What is India Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) cancer multi-omics data portal?

About ICGA cancer multi-omics data portal:

• It is India’s first comprehensive cancer multi-omics data portal launched by the India Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA) foundation.
• It is India’s first platform providing open access to data from Indian cancer patients.
• It provides open access to clinically correlated data from Indian cancer patients, aimed at transforming cancer research and treatment for Indian populations.
• The portal will be the first in India to offer data that includes DNA, RNA, and protein profiles of breast cancer patients, integrated with clinical outcomes.
• Currently, the platform consists of data from 50 breast cancer patients, with plans to expand to over 500 patients in the coming year.
• This data is freely accessible to the global research community under India’s PRIDE (Promotion of Research and Innovation through Data Exchange) guidelines, which promote ethical sharing and collaboration in cancer research.

Key Facts about Indian Cancer Genome Atlas (ICGA):

• It is a national initiative focused on mapping cancers across India, supported by a foundation.
• The ICGA Foundation, a Section 8 not-for-profit organisation, operates through a public-private-philanthropic partnership.
• It receives support from more than 50 clinicians, researchers, and data analysts.
• Its mission is to enhance cancer diagnosis and treatment for Indian patients and contribute to the global understanding of cancer biology.
• The foundation’s first project focuses on the multi-omics profiling of breast cancer, with plans to extend this effort to other types of cancer in the future.

Q1: What is Cancer?

Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body. Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells.

Source: Indian Cancer Genome Atlas Launches India’s first comprehensive cancer data portal