Latest news with #GMCHNagpur
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Rise in blood cancer cases among children in central India a cause for concern: Docs
Nagpur: Doctors of the city have raised concerns about the rising number of children being diagnosed with a type of blood cancer in central India. The alert comes on World Blood Cancer Day which is observed on May 28. According to data from Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur, more and more children are being treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL), the most common type of blood cancer found in kids. ALL is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow. It affects white blood cells which normally help fight infections. In ALL, these cells grow uncontrollably and crowd out healthy blood cells. Over the past four years, GMCH Nagpur has witnessed a significant increase in the number of patients with blood cancer. In 2021–22, 22 children were diagnosed with ALL, and by 2024–25, that number jumped to 35. Doctors say that in 2022–23 alone, the number of new patients went up by 82%, which is a big leap in just one year. This trend shows that more children are falling sick with this type of cancer and also that more are getting diagnosed and treated in time. "This is a serious issue. The number of children with ALL is rising rapidly in Nagpur," said Dr Riya Ballikar, a blood cancer specialist. "We're not exactly sure why, but the possible reasons include pollution, pesticides, infections at a young age, and maybe even family history. But what worries us the most is the diagnosis which is often late," she said, adding, the number at GMCH Nagpur is just a part of the total cases in Vidarbha. She claimed that the real figure in the community is way more. Dr Ketan Modak, a blood cancer expert from AIIMS Nagpur, stated that Nagpur now offers numerous modern treatments that help treat blood cancer more effectively. Monoclonal antibodies are specially designed laboratory-made proteins that target cancer cells and help the immune system destroy them. Targeted therapy means drugs that attack only the cancer cells without harming the healthy ones. However, Dr Modak warned that many children still don't have access to such care as many advancements are yet to reach Nagpur. The expert stressed the need for more awareness campaigns, better screening at local health centres, and affordable treatment options. Snapshot of Blood Cancer Cases in GMCH Nagpur Year — Cases — ALL Kids — Under Treatment '21–22 — 54 — 22 — 6 '22–23 — 84 — 30 — 18 '23–24 — 72 — 32 — 9 '24–25 — 75 — 35 — 20
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Nagpur Docs Save Tribal Schoolboy with Ultra-Rare Brain Condition
Nagpur: A 15-year-old tribal schoolboy from a residential school (ashram shala) in Gadchiroli has made a full recovery after undergoing a highly complex brain procedure at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Nagpur, for a rare and life-threatening condition that affects barely 1 in 1 lakh people. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The boy was brought to GMCH's emergency department late at night in a semi-conscious, stuporous state by his teacher, after he complained of a severe headache and vomiting. A quick CT scan revealed a large haemorrhage—bleeding deep inside his brain. Suspecting an underlying vascular anomaly, doctors immediately referred him to the department. An advanced brain vessel scan (DSA angiography) revealed a (pAVF)—a rare defect where an artery connects directly to a vein in the brain, bypassing the normal capillary network. This creates a dangerously high-pressure system that can rupture, leading to a potentially fatal brain bleed. "This is an extremely rare condition. It's seen in less than 1% of brain vascular malformations. What made this case even more urgent was the presence of multiple venous aneurysms, which could rupture again at any time, causing permanent disability or death," said Dr Jawahar Rathod, head of interventional radiology at GMCH, who led the procedure. A swift decision was taken to perform a life-saving embolisation procedure. In this delicate, minimally invasive surgery, doctors navigated a microcatheter through the brain's blood vessels and injected a special medical glue to block the abnormal artery-vein connection and the balloon-like weak spots (aneurysms). "The entire team worked against time. We super-selectively blocked the abnormal blood flow using glue and excluded the fistula from the brain's circulation. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This stopped the bleeding and saved the boy's life," explained Dr Vinod Khandait, an interventional cardiologist, who coordinated the multi-departmental response. The entire treatment, including diagnostics, surgery, ICU care, and post-operative recovery, was provided completely free of cost under the (MJPJAY). "This case shows the true potential of a public healthcare system when departments work together seamlessly. Not only was this a very rare diagnosis, but it was managed in a timely manner and at no cost to the family. The boy has now fully recovered and is walking home," said Dr Raj Gajbhiye, dean, GMCH Nagpur.
