Medico Frontiers - Diagnostics

Stem Cell Transplantation: past, present and future

Dr Maheboob M Basade is currently consultant medical oncologist and stem cell transplantation specialist at Jaslok hospital and Breach Candy hospital, Mumbai. A doctorate in medicine from Dr V M Medical College, Solapur, he joined the department of medical oncology at Tata Memorial Hospital in 1992 and learnt various aspects of management of cancers like chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation for three years. He went to St. Jude Research Centre, Memphis (US) as visiting scientist to do research on Neuroblastoma gene. After completing his training abroad, he came to India and set up Nargis Dutt Memorial Cancer Centre at Barshi in Maharashtra. He also established the department of Medical Oncology, including a centre for stem cell transplantation. It is here that he performed the first successful peripheral blood stem cell transplantation centre in rural India. After two years, he joined Jaslok Hospital in 1997 and established the stem cell transplantation department in the hospital.

Synopsis:

Stem cells obtained from bone marrow sustain long term sustainable growth of hematopoietic cells once infused in body. Patients with defective blood formation like thalassemia, sickle cell disease or aplastic anemia; like blood cancer (leukaemia's, lymphomas) require stem cell transplantation as the only cure. There are two types of transplantation : autologous where stem cells from patients own bone marrow are used while second is allogenic transplantation in which stem cells from real siblings are used. Transplant programmes can be run in a centre, who can provide sterile rooms, trained man power, who has got well equipped blood banking facilities including irradiators.