This move positions MYH as one of India's first state government medical institutions to offer this treatment, which has previously been limited to select facilities worldwide.

In a significant advancement for cancer treatment in Central India, Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital (MYH), under MGM Medical College, launched CAR T-cell therapy, a sophisticated immunotherapy aimed at targeting and treating blood cancers. 

This move positions MYH as one of India's first state government medical institutions to offer this treatment, which has previously been limited to select facilities worldwide.

CAR T-cell therapy is an innovative approach that involves genetically modifying a patient’s T-cells to identify and destroy specific cancer cells, especially in cases of leukemia and lymphoma. 

Sharing thoughts, MYH Superintendent Dr Ashok Yadav, said, “This therapy, previously available only in a few advanced medical centers worldwide, is now accessible to patients in Central India.”

Dr Yadav explained the therapy in detail: “T-cells, a type of white blood cell, are extracted from the patient’s blood, modified in a laboratory to express a specific antigen receptor, and then infused back into the patient. These modified T-cells, known as CAR T-cells, are designed to recognize and attack cancer cells, particularly those associated with leukemia and lymphoma.”

The hospital has initiated CAR T-cell therapy for a patient diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). MYH’s Transfusion Medicine Department, along with the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, conducted the procedure, marking a milestone for public healthcare in the region. 

Dr Yadav highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating, “The procedure involves collecting the patient's white blood cells, genetically modifying them, and then reinfusing them into the patient.”

The CAR T-cell procedure represents a targeted approach to immunotherapy. The process requires several stages: white blood cells are extracted from the patient, reprogrammed in a laboratory to enable them to identify cancerous cells, and finally reintroduced into the patient's body. The engineered cells, known as CAR T-cells, act as a personalized defense mechanism against blood cancers.

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