Apollo Proton Cancer Centre Pioneers Bone Marrow Transplant With Total Ma Marrow and Lymphoid Irradiation Ther apy
The integrated centre will address both curative and quality-of-life dimensions of cancer care
Chennai, May 8, 2025:Apollo Proton Ca ncer Centre (APCC), Chennai, has reaffir rmed its leadership in comprehensive ca ncer care with the launch of a dedicated Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) unit, in augurated on World Thalassaemia Day. This milestone further strengthens APC Cs ability to deliver holistic cancer caref rom cutting-edge radiation therapies su ch as Total Marrow and Lymphoid Irradi ation (TMLI) to advanced hematology a nd transplant servicesoffered collabora tively by multidisciplinary teams in one integrated centre.
The BMT unit was officially inaugurated by Dr. TRB Rajaa, Honble Minister for In dustries, Investment Promotion & Com merce, Government of Tamil Nadu. He w as joined by senior leadership from Apol lo Hospitals, including Mr. Dinesh Madh avan, President, Group Oncology and In ternational, and Mr. Harshad Reddy, Dir ector, Group Oncology and Internationa onal. Other dignitaries present included Dr. Jose Easow, Director Medical Oncol ogy, Hematology & BMT, Dr. Srinivas Chi lukuri, Senior Consultant, Radiation On cology, and Mr. Karan Puri, Chief Execut ive Officer, APCC, along with senior clin icians from the Apollo Proton Cancer Ce ntre.
This launch places APCC among a select group of global centres offering Total M arrow and Lymphoid Irradiation (TMLI)a state-of-the-art conditioning regimen fo r bone marrow transplantation. Unlike t raditional Total Body Irradiation (TBI), w hich affects the entire body including vit al organs, TMLI precisely targets marro ow and lymphoid tissues while sparing h ealthy organs such as the heart, liver, an d kidneys. This targeted approach si gnif icantly reduces treatment-related toxici ty and improves clinical outcomes for pa tients, especially those battling leukemi a and lymphoma.
Chief Guest Dr. TRB Rajaa, Minister for Industries, Investment Promotion & Co mmerce, Government of Tamil Nadu, rea ffirmed the state’s commitment to adva ncing healthcare, stating, “I am happy to inaugurate yet another pioneering miles tone in healthcare at the Apollo Proton Cancer Centre, which is an illustration o f Dr. Prathap C. Reddys visionary leader rship in transforming cancer care in Indi a. Tamil Nadu has always led from the fr ont in healthcare, and institutions like A pollo reflect the strength of our private healthcare sector.
Under the guidance of Honourable Chie f Minister Thiru. MK Stalin, our state is investing in the future of healthcare, be it cancer detection, HPV vaccination, or integrating robotic surgery and AI-drive n diagnostics. These efforts underscore our commitment to accessible, advance d and equitable healthcare.
With treatments like Bone Marrow Tran splant (BMT) and Total Marrow and Lym phoid Irradiation (TMLI) now available i n Tamil Nadu, we are setting new global benchmarks, which will further boost he althcare travel and wellness tourism.
Dr. Jose Easow, Director Medical Oncol ogy, Hematology & Blood and Marrow T ransplantation at APCC, said, “With the integration of BMT services with TMLI a nd precision radiation, APCC is creating an unparalleled, patient-centric ecosyst em for hematologic cancer treatment. T MLI allows us to deliver targeted condit ioning with significantly reduced toxicit y, leading to better outcomes and impro ved quality of life for transplant patient s. This integration reflects our commitm ent to providing world-class, evidence-based care in India.
Mr. Dinesh Madhavan, President, Group Oncology and International, Apollo Hos pitals Enterprise Limited, said, With the integration of Bone Marrow Transplant services and advanced radiation therapi es like TMLI, Apollo Proton Cancer Cent re reaffirms its commitment to delivern g end-to-end comprehensive cancer car e with global standards. Our commitme nt is not just about adding capabilitiesits about ensuring that every patient, regar dless of complexity, has access to pers onalized, cutting-edge treatment under one roof. It also reflects our unwavering vision to make India a destination for w orld-class personalised oncology care.
Dr. Srinivas Chilukuri, Senior Consultant – Radiation Oncology, Apollo Proton Ca ncer Centre, said, By combining advanc ed BMT and TMLI, APCC is redefining ca re standards for complex blood cancers. Our organ-sparing approach enhances n ot only outcomes but also recovery and resilience post-transplant. Its not just a bout technologyits about bringing com passionate, curative care closer to patie nts.
The burden of blood-related disorders i n India is alarming. According to Studie s, India records over 10,000 new cases o f childhood leukemia annually and is ho me to the largest number of children wit h thalassemia majoraround 100,000. Ar ound 3% to 4% of Indian population are carriers of thalassemia, while in Tamil N adu, the incidence is estimated to be 4%.
Despite BMT being the only curative tre atment for several of these conditions, a ccessibility remains a concern. The esta blishment of a high-end BMT program w ithin APCC bridges this critical gap. Wit h the introduction of BMT and advance d TMLI radiation, APCC is now Indias m ost comprehensive and technologi cally integrated cancer centre, addressing bo th curative and quality-of-life dimensio ns of cancer care.
Apollo Hospitals has been at the forefro nt of making Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) accessible across India. In 2023, Apollo Cancer Centre in Chennai was re cognized for treating the highest numbe r of 127 BMT patients out of which 24 thalassemia-affected children benefitte d under the Tamil Nadu CMs Health Sch eme, offering BMT at zero cost to under privileged families. In 2024, its Hyderab ad centre launched the first outpatient BMT service in Andhra Pradesh and Tel angana, enabling day-care transplant su pport for stable blood cancer and thalas semia patients.
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About Apollo Proton Cancer Centre (AP CC), Chennai, India:
Apollo Proton Cancer Centre is the mos t advanced Cancer Centre and the first Proton Therapy Centre in South Asia & the Middle East and India’s first JCI-accr edited Cancer hospital. It is the countrys first hospital to have proton beam thera py in clinical operation. At the bedrock o f APCC’s approach to treating cancer is i ts robust multi-disciplinary platform; hi ghly skilled professionals who come tog ether to form a cancer management tea m (CMT). Each CMT is focused on delive ring the best possible outcomes for its p atients. An added feather on the cap is t he recent launch of India’s first & only si te-specific Robotic Oncology Program. A ll domestic and international patients can contact us through our dedicated p atient Helpline number: 04048964515. We are available 24×7.