Successful BMT - HLA Match with Father

Hello Everyone,

I stay in Boston(USA) and was in India in Feb 2006 for my niece’s appointment for HLA match with her brother in Feb 2006. She is 1 year old Thalassemia(Major). Unfortunately, the HLA did NOT match with her brother (1 antigen match). Neither did it match with her father (3 antigen match) or mother (half antigen match).

There were hundreds of patients in the Hematology department there for treatment. Some had Thalassemia, some had Aplastic Anemia and some had Leukemia. While, I was there at CMC hospital in Vellore, Tamilnadu, India. I was asking patients about the hospital and the doctor's there. The response was very good. Some even mentioned that they have been to big hospitals in India but the doctors were unable to detect what was wrong and than when they came to CMC hospital, they were successful in diagnosing the problem.

I also met parents of a girl who was 13 year old and got a SUCCESSFUL HLA match with her father and most importantly a SUCCESSFUL Bone Marrow Transplant in January 2006. I was very happy to hear the news from her parents. When, I was coming back from India, I did give his father a call and found out that the patient was recovering very well. There were some minor infections for which she was being treated and she was about to be discharged from the hospital soon.

I just wanted to share this story with readers here, so that they know that Bone Marrow Transplant is a good option. I know it is very risky but still it remains an option for patients wanting to cure completely.

I know there are other medical researches {Cord Blood etc} going on for treating Thalassemia, but they do NOT have proven results. BMT stands out today (from my point of view – although I am NOT a doctor) as one of the best option (but of course the HLA has to match with the donor)

-Narendra

I know there are other medical researches {Cord Blood etc} going on for treating Thalassemia, but they do NOT have proven results. BMT stands out today (from my point of view – although I am NOT a doctor) as one of the best option (but of course the HLA has to match with the donor)

-Narendra

I wouldn't say that because there had been a great breakthrough in 2001 in this regard. Singapore Gen. Hospital succesfully cured Thal. Major via NON-RELATING Cord Blood. Read the 3rd headline on the following linkClick Here! Then later they cured patients with different blood disorders via multple cord blood transplants and that too using the non-myeloablative method in which the previous system is not killed as in BMT.

I wouldn't say that because there had been a great breakthrough in 2001 in this regard. Singapore Gen. Hospital succesfully cured Thal. Major via NON-RELATING Cord Blood. Read the 3rd headline on the following linkClick Here! Then later they cured patients with different blood disorders via multple cord blood transplants and that too using the non-myeloablative method in which the previous system is not killed as in BMT.

Sajid --> That is interesting to learn. I did NOT know that. Do we know if there are any other cases of Thal(Major) treated with Cord blood successfully?? Lot's of research is going on these days so hopefully there will be cord blood or any other treatment which will bring relief to us Thal community(and I hope that happens sooner than later).

Thanks for the update.
-Narendra

I've sent an email to SGH's International Medical Service(IMS) last month on their address ims@sgh.com.sg who replied the same day that I should contact their BMT unit on gnubmt@sgh.com.sg

But the BMT department didn't reply back. Yesterday I emailed a reminder and so far no reply.

Maybe you can try to contact them! They might get the message that International Patients also need attention and we seriously mean it!

Sajid has posted(17th March 2006) the reply he got from the singapore hospital in a seperate reply under heading:-

Reply from Singapore general Hospital regarding Cord Blood.

For those interested to know more about it - please follow up the other thread