Amaravati to get genome analysis centre; free genetic cancer tests begin in Guntur

A large-scale genome analysis centre will be established at the proposed Quantum Valley in Amaravati to identify genetic causes associated with rare diseases and to support advanced medical research, Minister of Health, Medical and Family Welfare Satya Kumar Yadav has said.

The Minister was speaking in Guntur on Tuesday, after inaugurating a genome sequencing centre at the NATCO cancer centre in the Government General Hospital. The Guntur facility is being operated on a pilot basis.

He said the proposed centre at Quantum Valley would expand genetic testing and research, including the collection and analysis of genetic information related to cancer and rare diseases. Such centres allow doctors to study a patient's genetic profile in detail, which can help in diagnosing conditions that are otherwise difficult to identify.

At the Guntur centre, genetic and biomarker tests will be provided free of charge to breast and lung cancer patients through a newly established genetic testing department. The Minister said tests that can cost up to ₹25,000 in private laboratories would be conducted free of charge at this facility.

Explaining the purpose of such testing, he said genome sequencing can identify genetic alterations in cancer cells, giving doctors more information to select medicines and treatment methods suited to individual patients. This approach, sometimes described as precision medicine, moves treatment away from a uniform protocol towards choices based on a patient's specific genetic profile. The Minister added that in future, it may also be possible to identify the risk of hereditary diseases within families at an early stage.

He said the State government is also focusing on early cancer detection. As part of this effort, free screening is being conducted for oral, breast and cervical cancers. Of a targeted population of 4.27 crore people, around 2.65 crore have been screened so far, leading to the identification of nearly 7,500 new cancer cases, the Minister said. These figures were provided by the Minister and have not been independently verified.

Early detection is significant because cancers identified at an earlier stage are generally more treatable, and patients often require less intensive intervention.

On infrastructure, the Minister said four comprehensive cancer centres have been developed in the first phase at Guntur, Visakhapatnam, Kurnool and Kadapa at a cost of ₹311 crore. Advanced facilities, including linear accelerators, brachytherapy equipment and CT simulators, have been introduced at these centres. Linear accelerators and brachytherapy are used in radiotherapy, while CT simulators help plan the precise delivery of radiation to tumours.

Cancer centres are also being developed in Kakinada and Anantapur under the second phase of the programme, he said, adding that another 11 teaching hospitals will be developed as cancer centres.

The announcements come amid a broader national effort to make genetic testing more accessible, as the cost of sequencing has fallen over the past decade. Wider availability of such tests has raised questions of affordability, data privacy and counselling support for patients, which public health experts say are important for the responsible use of genomic information. Details on the timeline, funding and scope of the proposed Amaravati centre have not yet been announced.