Nagpur: In a major medical development for central India, CAR T-cell therapy — considered one of the most advanced cancer treatments in the world — was successfully performed at a private hospital in the city, bringing hope to patients battling resistant blood cancers like Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL).The complex immunotherapy was administered to two patients who relapsed despite undergoing multiple rounds of chemotherapy. The treatment involves re-engineering the patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer, and its availability in a Tier-2 city like Nagpur marks a major leap in regional cancer care.Dr Kanchan Dubey, a 37-year-old physician diagnosed with ALL in 2023, was one of the first to receive the treatment. “As a medical professional, I knew the odds were against me. This therapy gave me not just hope but life again, as a doctor and as a mother,” she said.Another patient, 25-year-old Praful Gawande from rural Vidarbha, also exhausted all conventional treatment options. “We stopped planning for the future. This treatment saved my life and restored my family’s belief in miracles,” he said emotionally.Doctors treating the patients emphasised the significance of this advancement. “CAR T-cell therapy is no longer a technology exclusive to metro cities or foreign hospitals. It is now a reality in Nagpur,” said Dr Nishad Dhakate, consultant haematologist. His colleague, Dr Rajat Rajeev Bajaj, added, “This is not just a scientific breakthrough, but a reminder that access to such care must not be limited by geography.“The introduction of CAR T-cell therapy in Nagpur is expected to benefit patients from across Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, who were earlier forced to travel to metro cities for this treatment.Neeta Rajwar, chief operating officer of the hospital, said, “CAR T-cell therapy is one of the most advanced cancer treatments in the world, and our success in performing it in Nagpur ensures that such innovation is no longer restricted to metros or overseas institutions. We’ve made it accessible, effective, and life-changing right here in Nagpur.”
