Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital in Vizag performs rare double stem cell transplant on three-year-old girl

The Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Visakhapatnam has successfully performed a Tandem Autologous Stem Cell Transplant on a three-year-old girl, in what hospital authorities describe as the first documented case in India of this advanced procedure for a rare and highly aggressive paediatric brain tumour.

The child was diagnosed with Embryonal Tumour with Multi layered Rosettes, or ETMR, one of the most lethal brain cancers affecting very young children. Until recently, long-term survival in such cases was considered extremely rare. Doctors say the latest intervention has significantly improved the child’s prognosis and offers fresh hope for similar patients.

A tandem or double transplant is a high-intensity, two-stage treatment strategy aimed at eliminating resistant cancer cells. The patient first receives high-dose chemotherapy, followed by reinfusion of her own previously harvested stem cells to restore bone marrow function. After a brief recovery period, the entire cycle is repeated. This sequential approach helps achieve deeper remission and has been associated with an improvement in five-year survival rates to nearly 50 to 60%, compared to previously dismal outcomes.

The toddler, a native of Andhra Pradesh, initially underwent surgery and chemotherapy at the Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai. For the final and most critical phase of treatment, she was referred to the Visakhapatnam centre to enable care closer to her family.

The double transplant procedure was carried out between December 2025 and January 2026. After several weeks of close monitoring and supportive care, the child was discharged in stable condition on Saturday, with no major complications reported.

Dr. Umesh Mahantshetty, Director of the Visakhapatnam centre, said the achievement underlines the city’s emergence as a major oncology hub. In 2025 alone, more than 9,000 new cancer patients received treatment at the centre. He added that patients from Andhra Pradesh no longer need to travel to metropolitan cities for highly specialised procedures.

A new 200-bed block dedicated to paediatric and haematological cancers is currently under construction at the hospital. Scheduled to become operational by 2027, the facility will include advanced diagnostic services and specialised bone marrow transplant units, further strengthening comprehensive cancer care in the region.