BHU doctors make history with first successful allogeneic stem cell transplant

Doctors at the department of paediatrics, IMS-BHU (Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University), have carried out the first allogeneic stem cell transplant in an 11-year-old child with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (a type of blood cancer).

Professor and in-charge of the division Dr Vineeta Gupta said that this is the 15th stem cell transplant carried out by the division in the last two years.

However, the first 14 transplants were autologous transplants—where the stem cells were collected from the patient themselves. (These were performed for paediatric solid tumours in the abdomen or cancer of the lymph nodes.)

For this allogeneic transplant, the stem cells must come from a donor. This patient was found to have full match with his elder sister.

The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged after two months of hospital stay.

The transplant was carried out by Dr Vineeta Gupta, Dr Priyanka Aggarwal and their team of fellows, junior residents and nursing officers.

The cost of the procedure was one fifth of the cost at a corporate hospital.

The division of paediatric haematology–oncology aims to extend these services to paediatric patients with other blood disorders such as aplastic anaemia, thalaessemia and sickle cell anaemia.