By Special Correspondent
HCG EKO Cancer Centre successfully treated a 27-year-old young woman suffering from acute myeloid leukemia through a bone marrow transplant. The patient was suffering from acute back pain and was almost bedridden. Dr. Joydeep Chakrabartty, HOD- Hemato Oncology & BMT at HCG EKO Cancer Centre and team successfully performed bone marrow transplant procedure.
Sathi Karmakar, a 27-year-old woman working in a private bank, presented with complaints of back pain. Before consulting HCG, she had visited other hospitals but none of the doctors there were able to identify the actual cause for her back pain. Her health problem started in October 2019, she started getting acute back pain, which later worsened, where she could neither sit nor walk. Her condition deteriorated day by day and the family was worried about her health. After consulting multiple hospitals, she was referred to Dr. Joydeep Chakrabartty whom she consulted at HCG EKO Cancer Centre.
Her initial complete blood count test investigations revealed that she was suffering from acute myeloid leukemia with multiple high-risk mutations. Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer caused in bone marrow. The disease progresses rapidly without treatment and mostly affects the cells that aren’t fully developed, which cannot carry out their normal functions. Fever, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, weakness, bleeding, bruising and weight loss are the initial symptoms of AML.
The family broke down emotionally when they heard about Sathi’s condition, but Dr. Joydeep and his team stood by the patient’s family, consoled them, and helped them overcome the doubts they had regarding the treatment procedures. The patient’s family was convinced and without prolonging they immediately admitted Sathi to the hospital for further treatment. After admission, a bone marrow aspiration procedure, first and second chemo cycle were done.Post which the bone marrow transplant was performed in February 2020 with the skills and expertise of the team of doctors and nurses led by Dr. Joydeep at HCG EKO. Sathi’s sister was the donor and the treatment went very well with no major complications. The patient went home with a smile on her face and today after almost 10 months of transplant she is living a healthy and fruitful life.
A bone marrow transplant also called a stem cell transplant is a procedure that infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells into the human body to replace damaged or diseased bone marrow. The procedure is performed if the bone marrow stops working and does not produce enough healthy blood cells.
Speaking on the procedure Dr. Joydeep Chakrabartty, HOD- Hemato Oncology & BMT, HCG EKO Cancer Centre Kolkata said “At the time of consultation, she was presented with sever back pain, which made walking impossible. Her condition was very critical. This is an unusual case as there was a pain in the back to start with which was initially diagnosed as sacroilitis and then turned out to be acute myeloid leukemia. Bone marrow transplant is a recommended treatment for many blood disorders and blood cancers. Her sister was a full human leukocyte antigen (HLA) match, so she was the best donor for her, and the bone marrow transplant procedure was successfully performed. She is now well and symptom free”.
He further added, “During her initial chemotherapy treatment, she had neutropenic sepsis and drug-related hepatitis which is a known fatal complication of acute myeloid leukemia. She required an allogeneic stem cell transplant as per standard treatment protocol of acute myeloid leukemia which is a very complicated and sophisticated treatment involving life risk and requires meticulous care. With the continuous team efforts and excellent nursing care at our hospital, the patient was successfully treated”.
Sharing his happiness on the successful procedure by the team, Dr. Birendra Kumar, Chief Operating Officer, HCG EKO Cancer Centre Kolkata said, “HCG has always been at the forefront of providing the latest and best treatment facilities for the patients. I am proud to say that all our senior bone marrow transplant nurses are BMT fellowship certified. Also, the junior nursing staffs are enrolled in bone marrow transplant fellowship, which is run by HCG, and receive BMT specific training. As this is a specialized treatment that requires long admission, the nurses take care of the patients with more empathy and a personalized approach. I would like to congratulate the entire team involved in the successful treatment of the patient. We have outlined our clinical expertise by performing multiple Bone marrow transplant procedures. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, we continue to offer the best treatment for our patients with a safe environment and effective care”.
Ms. Sathi Karmakar, the patient said “I would like to thank the entire team of specialists at HCG EKO Cancer Centre, without them my life would not be the same. It was like a bad dream; I had no hope for the future. But the doctors here at HCG EKO gave me the best care and treatment. I am grateful to my elder sister who came forward as my donor and saved my life. This is a second life for me, and I am extremely happy to be leading a normal life like before”.