Columbia Asia Referral Hospital, Yeshwanthpur (CARHY) in Bengaluru announced comprehensive Bone Marrow Transplant (Stem Cell Transplant) service. The facility will give hope to many cancer patients in and around Bangalore as there are very few hospitals in South India providing allogenic transplant which involves the stem cells coming from a donor with a similar genetic makeup.

The Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) service will have a team of medical experts including clinical haematologist, oncologist, and other qualified doctors from allied specialties like paediatrics, infectious disease specialist and trained nurses for Stem Cell Transplant, and also state-of-the-art HEPA filtered room, ICU and round-the clock service. Blood bank services and radiology services provide comprehensive care during Stem Cell Transplant.

The Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplant will enhance comprehensive service and will be helpful to many international patients who look for such a treatment in India, said Dr Nandakumar Jairam, chairman and group medical director, Columbia Asia.

Bone Marrow Transplant also called hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a type of treatment for certain cancers. With this launch, Columbia Asia Referral Hospital Yeshwanthpur becomes one among the very few centres in India to offer allogenic bone marrow transplants. Till now, we were doing only Autologous transplants which involved the usage of the patient’s own stem cells. Now, we will be able to manage conditions like High risk leukaemia's, myelomas and lymphomas, said Dr Satish, consultant in Clinical Haematology.

Some of the most effective treatments for cancer, such as chemotherapy and radiation, are toxic to the bone marrow. The marrow produces different cells that make up the blood, such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The stem cells from the bone marrow are extracted before the administration of high dose chemotherapy and then reintroduced or transplanted to the patient so that blood cell production process is re-established in the bone marrow, informed Dr Neelesh Reddy, consultant Medical Oncology.

In fact earlier stem cells were collected only from the bone marrow in the hip bones under general anaesthesia. However with advanced technology and medical supervision stem cells can now be collected from peripheral blood after giving injections. Stem cells are then harvested by simple procedure called apheresis, in the same way as dialysis is done and the rest of the blood is returned to the person.

Columbia Asia Hospitals Pvt. Ltd. is one of the first healthcare companies to enter the country through 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) route. The Columbia Asia Group of Companies is owned by more than 150 private equity companies, fund management organizations and individual investors. The group currently operates six multi-specialty community hospitals, one referral hospital and one clinic in India. The company also operates hospitals in Malaysia (10), Vietnam (three), and Indonesia (one). The Indian management operations are managed from its office in Bangalore.