KATHMANDU: For the first time in Nepal, a person suffering from Aplastic Anemia has received bone marrow transplant successfully by the use of radiotherapy.

The patient received bone marrow transplant in late December by irradiating the whole body, known as total body irradiation, which is considered technically challenging in Nepal, said Dr. Abish Adhikari, Radiation Oncologist at Kathmandu Cancer Centre.

In life threatening diseases like Lymphoma (Cancer of lyAplastic anemiamph nodes), Leukemia (Blood Cancer), Myeloma (Cancer of Bone marrow) and Aplastic Anemia (non functional bone marrow) - the bone marrow is transplanted as a life saving measure.

Usually, the bone marrow has to be cleared with the use of high-dose cyto-toxic drugs for the transplants. However, this is the first time that the same has been achieved by using the total body irradiation technique in Kathmandu Cancer Centre based in Bhaktapur.

Total Body Irradiation (TBI) is done only in limited centers in India and abroad.