The Mission Hospital’s first Stem Cell Transplantation marks major milestone in Bengal’s Healthcare

Thursday, Aug 17,2017

Durgapur, 17^th August, 2017: The collaborative work of our hospital’s Hemato-Oncology team has resulted in a major medical milestone, this time in cancer treatment. On 21^st July, The Mission Hospital’s Haemato Oncology team successfully performed the hospital’s first stem cell transplantation: a complex procedure that has been proven to be an essential therapy for many patients battling blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma and other critical diseases.

Dr. Dibyendu De, Consultant Hematologist and Dr. Suvro Sankha Datta, Consultant, Dept. of Transfusion Medicine worked in unison to deliver such results for the patient. With this accomplishment, The Mission Hospital has become the first and only centre in West Bengal, outside Kolkata to perform such transplantation successfully.

The patient, a 56 years old female, who underwent the stem cell transplant, was admitted in the Orthopedics Department with low back pain and paralysis of both lower limbs and subsequently was diagnosed as Multiple Myeloma. Patient was started on chemotherapy and targeted immuno-therapy on emergency basis, along with spinal stabilisation surgery. After 4 cycles of chemotherapy she improved gradually, regained power in both limbs along with ability to stand and walk with support.  The Hematology team decided to go for bone marrow transplant - an ultimate procedure, not attempted even by many cancer institutes. Performing such a sophisticated procedure is a very high risk affair. But the transplant team at The Mission Hospital were ready to take the challenge for the patient’s cause.

A firm protocol was followed during the Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant (ASCT) procedure where the patient was monitored in isolation ward with aseptic precautions. No visitors were entertained and the policy was strictly enforced by the hospital management to protect the patient from any infection. Trained nurses were particularly allocated for monitoring the patient for 24 hours in rotating shifts and the patient’s food and refreshments were taken into deep consideration to be free from any infection and contamination whenever entering inside the isolation room.

The stem cell collection was done on 18^th and 19^th July. On 20^th July the patient received  high dose chemotherapy to eradicate all cancer cells. The stem cell transplant was performed on 21^st July with adequate pre-medication. The procedure was completed without any complication. From 1^st August, onward, the patient gradually started to show signs of blood recovery.
With the availability of such high end treatment, The Mission Hospital has become the finest and most advanced Hematology and Oncology centre in this region. Apart from catering to this state, it is also a center of excellence for Cancer Treatment for the neighbouring states of Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and UP. Today patients even from Bangladesh and Bhutan are also receiving state of the art cancer treatments here.

The Mission Hospital provides comprehensive Thalassemia and Hemophilia care to its patients. The Hematology Department provides advanced diagnostic facilities including genetic and molecular studies for proper diagnosis and staging of blood cancer. It also provides treatment for all types of blood cancers including leukemia and lymphoma. It has successfully diagnosed and treated many complex hematological disorders including Aplastic Anemia, MDS and platelet function disorders. Today it has become one of the leading tertiary centres for Hematology and Oncology with the vision to make a difference in the lives of many more Cancer Sufferers.