The achievement marks a milestone for Karnataka’s only government-run BMT unit, which has completed 130 such procedures since its inception in April 2022.
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The State-run Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology (KMIO) has successfully completed a challenging stem cell/bone marrow transplantation (BMT) on a nine-year-old boy with relapsed Wilms tumour, a rare kidney cancer, who has only one functioning kidney.
The achievement marks a milestone for Karnataka’s only government-run BMT unit, which has completed 130, including 43 paediatric, such procedures since its inception in April 2022.
The child, Yuvraj (name changed), was first diagnosed with Wilms tumour in December 2022 and underwent chemotherapy, surgical removal of his left kidney and radiation therapy. However, his cancer recurred in April 2025, placing his life in jeopardy. The child’s parents — a domestic worker and a daily-wage labourer — were unable to afford advanced treatment.
Doctors at Kidwai, after evaluating the relapse, advised high-dose chemotherapy followed by a bone marrow transplant as his best chance of survival. The procedure, carried out and completed by a team led by Vasundhara Kailasnath, Associate Professor, BMT, on December 2, 2025, came with significant risks due to altered kidney function, the child’s young age, heavy prior treatment exposure and susceptibility to dangerous infections.
“We had to ensure strong cancer control while keeping his remaining kidney protected,” Dr. Vasundhara said, describing the challenges.
Naveen T., Additional Charge Director, KMIO, noted that the State-run BMT programme is helping children from economically weaker families access specialised care that would be unaffordable in private hospitals.
At the child’s discharge, Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development Sharan Prakash Patil congratulated the clinical team and officially handed over Kidwai’s newly granted HOTA licence (as per the Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues Act, 1994) that will enable BPL patients undergoing BMT. Kidwai joins a small group of hospitals in Karnataka to receive this certification.
Published – December 06, 2025 10:52 pm IST
