Bhubaneswar: In a groundbreaking medical achievement, a 15-year-old girl from Mayurbhanj has successfully undergone CAR-T cell therapy, a revolutionary cancer treatment, at IMS and SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar.
Trupti, who was diagnosed with acute leukemia, became the first patient in eastern Odisha and the fifth in the country, to receive this innovative therapy, which has given her a new lease on life.
It is learnt from hospital authorities that this innovative cell and gene therapy is different from traditional chemotherapy and enhances the body’s immune system to fight cancer. In CAR-T cell therapy, the patient’s T-cells are genetically modified to destroy cancer cells.
Moreover, this therapy is particularly beneficial for patients who do not respond to conventional cancer treatments and bone marrow transplants.
Addressing a press conference, the Superintendent of IMS and SUM Hospital Dr Pushparaj Samantasinghar revealed that the successful CAR-T cell therapy treatment of a 15-year-old girl marked a milestone as the first such procedure in eastern India. IMS and SUM Hospital continue to pioneer advanced medical treatments and technologies, having performed over 70 bone marrow transplants and 150 robotic knee replacement surgeries.
According to Dr Priyanka Samal, Head of Department of Clinical Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant at IMS and SUM Hospital, “Our hospital has pioneered CAR-T cell therapy in Odisha, making this revolutionary treatment accessible to patients locally, eliminating the need for expensive overseas travel.
Previously, patients would have had to spend crores of rupees abroad, but we’re offering this life-changing therapy at a significantly affordable cost of Rs 30-35 lakh,” explained Dr. Samal who is the driving force behind Trupti’s successful treatment.
