Varanasi, Aug 31 (IANS): Doctors at the department of paediatrics, IMS-BHU (Banaras Hindu University) have carried out the first allogeneic stem cell transplantation in an 11-year-old child with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (blood cancer).

Professor and in charge of the division, Dr Vineeta Gupta said that this is the 15th stem cell transplant carried out by the division in the last two years. The first 14 transplants were autologous stem cell transplants where the stem cells were collected from the patient himself/herself.

They were performed for paediatric solid tumours (tumours in abdomen and cancer of lymph nodes).

For the allogeneic transplant, donor was identified, and the patient was found to have full match with his elder sister.

Stem cells were collected by the process of apheresis from the donor (elder sister) and given to the patient. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged after two months of hospital stay.

The transplant was carried out by Dr Vineeta Gupta, Dr Priyanka Aggarwal and their team of fellows, junior residents and nursing officers.

The cost of the procedure was one fifth of the cost at corporate hospital.

The Division of Paediatric Haematology Oncology aims to extend these services to paediatric patients with other blood disorders such as aplastic anaemia, thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.