.