HCG Performs First Bloodless Bone Marrow Transplant In Asia

Online, December 29, 2010 (Newswire.com) - HealthCare Global Enterprises Limited (HCG), South Asia's largest cancer care network pioneering treatment of highly complicated and recurrent cases of cancer among patients from across the globe, today announced the successful performance of first bloodless bone marrow transplant in Asia.

Curtis Carpenter, a 60 year old patient from the US, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma of mantle cell type in the bone marrow. The patient, who initially underwent chemotherapy in New York, decided to come down to HCG as he could not find appropriate solution to his problem anywhere else. Also since he is a follower of Jehovah's Witness, he refused blood transfusion.

Commenting on the Carpenter case, Dr Ajaikumar, Chairman, HCG said, "Autologus Bone Marrow Transplant has been around for long. With reference to Carpenter's case of lymphoma, the uniqueness of it is that we managed to do a BMT with out blood transfusion. Since the patient refused the same, we have provided a highly personalized care and this was possible by a team of experts headed by Dr. Radheshyam."

Presenting the case, Dr Radheshyam Nayak, Head - Bone Marrow Transplant Centre, HCG, said, "BMT is a an intensive medical procedure where the patient is given high dose chemotherapy and is supported by either his own preserved bone marrow stem cells or histo-compatible allogenic bone marrow stem cell. We have achieved what was perceived to be impossible because the patient refused to take any allogenic blood or blood product transfusion. The challenge here was to maintain levels of Hb, WBC count and platelets by using a cocktail of growth factors and also manage bleeding episodes by using recombinant factor VII."

Dr Radheshyam a pioneer in carrying out BMT, has successfully done more than 25 BMT till today & is credited with carrying out the first BMT in Karnataka.

Thanking HCG's doctors for providing a revolutionary treatment, Carpenter said the autologous transplantation without blood transfusion addressed his sentiments. Impressed with the treatment modalities pursued by HCG and the professional commitment exhibited by the doctors here, he said, many patients from West look towards India as a preferred destination for complicated and serious disorders.

The only other centre in the world which does BMT - Bloodless, is the Centre for Bloodless Medicine at Pennsylvani .