With the establishment of a bone bank, Cancer Institute has applied for licence with the Directorate of Medical and Rural Health Services, Government of Tamil Nadu to harvest bones from brain-dead donors.
The bank will benefit at least 40 to 50 patients every year at the Cancer Institute, according to Chandra Kumar K, assistant professor (orthopaedic oncology), Department of Surgical Oncology, Cancer Institute. It has been set up with funds from the Rotary Club of Madras Central through the Rotary International Global Grant. It has come up at a cost of $100,000.
“There are very few bone banks in the country and none of them harvest bones from brain dead donors. We could potentially be the first bone bank to harvest bones from brain-dead donors. This will help in increasing the quantity and quality of bones available,” he said.
The bones will be sterilised using gamma irradiation. The institute is entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam for sterilisation, he added.
Kamal Sanghvi, Rotary International director elect, said such projects should be replicated in most of the major cities. Hemanth Raj, vice-chairman, Cancer Institute; Babu Peram, Rotary District Governor - RI District 3232; R. Saranyan, president, Rotary Club of Madras Central and Vinod Saraogi, Special Projects, Rotary Club of Madras Central were present.
Youth health mela
Inaugurating the three-day youth health mela organised by the Cancer Institute, Governor Banwarilal Purohit said that cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive pulomonary disease, and diabetes were the main non-communicable diseases accounting for a subtantial percentage of mortality rate in India.
V. Shanta, chairperson of the institute, said tobacco was a major killer, and its eradication could lead to 40% reduction in cancers.
R. Swaminathan, assistant director, Cancer Institute, said every year, 2,300 teenagers and young adults were diagnosed with cancer in Tamil Nadu.
“The rate of occurrence of cancer in this age group (15 to 29 years) is 11 per one lakh population. The top ranking cancers have been leukemia, lymphoma and brain tumour. But in recent years, it is disheartening to see lifestyle-related cancers. Oral cancers is in the top three among men. This indicates use of smokeless tobacco,” he said.
V. Surendran, associate professor and head, Department of Psycho-Oncology, Cancer Institute, said the mela would have exhibitions and competitions for school and college students, besides a traditional food court. C. Newton Raj, associate manager, HCL Foundation, was present.
