Fujifilm opens a medical screening center focusing on cancer screening in India

FUJIFILM Corporation (President: Kenji Sukeno) is pleased to announce the launch of medical screening service business in India and other emerging countries in regions including Southeast Asia, Middle East and Africa. In the first initiative, the company will open “NURA,” a medical screening center focusing on cancer screening, in Bangalore, India on February 4, 2021. NURA offers Fujifilm's medical devices, capable of providing high-definition diagnostic images, as well as IT systems based on AI technology to assist doctors carry out screening and tests for diagnosing cancer and lifestyle diseases. This medical screening center is run by FUJIFILM DKH LLP (FUJIFILM DKH), a joint venture of Fujifilm and Dr. Kutty's Healthcare (DKH), which operates hospitals and screening centers in India and the Middle East.

Emerging countries have a lower cancer survival rate than developed countries. In the case of India, the rate of five-year survival among cancer sufferers is as low as 30%*. In order to improve cancer sufferers' survival rate, it is very important to carry out regular screening for early detection and early treatment. However, emerging countries typically do not have many facilities that offer cancer screening services and receiving such screening is not part of their habit. In contrast, medical screening services, including cancer screening, are widely available in Japan. A high proportion of people routinely receive medical screening, resulting in early detection and early treatment of cancer and other diseases. Today, Japan's five-year cancer survival rate stands at 70%, higher than that of emerging countries, highlighting the importance of regular medical screening for early detection and treatment.

Fujifilm supplies a wide range of products to medical institutions worldwide, including X-ray diagnostic imaging devices such as mammography, as well as endoscope systems, in-vitro diagnostic devices and medical IT systems. In countries such as Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the company not only supplies such products but also partners with national governments to assist the introduction and proliferation of cancer screening services. In the latest move, these experiences and AI technology will be utilized to launch high-quality medical screening services in emerging countries, with a focus on cancer screening, making use of medical IT systems and high-performance medical devices that assist doctors make diagnosis. In the future, Fujifilm plans to introduce mobile screening clinics to build a mechanism in which more people can access such testing at reasonable prices, thereby contributing to the early detection of cancer and lifestyle diseases in emerging countries.

<The “NURA” medical screening center in India>
Focusing on diseases prevalent in India, the NURA offers screening for cancer and lifestyle diseases. Its cancer screening program includes 10 tests, such as tests for oral cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, stomach cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, esophageal cancer, laryngeal cancer and leukemia. Screening for lifestyle diseases uses CT scan for early detection of risks for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and myocardial infarction. Whole body composition is visually presented to gauge visceral fat mass, muscle mass and bone density so as to identify risks for developing metabolic syndrome or locomotive syndrome and contribute to extending healthy life expectancy.

The center will actively utilize AI technology to boost the quality and efficiency of medical screening. It assists doctors in medical screening with the use of Fujifilm technologies including the IT system, unveiled in Japan in June 2020, that automatically detects lung nodule candidates from CT scans, the endoscope that uses high contrast technology to enhance the visibility of observation images, and the mammography system that provides high-definition diagnostic images.

At the screening center, a coordinator is assigned to each visitor to provide advance information about screening and takes them to testing rooms. Comfortable screening space in sophisticated design encourages visitors to come back periodically for more screening.