'I cannot see but my hands can detect early breast cancer': How blind women are saving lives

Breast cancer has one of the highest rates of prevalence in the country and in the world. From late diagnosis to missed diagnosis, there are several reasons that trigger the growth of the cancerous tumor. But amidst this, there are certain individuals who have been a blessing to medical science in determining tiny lumps in breast cancer cases.

Meet Meenakshi Gupta, a blind woman, who is currently a medical tactile examiner in Delhi NCR and can find even the tiniest lumps in a woman's breast that can be malignant.

Meenakshi works in Medanta hospital, Gurugram and is a part of the project that utilizes the tactile sense of visually impaired women to identify the minutest of abnormalities in the breasts.

Who are medical tactile examiners? What are their roles?

Medical Tactile Examiners (MTEs) are visually impaired or blind individuals trained to conduct specialized breast exams using their heightened sense of touch. Their roles involve detecting abnormalities in breast tissue, such as lumps, that may indicate early stages of breast cancer. They work in collaboration with doctors, enhancing the accuracy of breast examinations. Their advanced tactile sensitivity allows them to detect even small changes, contributing to early diagnosis and improving patient outcomes.

In 2023, a study paper submitted to the European Society of Medicine found that "the process of Tactile Breast Examination by visually impaired appears apt for breast screening as it detects almost any aberration both benign and malignant in breast which is amenable to human touch and misses out in just 1% changes which can be malignant. It has the potential to become a vocational avenue for visually impaired women."


We at TOI-Lifestyle spoke to Meenakshi about her extraordinary journey. "I'm Meenakshi. I'm from Delhi, and I've been working as a Medical Tactile Examiner (MTE) since 2018. When I was in the 10th standard, I wanted to take up science in the 11th, but there were no options other than humanities for visually impaired students. In 2017, I came across the Discovering Hands project, which focuses on the early detection of breast cancer. I joined this project, and after completing the training and internship with Dr. Kanchan Gupta, I started my journey as an MTE (Medical Tactile Examiner)," she said.

“I usually take around 25 to 30 minutes to examine a patient, so the hospital schedules patients accordingly. On an average day, I can examine up to eight patients. So far, I have examined 1,100 patients, and out of those, I identified around 350 to 400 cases that required further attention,” she said.

"I started the journey of training MTE’s , almost 7 years ago. They get trained in the theory of breast anatomy and physiology and extensive training on models at the NAB centre. They then spend 3 months interning with me in a clinic where they get to see patients. It’s been a rewarding experience seeing these girls grow in confidence as they hone the skill of breast examination and at the same time imparting awareness about breast cancer. In a country like India where on one hand there is lack of awareness about breast cancer and on the other hand a fragmented healthcare system with lack of access to standardised quality of screening, these girls play an important role in bridging both the gaps. They are playing a very important role in the community by normalising the talk about breast awareness and need for early detection," said Dr. Kanchan Kaur, Senior Director, Breast Cancer, Cancer Care, Medanta, Gurugram who spearheads this innovative method of screening for breast cancer.

“I am very happy with my job. This job has given me confidence. Before 2017, I lacked the confidence to move around independently, but after joining this training and gaining mobility skills, I now feel empowered. I can travel alone, and this job has been a major source of personal growth for me,” Meenakshi concluded.