New Delhi: Safdarjung Hospital has successfully performed its first CAR-T cell therapy for the treatment of lymphoma and blood cancer. With this, the hospital has become the third central government institution in India to offer this advanced cancer treatment, following PGI Chandigarh and AIIMS Delhi.
The treatment was conducted under the leadership of Professor Sandeep Bansal, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, and Dr Kaushal Kalra, who heads the Department of Medical Oncology. According to hospital spokesperson, Dr Poonam Dhanda, this success underscores the hospital's dedication to providing cutting-edge healthcare.
1st successful CAR-T cell therapy performed by Dept of Medical Oncology under the leadership of Dr Sandeep Bansal MS. Dr Kaushal Kalra HOD Med Onco & BMT said that @SJHDELHI is the 1st Central Govt Hospital with this cutting edge treatment for refractory lymphomas & blood cancers pic.twitter.com/pD4t6QlCoc
— VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital (@SJHDELHI) January 24, 2025
The first patient treated with CAR-T therapy at Safdarjung Hospital was suffering from refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a challenging type of blood cancer. Dr Kalra said that the patient responded well to the treatment, calling it an 'encouraging result' for both the patient and the medical team.
What is CAR-T Cell Therapy?
CAR-T cell therapy, or chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, is an advanced immunotherapy that uses the patient's own immune cells to fight cancer. T-cells are extracted from the patient's body and genetically modified in a laboratory to target and destroy cancer cells. Once modified, these cells are reintroduced into the body, where they work to eliminate cancer.
This therapy is especially effective for treating difficult-to-be cancers like blood cancer, and B-cell lymphoma.
Free Cancer Treatment for Patients
The therapy is currently available in only a few hospitals in India, including Safdarjung Hospital, AIIMS Delhi and PGI Chandigarh. Private hospitals also offer CAR-T therapy, but its cost makes it inaccessible for many. Some patients even travel abroad, spending crores for this advanced treatment. However, Safdarjung Hospital provides this therapy free of cost, offering hope for financially disadvantaged cancer patients.
Dr Sandeep Bansal expressed pride in this achievement, stating that it highlights the institution's commitment to delivering state-of-the-art medical care. He said, "This is a ray of hope for cancer patients, particularly those with challenging blood cancers."
