icddr,b launches next‑generation sequencing cancer diagnostics in Bangladesh

Dhaka‑based international Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, Bangladesh- icddr,b will begin offering next‑generation sequencing (NGS)‑based oncology diagnostics on Thursday, 24 April, through its nationwide network of diagnostic centres. Oncologists say the service is a major step towards accurate, affordable cancer care inside Bangladesh, eliminating the need to ship specimens abroad and wait four to five weeks for costly, sometimes unreliable reports.

The icddr,b Genome Centre has installed state‑of‑the‑art NGS platforms operated by internationally trained specialists and promises clinically actionable reports within two weeks, including targeted therapy guidance. “We have achieved the capacity to deliver world‑class, genome‑guided cancer diagnostics,” said Dr Md Mustafizur Rahman, acting senior director of infectious diseases. “Our commitment is timely, dependable results that will be pivotal for patient‑specific treatment.”

Executive Director Dr Tahmeed Ahmed, whose strategic direction drove the project, added: “No one should wait weeks or go overseas for these critical tests. We urge Bangladesh’s cancer specialists to use this service for the benefit of their patients; it represents hope, confidence and precision.”

The centre will initially sequence breast, lung, colon, ovarian and haematological malignancies. Samples can be submitted at icddr,b facilities in Mohakhali, Mirpur, Motijheel, Dhanmondi, Uttara, Niketan, Gulshan and Baridhara.

During last December’s Bangladesh International Cancer Congress, regional oncologists and members of The Lancet Oncology editorial board toured the Genome Centre and praised its capabilities. icddr,b believes the new service will help curb cancer mortality by enabling swift, accurate diagnosis and personalised therapy for Bangladeshi patients.