Tata Memorial Centre: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|Hospital in Maharashtra, India}}
{{short description|Hospital in Maharashtra, India}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2015}}
{{ad|date=May 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox hospital
{{Infobox hospital
| Name        = Tata Memorial Hospital
| name = Tata Memorial Hospital
| Org/Group  = <!-- optional -->
| org_group = <!-- optional -->
| Image      =  
| image =  
| image alt  = <!-- optional -->
| image_alt = <!-- optional -->
| Caption    = <!-- optional -->
| caption = <!-- optional -->
| map_type    =
| pushpin_map =  
| latitude    = <!-- used only for adding a map, with map_type -->
| logo =  
| longitude  = <!-- used only for adding a map, with map_type -->
| logo_size = 178px
| Logo        = Tata Memorial Hospital Logo.svg
| location =  
| Logo Size  = 200px
| region = [[Mumbai]]
| Location    =  
| state = [[Maharashtra]]
| Region      = [[Mumbai]]
| country = [[India]]
| State      = [[Maharashtra]]
| coordinates = {{coord|19.004861|72.843235}}
| Country    = [[India]]
| healthcare = <!-- UK:NHS. AU/CA: Medicare. ELSE freetext, eg Private -->
| Coordinates = {{coord|19.0639|73.0644}}  
| funding = Government of India
| HealthCare  = <!-- UK:NHS. AU/CA: Medicare. ELSE freetext, eg Private -->
| type = Specialist<!-- Community, District, General, District General, Teaching, Specialist -->
| Funding    = Government
| speciality = {{hlist | [[Oncology]] | [[Teaching hospital]]}}
| Type        = <!-- Community, District, General, District General, Teaching, Specialist -->
| standards = <!-- optional if no national standards -->
| Speciality  = <!-- if devoted to a speciality (ie not a broad spectrum of specialities) and Type=Specialist/Teaching -->
| emergency = <!-- UK/IR/HK/SG: Yes/No, CA/US: I/II/III for Trauma certification level -->
| Standards  = <!-- optional if no national standards -->
| affiliation = [[Homi Bhabha National Institute]]
| Emergency  = <!-- UK/IR/HK/SG: Yes/No, CA/US: I/II/III for Trauma certification level -->
| patron = <!-- 'None' or the individual who acts as the hospital patron -->
| Affiliation = [[Homi Bhabha National Institute]]
| network = <!-- optional -->
| Patron      = <!-- 'None' or the individual who acts as the hospital patron -->
| beds =  
| Network    = <!-- optional -->
| founded = {{start date and age|28 February 1941}}
| Beds        =  
| closed = <!-- optional -->
| Founded    = 28 February 1941
| website = [http://tmc.gov.in/ tmc.gov.in]
| Closed      = <!-- optional -->
| other_links = <!-- optional -->
| Website    = [http://tmc.gov.in/ tmc.gov.in]
| Wiki-Links  = <!-- optional -->
}}
}}
The '''Tata Memorial Hospital''' is situated in [[Parel]], [[Mumbai]], in [[India]]. Also popularly known as TMH. It is a specialist [[cancer]] treatment and research centre, closely associated with the '''Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer''' ('''ACTREC'''). The Centre is the national comprehensive cancer centre for the prevention, treatment, education and research in cancer and is recognized as one of the leading cancer centres in this part of the world. It is an autonomous body funded and controlled by [[Department of Atomic Energy (India)|Department of Atomic Energy]], Government of India which also oversees the administration of institute since 1962.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nuclear India {{!}} Department of Atomic Energy|url=http://www.dae.gov.in/node/114|access-date=2021-01-18|website=www.dae.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tata Memorial Centre - About Us|url=http://www.actrec.gov.in/about.htm|access-date=2021-01-18|website=www.actrec.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Rs 4369.17 Grant released to various Cancer Hospitals in Financial Year 2014–15|url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=121284|website=pib.nic.in}}</ref>
The '''Tata Memorial Center''' ('''TMC''') is an autonomous institution under the administrative control of [[Department of Atomic Energy (India)|Department of Atomic Energy]], Government of India.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nuclear India {{!}} Department of Atomic Energy |url=http://www.dae.gov.in/node/114 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210428092550/https://dae.gov.in/node/114 |archive-date=28 April 2021 |access-date=2021-01-18 |website=www.dae.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Tata Memorial Centre - About Us |url=http://www.actrec.gov.in/about.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222074644/http://www.actrec.gov.in/about.htm |archive-date=22 February 2020 |access-date=2021-01-18 |website=www.actrec.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Rs 4369.17 Grant released to various Cancer Hospitals in Financial Year 2014–15 |url=http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=121284 |website=pib.nic.in}}</ref> The TMC umbrella includes at least 10 cancer institutes across India, the largest and the central hub of which is the Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) in [[Parel]], [[Mumbai]], is India's oldest and largest cancer institute.


The Tata Memorial Hospital was initially commissioned by the [[Sir Dorabji Tata Trust]] on 28 February 1941 as a center with enduring value and a mission for concern for the Indian people. Current Director of the hospital is Dr. Rajendra A Badwe, who took over from for director Dr. [[Ketayun Ardeshir Dinshaw|K. A. Dinshaw]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome to Tata Memorial Centre &#124; Governing Council|url=https://tmc.gov.in/misc/governing%20council%20.htm}}</ref>
It has spearheaded the Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) movement in oncology in India, and prioritizes Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) management through disease-specific groups, to ensure quality patient care.{{cn|date=May 2025}}


==History==
There are many firsts to the TMC name. These include India's first linear accelerator for radiation therapy in 1978, bone marrow transplant in 1983, tissue bank in 1988, PET/CT in 2004, and the first proton therapy unit in a government setup (and second overall) in 2023. It has spearheaded the CAR-T cell trial which has led to the approval indigenous CAR-T cell therapy in India. Importantly, with a mission centered on comprehensive compassionate cancer care for all, approximately 60% of patients receive free or highly subsidized treatments.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tmc.gov.in/index.php/en/list-of-center | title=List of Centers }}</ref> It is an autonomous institution under the administrative control of [[Department of Atomic Energy (India)|Department of Atomic Energy]], Government of India. Its current Director is Dr. [[Sudeep Gupta]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-11-30 |title=TMC head of 15 years retires with many cancer successes |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/tata-memorial-centres-director-retires-after-15-years-of-cancer-successes/articleshow/105607010.cms |access-date=2024-10-16 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
 
==History and current scope==
[[File:Tata Memorial Centre 1991 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|left|A 1991 stamp dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Tata Memorial Centre]]
[[File:Tata Memorial Centre 1991 stamp of India.jpg|thumb|left|A 1991 stamp dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Tata Memorial Centre]]
The Tata Memorial Hospital was founded by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust on 28 February 1941.<ref>[https://tmc.gov.in/index.php/aboutus/history-2 History]. tmc.gov.in</ref> In 1952 the Indian Cancer Research Centre was established as a pioneer research institute for basic research—later called the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). In 1957 the Ministry of Health took over the Tata Memorial Hospital. The transfer of the administrative control of the Tata Memorial Centre (Tata Memorial Hospital & Cancer Research Institute) to the Department of Atomic Energy in 1962 was the next major milestone. The Tata Memorial Hospital and Cancer Research Institute merged as the two arms of the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) in 1966 as a classic example of private philanthropy augmented by Government support with a mandate for Service, Education & Research in cancer.
The Tata Memorial Hospital was initially commissioned by the [[Sir Dorabji Tata Trust]] on 28 February 1941 for the advancement of learning and research, disaster relief and other philanthropic activities ‘without any distinction of place, nationality or creed’. The death of Dorabji's wife Meherbai due to leukemia spurred him to create a center dedicated to researching the disease.<ref>[https://tmc.gov.in/index.php/aboutus/history-2 History]{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}. tmc.gov.in</ref> In 1952, the Indian Cancer Research Centre was established as a research institute for basic research—later called the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). The Ministry of Health took over the Tata Memorial Hospital in 1957. Administrative control of both TMH and CRI was then transferred to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in 1962, and these two arms merged to form the ‘Tata Memorial Center' (TMC) in 1966, with a mandate for service, education and research in cancer.


==Patient care==
The Advanced Center for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) at Kharghar was inaugurated in 2002, and houses the CRI and the Clinical Research Center (CRC) (inaugurated in 2005), a state-of-the-art research hospital. It houses the Bone Marrow Transplant unit and the Proton Therapy Centre, amongst others, and has now expanded to a fully fledged clinical hospital.
The Department of Surgical Oncology provides minimal access surgeries, skull-base procedures, major vascular replacements, limb salvage, microvascular surgery and robotic surgeries. The department conducts investigator-initiated and sponsored research
studies. Staff members contribute chapters to various books and author numerous publications in international peer reviewed journals. The department trains national and international residents and fellows providing exposure to basic and advanced surgical techniques and hands on courses in collaboration with external clinical labs.  


One of the fields of specialization of this hospital is in the treatment of [[acute lymphoblastic leukemia]] (A.L.L). Every year nearly 30,000 new patients visit the clinics from all over India and [[Indian subcontinent|neighboring countries]]. Nearly 60% of these cancer patients receive primary care at the Hospital of which over 70% are treated almost free of any charges. Over 1,000 patients attend the OPD daily for medical advice or for follow-up treatment. During the year 2003, over 20,000 new cases were registered in addition to over 13,000 Referral Cards issued for only special investigations. Nearly 8,500 major operations are performed annually and 5,000 patients treated with [[Radiotherapy]] and Chemotherapy annually in multi-disciplinary programmes delivering established treatments.
TMC has expanded its outreach across the country with nodal centers established at multiple places across the country, following the ‘hub and spoke’ model. These together register about 120,000 new cancer patients every year. Currently (2024), TMC comprises the following centres:


The TMH was the first Centre in the country to initiate [[Bone Marrow Transplant]] in 1983. [[PET-CT]] scanner has been procured to make this technology available for cancer management. In an effort to provide access to patients and their families who lack access or the means to visit the hospital, TMH has started an initiative to provide an online expert opinion through ''Navya.''<ref>G. S. Mudur,
* Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai
[https://www.telegraphindia.com/1170107/jsp/frontpage/story_129060.jsp#.WHiMNLZ97Vq "Cancer advice network expands – Second opinion can be sought from a wider pool of consultants"], ''The Telegraph'' (Calcutta), 7 January 2017.</ref>
* ACTREC, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai
* Centre for Cancer Epidemiology (CCE), Kharghar, Navi Mumbai
* Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCH&RC), Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
* Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital (HBCH), Sangrur, Punjab
* Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCH&RC), Mullanpur, Punjab
* Dr. Bhubaneswar Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati, Assam
* Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital (HBCH), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
* Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Cancer Centre (MPMMCC), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
* Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (HBCH & RC), Muzaffarpur, Bihar


===Preventive oncology===
==Patient care==
The Department of Preventive Oncology which was commissioned in the year 1993, gives a special focus on education in [[cancer prevention]] and early detection, cancer screening.
TMC focuses on evidence-based cancer management. The patients have the option to choose between different payment classes - the 'general' and 'private' category, with the same set of doctors and the same infrastructure treating both. Extremely poor patients are treated at nominal cost ('NC' category). This cross-subsidization model has proven to be impactful, with over million patient footfalls and about 60,000 admissions happening annually from diverse regions. TMC focuses on multidisciplinary team (MDT) management by dedicated disease management groups for various cancers, with every new patient discussed in a tumor board consisting of surgical, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and other relevant members of the team together as a group, to ensure that everyone is on the same page. TMC is equipped with facilities, including robotic surgery, proton therapy, 24-hour chemotherapy units, the latest diagnostic modalities (including 24-hour CT and MRI scanners), interventional and minimally-invasive treatment techniques, [[Bone Marrow Transplant]], and CAR-T cell therapy''.'' It also provides tele-consultation and second opinion services for patients. Its ethos and focus on patient care is best captured by the fact that cancer management continued even during the Covid lockdown period, during which almost 500 cancer patients were operated successfully.
Of the 2–2.5 million cases of cancer in the country, more than 70% of cases are detected late and report for treatment in very [[Cancer staging|advanced stages]]. The emphasis on early detection would go a long way to dealing with the large numbers as well as to mitigate avoidable suffering and a financial burden.<ref name="abt">{{cite web|title=Tata Memorial Centre – About Us|url=http://www.actrec.gov.in/about.htm|website=www.actrec.gov.in}}</ref>
 
==ACTREC==
The '''Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research, and Education in Cancer''' (ACTREC) is a new R&D satellite of the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC). It has the mandate to function as a national center for treatment, education, and research in cancer.<ref>{{Cite web|title=LEGACY OF INSTITUTIONS – Tata Medical Center|url=https://tmckolkata.com/tmc/about/legacy-of-institutions/|access-date=2020-10-13|language=en-US}}</ref>
 
ACTREC comprises two arms—a basic research arm constituted by the erstwhile '''Cancer Research Institute''' (CRI) which has shifted from the [[Parel]] Campus to the new location in August 2002, and a '''Clinical Research Centre''' (CRC), The latter comprises a 50-bed research hospital which is equipped with diagnostic and therapeutic facilities. In the first phase, the focus will be on [[Pediatric Oncology]] and emerging therapies, including [[gene therapy]].
 
Research investigations at CRI currently focus on molecular mechanisms responsible for the causation of major human cancers relevant to India. It is envisaged that in the future, ACTREC will play a greater role in drug development and emerging therapies for treatment and prevention of cancer.


The radiotherapy at ACTREC is equipped with a dual-energy linear accelerator, [[IMRT]], [[Stereotactic radiation therapy|stereotactic therapy]] and HDU-[[brachytherapy]] units. The Centre is committed to carrying out clinical trials under GCP conditions, including Phase I/II trials for investigational new drugs. In addition, the Centre would specialize in cancer genetics including counseling and genetic testing and molecular pathology.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About Us - ACTREC|url=https://tmc.gov.in/actrec/index.php/about-us|access-date=2020-10-13|website=tmc.gov.in}}</ref>
Apart from cancer treatment, TMC also focuses on cancer prevention, screening and early detection. It has conducted  large randomized controlled trials focusing on the efficacy of simple low cost and effective technologies for early detection of breast and cervical cancers among women. These include demonstrating the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening with visual inspection with acetic acid, and of breast cancer screening with clinical breast examination. This has led to development of pragmatic evidence-based guidelines that have strengthened national cancer control policies in India and have been adopted by other low and middle income countries (LMICs).  


===Cancer Research Institute (CRI)===
==National Cancer Grid (NCG)==
Several studies are ongoing in Cancer Research Institute (CRI) , Such as analysis of [[cytokine]] profiles and the role of [[antibodie]]s to the viral proteins [[Papillomaviridae#E6|E6]] and [[Papillomaviridae#E7|E7]] in [[cervical cancer]], cytokine imbalance in [[lung cancer]] patients, and the role of urinary cytokines in [[intravesical]] BCG therapy in superficial [[bladder cancer]]. The biology of [[HIV-2]], the virus which has spread only in India and [[Africa]] is being studied in-depth.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tata Group Website: TMC Information|url=https://www.tata.com/community/health/tata-memorial-centre}}</ref>
The National Cancer Grid is a network of major cancer centers, research institutes, patient groups and charitable institutions across India with the mandate of establishing uniform standards of patient care for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, providing specialized training and education in oncology and facilitating collaborative basic, translational and clinical research in cancer.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NCG - Tata Medical Center|url=https://tmc.gov.in/ncg/|language=en-US}}</ref>


Studies on tobacco mediated [[carcinogenesis]] have encompassed chemical analysis, Sizeable effort has been directed towards delineation of the mechanisms of [[chemopreventive]] action of agents from Indian foods, such as [[turmeric]], tea and grapes, and development of mechanism-based [[biomarkers]] of exposure.
There are over 300 NCG centres across India and other countries.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NCG - List of Centers|url=https://tmc.gov.in/ncg/index.php/list-of-centers|language=en-US}}</ref> The resource-stratified NCG guidelines for cancer care are linked with Ayushman Bharat reimbursement. Other NCG initiatives include pooled procurement of oncology drugs with a median 82% saving compared to maximum retail price,<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Pramesh |first1=C S |last2=Sengar |first2=Manju |last3=Patankar |first3=Sumedha |last4=Chinnaswamy |first4=Girish |last5=Gupta |first5=Sudeep |last6=Vijayakumar |first6=M |last7=Sood |first7=Sanjeev |last8=Sathe |first8=Anil |last9=Radhakrishnan |first9=Venkatraman |last10=Ganesan |first10=Prasanth |last11=Mohan Mallavarapu |first11=Krishna |last12=Badwe |first12=Rajendra |date=2023-09-01 |title=A National Cancer Grid pooled procurement initiative, India |journal=Bulletin of the World Health Organization |language=en |volume=101 |issue=9 |pages=587–594 |doi=10.2471/BLT.23.289714 |pmid=37638358 |issn=0042-9686 |pmc=10452934 }}</ref> virtual tumor boards, quality improvement initiatives, and the Koita Centre for Digital Oncology (KCDO).<ref>{{Cite web|title=India's National Cancer Grid sets up Digital Cancer Centre|date=29 August 2022 |url=https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/asia/indias-national-cancer-grid-sets-digital-cancer-centre}}</ref>
 
The first [[transgenic]] mouse in the country, which was made at the Institute, hosts a gene for a growth modulator. This mouse is being developed as a model for [[squamous cell carcinoma]]. In parallel, newer cell lines useful for cancer research and an expression system for the E6 protein of HPV are being developed. During 2002, scientists at the Institute have obtained extramural support from different funding bodies to the tune of Rs. 100,000,000. Work from the Institute has led to 19 publications in peer-reviewed journals. Its current director is Dr. Sudeep Gupta
 
==Tata Clinic==
A 12-story block "The Tata Clinic and Faculty Block" has recently been constructed on the premises vacated by the CRI. This facility will house site specialty clinics, 50 additional beds, Minor theatre complex, daycare beds, academic offices, postgraduate education, seminar rooms, and a Telemedicine Centre. It is renamed as "Homi Bhabha Block"


==Education==
==Education==
The Tata Memorial Centre is a recognised training centre for cancer education and research by national and international organisations such as [[WHO]], [[IAEA]] and [[Union for International Cancer Control|UICC]].{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} Tata Memorial Hospital is a post-graduate teaching centre and is affiliated to the [[University of Mumbai]], [[National Board of Examinations]] and [[Maharashtra University of Health Sciences]]. Every year about 80 post-graduate students register with the Centre for doing their Master's or [[Doctorate]] courses. There are about 400 students undergoing training every year in medical and non-medical fields in long and short term courses.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Advanced Centre for Treatment Research & Education in Cancer|url=https://actrec.gov.in/home|access-date=2020-10-13|website=actrec.gov.in}}</ref>
The Tata Memorial Centre is a recognized training centre for cancer education and research by national and international organisations such as [[WHO]], [[IAEA]] and [[Union for International Cancer Control|UICC]].{{citation needed|date=June 2018}} Tata Memorial Hospital is a post-graduate teaching centre and is affiliated to the Homi Bhabha National University. Every year about 80 post-graduate students register with the centre for doing their Master's or [[Doctorate]] courses. There are about 400 students undergoing training every year in medical and non-medical fields in long and short term courses.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Home {{!}} Advanced Centre for Treatment Research & Education in Cancer|url=https://actrec.gov.in/home|access-date=2020-10-13|website=actrec.gov.in}}</ref>


===Digital Library===
==See also==
The Library of the Tata Memorial Hospital has been maintained since the inception of the hospital. It was relocated on 17 November 2000, on the ground floor of the main building now known as Digital Library. It caters to the needs of [[clinicians]], [[nurses]], other [[paramedic]]al staff, medical administrators, and visitors from other hospitals, health care industries, academic institutions from all over the country.<ref>{{Cite web|title=About us - Digital Library|url=https://tmc.gov.in/digital-library/index.php/about-us|access-date=2020-10-13|website=tmc.gov.in}}</ref>
* [[Regional Cancer Centres]]
 
* [[Tata Medical Center]]
== [http://konarkcancerfoundation.org/ Konark Cancer Foundation] ==
* [[Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Muzaffarpur]]
Set up by the [[Neurosurgeon]], [[B. K. Misra]], [[Cardiac surgeon]], [[Ramakanta Panda]] and former [[Police Commissioner of Mumbai]], [[Arup Patnaik]],  [http://konarkcancerfoundation.org/ Konark Cancer Foundation] is an NGO for patients coming to the Tata Memorial Hospital for treatment, providing them with financial support of up to INR 1 lac per patient, logistical support such as finding food and shelter for their attendants, providing other voluntary support, collecting and donating blood, medications and prosthesis. Around 10,000 patients and their families have been benefited since its inception.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/ex-mumbai-police-chief-now-helps-cancer-patients/article17914884.ece|title=Ex-Mumbai police chief now helps cancer patients|first=Jyoti|last=Shelar|date=April 11, 2017|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>http://konarkcancerfoundation.org/about-3/</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://tmc.gov.in/ Official website]
* [http://www.actrec.gov.in/index.htm Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC)]


{{Energy Ministries and Departments of India}}
{{Energy Ministries and Departments of India}}
{{Tata Group}}
{{authority control}}
{{authority control}}


Latest revision as of 07:43, 14 February 2026


Tata Memorial Hospital
Geography
LocationMumbai, Maharashtra, India
Coordinates19°00′17″N 72°50′36″E / 19.004861°N 72.843235°E / 19.004861; 72.843235
Organisation
FundingGovernment of India
TypeSpecialist
Affiliated universityHomi Bhabha National Institute
Services
Speciality
History
Opened28 February 1941; 85 years ago (28 February 1941)
Links
Websitetmc.gov.in

The Tata Memorial Center (TMC) is an autonomous institution under the administrative control of Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India.[1][2][3] The TMC umbrella includes at least 10 cancer institutes across India, the largest and the central hub of which is the Tata Memorial Hospital (TMH) in Parel, Mumbai, is India's oldest and largest cancer institute.

It has spearheaded the Evidence-based Medicine (EBM) movement in oncology in India, and prioritizes Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) management through disease-specific groups, to ensure quality patient care.[citation needed]

There are many firsts to the TMC name. These include India's first linear accelerator for radiation therapy in 1978, bone marrow transplant in 1983, tissue bank in 1988, PET/CT in 2004, and the first proton therapy unit in a government setup (and second overall) in 2023. It has spearheaded the CAR-T cell trial which has led to the approval indigenous CAR-T cell therapy in India. Importantly, with a mission centered on comprehensive compassionate cancer care for all, approximately 60% of patients receive free or highly subsidized treatments.[4] It is an autonomous institution under the administrative control of Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India. Its current Director is Dr. Sudeep Gupta.[5]

History and current scope[edit | edit source]

A 1991 stamp dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Tata Memorial Centre

The Tata Memorial Hospital was initially commissioned by the Sir Dorabji Tata Trust on 28 February 1941 for the advancement of learning and research, disaster relief and other philanthropic activities ‘without any distinction of place, nationality or creed’. The death of Dorabji's wife Meherbai due to leukemia spurred him to create a center dedicated to researching the disease.[6] In 1952, the Indian Cancer Research Centre was established as a research institute for basic research—later called the Cancer Research Institute (CRI). The Ministry of Health took over the Tata Memorial Hospital in 1957. Administrative control of both TMH and CRI was then transferred to the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) in 1962, and these two arms merged to form the ‘Tata Memorial Center' (TMC) in 1966, with a mandate for service, education and research in cancer.

The Advanced Center for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) at Kharghar was inaugurated in 2002, and houses the CRI and the Clinical Research Center (CRC) (inaugurated in 2005), a state-of-the-art research hospital. It houses the Bone Marrow Transplant unit and the Proton Therapy Centre, amongst others, and has now expanded to a fully fledged clinical hospital.

TMC has expanded its outreach across the country with nodal centers established at multiple places across the country, following the ‘hub and spoke’ model. These together register about 120,000 new cancer patients every year. Currently (2024), TMC comprises the following centres:

  • Tata Memorial Hospital, Parel, Mumbai
  • ACTREC, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai
  • Centre for Cancer Epidemiology (CCE), Kharghar, Navi Mumbai
  • Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCH&RC), Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
  • Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital (HBCH), Sangrur, Punjab
  • Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCH&RC), Mullanpur, Punjab
  • Dr. Bhubaneswar Borooah Cancer Institute (BBCI), Guwahati, Assam
  • Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital (HBCH), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
  • Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Cancer Centre (MPMMCC), Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
  • Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital & Research Centre (HBCH & RC), Muzaffarpur, Bihar

Patient care[edit | edit source]

TMC focuses on evidence-based cancer management. The patients have the option to choose between different payment classes - the 'general' and 'private' category, with the same set of doctors and the same infrastructure treating both. Extremely poor patients are treated at nominal cost ('NC' category). This cross-subsidization model has proven to be impactful, with over million patient footfalls and about 60,000 admissions happening annually from diverse regions. TMC focuses on multidisciplinary team (MDT) management by dedicated disease management groups for various cancers, with every new patient discussed in a tumor board consisting of surgical, medical and radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and other relevant members of the team together as a group, to ensure that everyone is on the same page. TMC is equipped with facilities, including robotic surgery, proton therapy, 24-hour chemotherapy units, the latest diagnostic modalities (including 24-hour CT and MRI scanners), interventional and minimally-invasive treatment techniques, Bone Marrow Transplant, and CAR-T cell therapy. It also provides tele-consultation and second opinion services for patients. Its ethos and focus on patient care is best captured by the fact that cancer management continued even during the Covid lockdown period, during which almost 500 cancer patients were operated successfully.

Apart from cancer treatment, TMC also focuses on cancer prevention, screening and early detection. It has conducted large randomized controlled trials focusing on the efficacy of simple low cost and effective technologies for early detection of breast and cervical cancers among women. These include demonstrating the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening with visual inspection with acetic acid, and of breast cancer screening with clinical breast examination. This has led to development of pragmatic evidence-based guidelines that have strengthened national cancer control policies in India and have been adopted by other low and middle income countries (LMICs).  

National Cancer Grid (NCG)[edit | edit source]

The National Cancer Grid is a network of major cancer centers, research institutes, patient groups and charitable institutions across India with the mandate of establishing uniform standards of patient care for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, providing specialized training and education in oncology and facilitating collaborative basic, translational and clinical research in cancer.[7]

There are over 300 NCG centres across India and other countries.[8] The resource-stratified NCG guidelines for cancer care are linked with Ayushman Bharat reimbursement. Other NCG initiatives include pooled procurement of oncology drugs with a median 82% saving compared to maximum retail price,[9] virtual tumor boards, quality improvement initiatives, and the Koita Centre for Digital Oncology (KCDO).[10]

Education[edit | edit source]

The Tata Memorial Centre is a recognized training centre for cancer education and research by national and international organisations such as WHO, IAEA and UICC.[citation needed] Tata Memorial Hospital is a post-graduate teaching centre and is affiliated to the Homi Bhabha National University. Every year about 80 post-graduate students register with the centre for doing their Master's or Doctorate courses. There are about 400 students undergoing training every year in medical and non-medical fields in long and short term courses.[11]

See also[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ "Nuclear India | Department of Atomic Energy". www.dae.gov.in. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  2. ↑ "Tata Memorial Centre - About Us". www.actrec.gov.in. Archived from the original on 22 February 2020. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "Rs 4369.17 Grant released to various Cancer Hospitals in Financial Year 2014–15". pib.nic.in.
  4. ↑ "List of Centers".
  5. ↑ "TMC head of 15 years retires with many cancer successes". The Times of India. 30 November 2023. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 16 October 2024.
  6. ↑ History[permanent dead link]. tmc.gov.in
  7. ↑ "NCG - Tata Medical Center".
  8. ↑ "NCG - List of Centers".
  9. ↑ Pramesh, C S; Sengar, Manju; Patankar, Sumedha; Chinnaswamy, Girish; Gupta, Sudeep; Vijayakumar, M; Sood, Sanjeev; Sathe, Anil; Radhakrishnan, Venkatraman; Ganesan, Prasanth; Mohan Mallavarapu, Krishna; Badwe, Rajendra (1 September 2023). "A National Cancer Grid pooled procurement initiative, India". Bulletin of the World Health Organization. 101 (9): 587–594. doi:10.2471/BLT.23.289714. ISSN 0042-9686. PMC 10452934. PMID 37638358.
  10. ↑ "India's National Cancer Grid sets up Digital Cancer Centre". 29 August 2022.
  11. ↑ "Home | Advanced Centre for Treatment Research & Education in Cancer". actrec.gov.in. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
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