CHENNAI: To commemorate the 100th birth anniversary of former director of Adyar Cancer Institute Dr V Shanta, the institute launched a new online tool, Tamil Nadu Cancer Registry Statistics (TN-CReSt).
The online tool has been developed to provide comprehensive cancer data analytics and support evidence-based decision-making in cancer prevention and control.
TNCReSt is based on data from the Tamil Nadu Cancer Registry Programme (TNCRP), a collaborative surveillance initiative jointly undertaken by the Adyar Cancer Institute and Tamil Nadu's Department of Health and Family Welfare.
The platform enables users to analyse cancer incidence data across multiple parameters, such as age at diagnosis, gender, year of diagnosis, in various combinations under three categories: Recent Cancer Statistics, Cancer Trends, and Cancer Projections.
Users can generate detailed analytical outputs, including the number of cases, percentages, age-specific incidence rates, and cancer risks. It also provides insights into annual trends and future projections. The results can be displayed as tables and graphs, along with district-wise fact sheets that can be downloaded or exported for further use.
The TNCRP data used in the platform has gained international recognition and has been included in flagship publications of the International Agency for Research on Cancer, a body of the World Health Organisation.
The director of Adyar Cancer Institute, Dr Kalpana, said the TNCReSt platform is expected to significantly strengthen cancer surveillance and planning in the State by providing accessible and flexible analytics for health officials, doctors, academicians, researchers and the general public.
She said TN-CReSt is part of the efforts to honour Shanta's legacy and further strengthen cancer research and public awareness in the state.
The initiative was launched by the health department secretary, Dr P Senthilkumar, on Wednesday at Adyar Cancer Institute. National Health Mission director Dr A Arun Thamburaj was also present.