Thalassemia treatment in India without repeated blood transfusion
Do you know that lifelong medications and blood transfusion are not the only options for your thalassemia affected child?Â
You are spending sleepless nights thinking about the cure for your thalassemia-affected child. Repeated blood transfusions are not the solution to the problem as the cure is temporary in nature. Medicines do not give lifelong protections and you are fearing that the management of the disease may not be sufficient.  Â
Are you looking for a permanent solution to this never-ending problem?Â
Bone Marrow Transplant can now cure your child’s thalassemia permanently. A bone marrow transplant can regenerate new blood cells and cure the disease completely without fear of complication, rejection, or infection.
Nancy’s parents, Robert and Georgia, were very happy when she was born, as she was the only girl child in the extended family. They wanted their child to attain higher education so that she would become a doctor. They also wanted their daughter to become a sports champion.Â
But, the situation became very difficult for them when their daughter first had a prolonged cold and cough, and her body turned pale. The doctor examined Nancy thoroughly and asked about the symptoms of Nancy from her parents. Then, he ordered a CBC test and hemoglobin electrophoresis.Â
After seeing the results of the test, the doctor told them that thalassemia is an inherited disease and Nancy was suffering from beta major type. Neither of the parents knew that they were thalassemia trait carriers. The doctor prescribed medications for the disease and recommended a blood transfusion for the child once a month. Â
Nancy used to have blood transfusions frequently. She used to feel pain and fatigue. Excess iron accumulation due to blood transfusion was affecting Nancy’s liver.Â
A few months passed. Nancy’s parents were looking for a permanent solution to the problem. Blood transfusion for the whole life was not a feasible option as it was not a permanent cure. Robert’s friend Mr. Nelson told him about the treatment of thalassemia in India. He advised Robert to contact MedicoExperts in India, who are pioneers in thalassemia treatmentÂ
Robert along with his wife Georgia, Nancy, and brother Joseph decided to come to India for treatment.Â
In India, Nancy was admitted to a hospital where she underwent bone marrow transplantation as per the recommendations of a panel of doctors from MedicoExperts. The defective blood cells were initially destroyed using chemo and radiotherapy. Matched bone marrow cells were then infused into Nancy’s body.Â
Nancy recovered after three months, and the whole family went back to Nigeria. The family thanked the doctors and MedicoExperts for their help.
What is thalassemia?
Thalassemia is an inherited disease that happens because of a lack of proper hemoglobin protein in the blood. Hemoglobin carries oxygen throughout the body. Â
The blood cells containing defective hemoglobin cannot fully carry oxygen to the different parts of the body resulting in anemia, fatigue, and bone deformities.  Â
You may want to understand the causes of thalassemia
What are the causes of thalassemia?Â
When you receive abnormal hemoglobin genes from your parents, then thalassemia is caused. If you receive defective genes from one of your parents, you may develop only a minor type of thalassemia.Â
If both parents are responsible for your thalassemia, then you may get a severe form of thalassemia. Thalassemia is not infectious and cannot be transmitted like cold or flu.Â
You may want to know about the types of thalassemia.
What are the types of thalassemia?Â
 There are mainly two types of thalassemia- alpha and beta-thalassemia.Â
Hemoglobin is a protein in our body that is produced according to the instructions received from the genes. Proteins contain amino acids, which are chain-like structures, and hemoglobin consists of chains called alpha and beta chains.Â
Genes consist of a sequence of building blocks called nucleotides. If there is a wrong sequence of nucleotides (also called a mutation), then defective protein formation occurs. Mutations in alpha-chain and beta-chain coding genes lead to structural changes in the hemoglobin protein and make it unfit for carrying oxygen.Â
Alpha thalassemia is caused when four genes responsible for producing the alpha chain in the hemoglobin protein are mutated, and Beta thalassemia is caused when there are defects in two copies of the beta chain-producing hemoglobin protein.
You may like to know the diagnostic test for thalassemia.
What is the Diagnostic Test for thalassemia?
If the doctor suspects that you have thalassemia, he may suggest you for a blood test. The blood test will tell about the shape of the blood cells and the hemoglobin content in the blood.Â
Electrophoresis ( A technique to separate different types of proteins in the blood )Â of hemoglobin is done further to detect the type of thalassemia you have.Â
Genetic testing of the thalassemia of the unborn baby is also possible during the pregnancy of the mother.Â
 Amniocentesis or prenatal testing is done when fluid is collected from the region surrounding the baby in the mother’s womb and checked for chromosomal abnormalities. Â
You may be thinking in your mind about the symptoms of thalassemia.
What are the symptoms of thalassemia?
Symptoms of thalassemia includeÂ
- Yellow or pale skinÂ
- Bones deformity,Â
- Enlarged spleen,Â
- Weakness and fatigue,Â
- Dark urine coloration,Â
- Poor appetite,Â
- Stunned growth in childrenÂ
Thalassemia symptoms generally start showing up after a year of birth.
You may like to get insights on the complications caused by thalassemia.
What are the complications caused by thalassemia?
Thalassemia may develop complications in the body or the complications may be due to repeated blood transfusion.
- Excessive iron overload: Excessive iron can accumulate in the tissues and cause organ damage. The liver, kidney, and heart may get affectedÂ
- Enlarged Spleen: Spleen has to work harder to remove the defective blood cells from the body, and as a result, it may get affected.Â
- Bones deformities: The bones of the face may get distorted and puberty may be delayed. Thalassemia causes expansion of the bone of the skull and the face making them deformed and abnormal. Â
- Heart Problems: Congestive heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms are the complications of thalassemia
You may like to have a deeper look on how the management of thalassemia is done
How is thalassemia managed?
- Blood TransfusionÂ
You will require a blood transfusion at least once in a month to provide you with good blood cells in your body. As you grow up, the frequency of blood transfusion may change.Â
- Chelation TherapyÂ
 The excessive iron from the blood and the tissues is removed using this type of therapy. This therapy prevents damage to organs like the liver, and heart.Â
You may like to know about the permanent treatment for thalassemia.
Best Thalassemia treatment in India
- Bone marrow transplantationÂ
Bone marrow transplant is the curative and the best thalassemia treatment in India
 The stem cells in the bone marrow will give rise to new blood cells which are healthy. There are two types of bone marrow transplants. One is autologous and another is allogenic.
An autologous transplant involves the collection of bone marrow cells from the hip bones of the patient before transplanting them through central venous catheters. ( a tube connecting the collarbone with the central vein of the heart)Â
HLA typing is done before allogeneic transplantation. HLA is a specific protein that is present in the white blood cells of your body and if the HLA matches with the sibling or the patient then allogeneic transplantation is done.Â
Bone marrow transplantation has the ability to completely cure thalassemia. It may take 4-6 months for your body to completely recover from thalassemia. There are few side effects and complications of a bone marrow transplant.Â
Conditioning is a process in which defective blood cells are killed using chemotherapy prior to bone marrow transplantation. This may have side effects like chills, fever, bleeding, fatigue, and skin problems.Â
Complications of bone marrow transplant include graft versus host disease. The newly transferred bone marrow cells may attack your own body cells causing various health problems. Medicines are prescribed by the doctor to suppress this action by the newly grafted cells.
What is the typical approach of doctors to treat thalassemia?Â
According to the severity of thalassemia, beta-thalassemia can be of two types thalassemia major and thalassemia intermedia.Â
Thalassemia intermedia can be treated with less number of blood transfusions and iron chelation therapy whereas the major type of beta thalassemia requires at least 12 times transfusions in a year along with iron chelation therapyÂ
For both types of thalassemia, permanent cure is definitely a bone marrow transplant – either autologous or allogenic.
What is the best country for thalassemia treatment?
The countries where permanent treatment for thalassemia is available are the USA, UK, Singapore, India, and Germany.Â
In developed countries, the cost can be very high whereas, in India, you are able to manage the cost with proper medical facilities.Â
In India, there are highly efficient doctors and trained nurses who can continuously monitor your patient’s disease.Â
How to choose the best hematologist for the treatment for thalassemia?
The best hematologist should be a member of the expert panel of doctors for bone marrow transplantsÂ
He or she should have a high success rate in doing bone marrow transplantsÂ
The doctor must be well qualified to handle the condition of the patient and advise the patient party regarding the success of the bone marrow transplant treatmentÂ
An experienced hematologist is also able to handle the complications of a bone marrow transplant and take appropriate action to mitigate the problemsÂ
MedicoExperts will help you choose the right hematologist from the expert panel of doctors and make the patient’s bone marrow transplant successful.
You may feel interested to check how much does it cost to treat thalassemia?
What is the thalassemia treatment cost in India?Â
The cost of every blood transfusion may come up to 13,000 INR (160 USD approx.), and the cost of a bone marrow transplant may go up to 28 – 38 lakhs (35000 to 45000 USD).
| Sr.No. | Procedures | Evaluation Cost (USD) | Treatment Cost (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant | 1300 – 1800 | 15000 – 24500 |
| 2 | Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplant | 1300 – 1800 | 25000 – 37500 |
| 3 | Haplo Bone Marrow Transplant | 1300 – 1800 | 36000 – 50000 |
| 4 | Unrelated Bone Marrow Transplant | 1300 – 1800 | 65000 – 90000 |
Best hospital for thalassemia treatment in IndiaÂ
There are many reputed hospitals for the treatment of thalassemia in India. A bone marrow transplant can be done at these hospitals under the supervision of the best thalassemia doctors in India.Â
What is the success rate of bone marrow transplants in curing thalassemia?
The success rate of bone marrow transplant in curing thalassemia is 85-90%
Frequently Asked Questions and patient concerns:
1. Can you live a normal life with thalassemia?
With repeated blood transfusion, you may damage your organs due to iron accumulation. But, with a bone marrow transplant, you can live a normal life again.Â
2. Can thalassemia be cured permanently?
 If a bone marrow transplant is done in the early years of your life, then there is a definite chance of a permanent cure.
3. What happens if I have thalassemia?
If you have thalassemia, you will feel fatigued, suffer from anemia, and will have bone deformities. Apart from that you will have occasional chills and fever.Â
4. What is the life expectancy of someone who has thalassemia?
Without proper treatment, the life expectancy of a child gets severely limited.Â
5. Who is most at risk for thalassemia?
Those parents who are both thalassemia carriers are at the highest risk of giving birth to a severe thalassemia baby.Â
5. Who is most at risk for thalassemia?
Those parents who are both thalassemia carriers are at the highest risk of giving birth to a severe thalassemia baby.Â
Best hospitals For Bone Marrow Transplant in India
Get treated at state-of-the-art Multi-speciality hospitals in India which are JCI, NABH accredited and have advanced technologies with best-on-ground staff for a comprehensive care.
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Anthony, 58 yrs. old after undergoing radiotherapy and hormone therapy, shares his experience of getting prostate cancer treatment in India.
Tell us about yourself
My name is Anthony Igwe, and I am 58 years old and I am from Ghana. I was diagnosed with stage 3 prostate cancer in Jan 2010. I had all the symptoms, uncontrollable frequent urination, blood in the urine, and a lot of pain and discomfort. My local doctors said I should get a surgery done to remove it, but I was not sure. I wanted to seek second opinion, someone who could help me better.
How did you know about MedicoExperts?
I stayed positive and began looking for second opinion from my local doctors, but I was still worried about getting good treatment in my own country. A relative suggested I visit the MedicoExperts Connect Centre in Ghana. When I went there with my reports, they reconfirmed what the reports suggested, but said that they could get me in touch with a doctor in India who can help me evaluate my situation better. After speaking to the Surgeon from India, I was informed that it was not necessary I undergo surgery as it could do more damage than good, getting radiotherapy along with hormone therapy was a more logical option. They recommended sessions of radiotherapy. They asked me if I was willing to travel to India for my treatment. I had heard a lot of good things about the facilities in India and their doctors, and I felt I should get my treatment done in India. The team was kind enough to help me make a choice according to my preference.
How was your experience with MedicoExperts and the Indian Surgeon?
MedicoExperts team was really empathetic and caring throughout my treatment in India. They would check up on me and help me if I needed anything in particular. The team of doctors and attendants that I had too were very understanding and proactive. They genuinely cared about my well-being which also helped me stay positive and get better. Thank you team MedicoExperts.
Mr Daniel Banda never knew much about prostate cancer before his diagnosis. Now, after radical prostatectomy in India, he is surviving the odds and also spreading awareness.
Tell us about yourself
Hi, I am Daniel Banda, 49 years old from Nigeria. I decided to get a general check-up done, which included PSA test. When my results came, the PSA levels were surprisingly high and I was asked for further evaluation which included biopsy. After my results, I was told I had localized prostate cancer and could get a surgery done. I always believed that prostate cancer was the disease of an old man before my diagnosis.
How did you know about MedicoExperts?
I found out about MedicoExperts through a Facebook ad about prostate cancer. I dropped an inquiry and they got back to me pretty quickly. I discussed with them about my symptoms and conditions, and after sharing reports, they told me I could undergo radical prostatectomy. However, I had to travel to India for getting this treatment. I was a bit worried about travelling so far for surgery. MedicoExperts team got me to consult with the surgeon directly, which helped me build trust.
How was your experience with MedicoExperts and the Indian Surgeon?
After the initial doubting phase, I was able to make my decision to travel to India. I must say the MedicoExperts team is very thorough. They urged me to ask and clear all my doubts with the uro-onclogist in India before my travel plans. I discussed all the possibilities of side-effects and how long will I take to get back to my normal routine. This helped me prepare for the surgery better and also mentally be prepared for the side-effects. My overall experience was good and I would definitely recommend MedicoExperts for any treatment.
