Delhi hospital performs 200 stem cell transplants in a year

A private cancer hospital in Delhi performed 200 stem cell transplants last year, marking a major step in treating blood cancers and genetic disorders.

Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute & Research Centre (RGCIRC), which began its stem cell transplant program in 2007, has now completed approximately 2,000 transplants, establishing itself as one of north India’s leading centers for advanced cancer care, the institute said in a statement.

“Initial results are encouraging. Many patients are showing no signs of cancer six to twelve months post-transplant — a crucial period that significantly lowers the risk of relapse. Several patients are on track to being declared cancer-free,” said Dr Dinesh Bhurani, Director of Hemato-Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant at RGCIRC.

Stem cell transplants are often a last resort for the patients with aggressive blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma, especially when conventional treatments fail.

The procedure involves replacing damaged or cancerous cells with healthy stem cells — either from the patient’s own body (autologous transplant) or from a donor (allogenic transplant), it said.

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For cases where chemotherapy proves ineffective, allogenic transplants offer renewed hope. In addition to replacing diseased cells, donor stem cells can actively attack any remaining cancer cells, improving the chances of recovery.

The institute has also made strides with haploidentical transplants, commonly known as half-match transplants, where the donor is only a 50 per cent genetic match.

Once considered too risky, these transplants are now achieving success rates comparable to fully matched transplants, thanks to advancements in medical protocols, Dr Bhurani said.

While many centers have struggled to achieve good results with half-matched transplants, RGCIRC has emerged as one of the largest centers in north India offering this procedure — with outcomes rivaling those seen in the west, he added.