DMC&H launches CAR T-cell therapy for cancer patients

Chimeric Antigen Receptor or CAR T-cell therapy, the groundbreaking method of treatment, has given new hope to cancer patients. The therapy uses a patient’s own immune cells (T-cells) to fight cancer. These T- cells are genetically engineered in a lab to recognise and destroy cancerous cells more effectively. It is primarily used for certain types of blood cancer like lymphoma, leukaemia and multiple myeloma.

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With only 120 such procedures performed in India to date, the Dayanand Medical College & Hospital (DMC&H) now stands as one of the first institutions in the state to offer this cutting-edge therapy, paving the way for the future of cancer treatment in Punjab.

The DMC&H has reached a significant milestone in cancer treatment by successfully performing the region’s first CAR-T therapy. The procedure was conducted at DMCH Cancer Care Centre, by Dr Suvir Singh, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Clinical Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation (BMT).

Giving information about the therapy, Dr Suvir Singh said that CAR-T therapy is a revolutionary type of immunotherapy where a patient’s own immune cells are genetically modified to target and destroy cancer cells. In simple words, the patient’s own cells or immune system is trained to identify and fight cancer cells, offering a new hope when other treatments haven’t worked. ImmunoACT or ImmunoAdoptive Cell Therapy provided crucial scientific support and CAR-T cell manufacturing for this groundbreaking procedure.