Indore: A groundbreaking medical advancement took place at MGM Medical College’s Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MYH) with the introduction of CAR T-cell therapy, a state-of-the-art treatment for blood cancer.
“This cutting-edge therapy, previously available only in a few advanced medical centres worldwide, is now accessible to patients in Central India,” said MYH Superintendent Dr Ashok Yadav. He added that CAR T-cell therapy is a form of immunotherapy that involves genetically engineering a patient’s T-cells to target and destroy cancer cells.
“T-cells, a type of white blood cell, are extracted from the patient’s blood, modified in a laboratory to express a specific antigen receptor, and then infused back into the patient. These modified T-cells, known as CAR T-cells, are designed to recognise and attack cancer cells, particularly those associated with leukaemia and lymphoma,” he explained.
Dr Yadav said that the Transfusion Medicine Department and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at MGM Medical College successfully initiated CAR T-cell therapy for a patient suffering from B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). This marks a significant milestone in the field of cancer treatment in India.
“The procedure involves collecting the patient’s white blood cells, genetically modifying them, and then reinfusing them into the patient,” he said.
He claimed that the institute is the first state govt-run medical college to have this facility. “While the cost of this treatment can be exorbitant in other countries (as high as Rs 4 crore in USA), the institution is offering it at a fraction of the price (by around Rs 20-30 lakh), making it accessible to a larger number of patients,” he said.
