A 64 year old gentleman came in on a wheel chair with a fracture of the hip joint. After certain tests he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a form of bone marrow cancer). He had lost hope of living. I reassured him, administered chemotherapy to treat the cancer, to which he had a fantastic response. He was a fit retired policeman so we planned to do an Autologous (the stem cells are from the patients own blood) bone marrow transplantation. He was in hospital for 15 days in a special BMT (A clean room with special Air filters installed to block any fungal infection and dust particles) room at Apollo hospital. He went through the transplant with minimum complications and is now completely mobile – during last puja he rolled on the floor for 1 km to offer his gratitude.

A bone marrow transplant at the right time can change lives positively

A 49 year old lady came in with severe weakness in the leg and inability to walk. An MRI scan showed a large mass at the bottom of her back. Biopsies confirmed this as a Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (A cancer of the lymph glands). She received 6 cycles of chemotherapy, which unfortunately relapsed in the brain. Radiotherapy was administered to the brain.

Since there was no disease elsewhere in the body, she underwent a high dose chemotherapy followed by an Autologous Stem cell transplant (When the stem cells are from the patients own blood) to ensure that the disease does not recur.

Lymphoma has high cure rates but resistant disease needs aggressive approach to cure patients. (was she cured eventually?)

A 13 year old girl, a great traditional dancer had persistent sore throat and swollen glands. The doctor initially thought it was tonsillitis but her blood tests showed a very high white cell count and there were abnormal cells called blasts in her blood smear. She had leukaemia and when the parents heard this their world fell apart.

Leukaemia in children is curable and has excellent cure rates of up to 90%. She underwent chemotherapy according to a UK based protocol. She is still receiving chemotherapy but is in good health and cycles 5km everyday.

Yes it’s a difficult time for the family but there is light at the end of the tunnel!