Stem cell treatment in Kolkata...

Hey dear ones...

Read it in today’s news, does anyone have more information about this piece of info? This indeed is great news coming out of nowhere and again offering us some hope

Bangalore boy’s life saved by stem cells

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Kolkata: Four-year-old Dikshit Gowda is set to be part of a landmark medical breakthrough in Kolkata. This thalassaemia patient from Bangalore — who was injected with stem cells from his oneand-half-year-old sister’s cord blood at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute (NSCBCRI) in February — is on the brink of a complete recovery.
   His white blood cell (WBC) count is rising after three weeks of stem cell treatment and doctors believe Gowda will walk out of the hospital in another six weeks, completely cured of the haematological disorder.
   “The major part of the treatment is over. We have started injecting the stem cells and the signs are encouraging. There has been no complication as yet and we expect Dikshit to be cured,’’ said Ashish Mukherjee, director, NSCBCRI. A team of five doctors was appointed for Dikshit’s treatment. The child is going to be the first thalassaemia patient in Kolkata to be cured of the disease through stem cell infusion.
   Son of a CRPF jawan, Diskhit was put through a prolonged treatment over three stages. First, his bone marrow was destroyed through a strong dose of chemotherapy over 15 days. Then, stem cells from his sister’s cord blood and preserved at the Cryo Stem Cell Institute, Bangalore, were injected. “This was the most crucial phase of the treatment and could have gone wrong since his stem cell composition was related but did not match his sister’s. Usually, this does not hinder treatment and it didn’t this time either,’’ said Mukherjee.Doctors started injecting the stem cells when Dikshit’s WBC count dropped to zero. It has already started rising which, according to doctors, is a clear sign that the treatment is successful. Gowda has been kept in a highly sanitized cabin fitted with a high-efficiency particulate air filter that prevents the entry of organisms bigger than .2 microns to prevent infection.
   Over the next six weeks, the boy’s blood group will change from A+ to O+, his sister’s group. His chromosome composition, too, will switch over to XX (female). “This is a worry but can’t be helped since the donor happens to be a girl. There is a possibility that Gowda might have a few female characteristics when he grows up but there will be no physical manifestation. Since he is already four, we expect him to be biologically normal,’’ said Mukherjee.
   The boy will remain in hospital for another month.

Hey dear ones...

Bangalore boy’s life saved by stem cells

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

 Over the next six weeks, the boy’s blood group will change from A+ to O+, his sister’s group. His chromosome composition, too, will switch over to XX (female). “This is a worry but can’t be helped since the donor happens to be a girl. There is a possibility that Gowda might have a few female characteristics when he grows up but there will be no physical manifestation. Since he is already four, we expect him to be biologically normal,’’ said Mukherjee.
   

  I don't think this statement is medically correct. Stem Cell therapy has nothing to do with chromosomes.

                  
   Am agree with C F  because my son got PBSC from his sister in june 2005 but he still a boy 12 years old and he still nughty with the girls i don't think the stem cells do any thing  with chromosomes ... Am agree with you about the blood Group will be change from Group to the another depends on the donor Group but to change the boy to be girl or a girl to be a boy i think it's NO WAY....
 P S:  i forget to say somthing a bout my son the onley one things he take it from his sister is talking toooooooooooooooooooooo much like all the ladys (WITH ALL MY RESPECT FOR ALL LADYS)      
      
                                               KHALIFA
                                        STATE OF KUWAIT
                                  ONE FOR ALL AND ALL FOR ONE

Actually Kalif you're quite right - my daughter talks so much that we sometimes forget our son is in the room.     

Andy,

My brother and sister in law have stored their son's cord blood - so that if the time comes and the technology is available we may someday be able to use it.  Is it possible that a first cousin may be a better match than an unrelated donor?  My brother and I are quite well matched - so we thought that there may be a small chance that his son's cord blood may help my son - in case other forms of treatment are not available - and stem cell therapy makes leaps and bounds - that the cord blood may be a useful form of treatment.  What are your thoughts Andy? 

Sharmin

Hi Sharmin,

It is unlikely a cousin would be a match, as half of the genes come from someone unrelated to your son. It would be just chance if it did.

http://www.marrow.org/PATIENT/Donor_Select_Tx_Process/The_Search_Process/HLA_Matching_Finding_the_Best_/index.html#basics

HLA matching basics
A well-matched donor is important to the success of your transplant. You inherit half of your HLA markers from your mother and half from your father, so each brother and sister who has the same parents as you has a 25% chance of matching you. It is unlikely that extended family members will match you. However, your parents and/or children may also be tested to confirm your HLA typing and to make sure no possible donors are overlooked.

About 70% of patients who need a transplant do not have a suitable donor in their family. If you do not have a donor in your family, your doctor can search the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry for an unrelated donor or cord blood unit. The NMDP Registry lists nearly 7 million volunteer donors and more than 70,000 cord blood units. Patients searching the NMDP Registry also have access to an additional 4 million donors through agreements with international cooperative registries.

That is true Sharmin as i have the same situation exactly and when i asked the doctor he said that my nehew won't match my son unless my sister in law is related to our family (first degree) and he added that to be safe in a transplant, al least 10 antigenes must match which is impossible between two cousins 

manal

Dear All

When my daughter did the unrelated bone marrow transplant 2 years ago, the doctor only tested 6 antigenes. That was the best they could do at that time. I can't believe they can do uo to 10 now.

Thank you.

omega.

>>Over the next six weeks, the boy’s blood group will change from A+ to O+, his sister’s group. His chromosome composition, too, will switch over to XX (female). “This is a worry but can’t be helped since the donor happens to be a girl. There is a possibility that Gowda might have a few female characteristics when he grows up but there will be no physical manifestation. Since he is already four, we expect him to be biologically normal,’’ said Mukherjee.


As sexual characters are controlled by hormones, there will not be in any change in the boy's characteristics.

Thanks Andy and Manal,

I knew it was a long shot.  They are very unlikely to match - I just thought perhaps if the technology advances enough - that unmatched donors (cord blood) may work - that perhaps at that time a relative's cord blood may be helpful.  I doesn't seem like it is very likely.  My daughter is only a 3/6 match for him.   I'm sure someday something will come along....maybe Hemaquest will come through for us in the meantime...

Sharmin 

Hi
Just read about a 2year old girl Zahra who underwent a successful bmt last month in cmc vellore. In this case the donor was her cousin. The doctors went ahead with the transplant coz it was a 100% match.
Regards
maha