Board of Directors of Hue Central Hospital congratulated the 10th patient having stem cell transplantation.

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is currently an effective treatment for many malignancies in children. Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation allows high-dose myelosuppressive therapy to be used in the hope of treating certain types of tumors while avoiding severe side effects.

Among 10 cases of pediatric cancer who received stem cell transplantation successfully, there were 9 patients with high-risk neuroblastoma and 1 patient with retinoblastoma. The pediatric patients not only come from provinces in the central region but also from southern provinces such as Lam Dong, Dong Nai, Binh Phuoc, Kien Giang, and Ninh Thuan. The youngest was 2 years old and the oldest was 8 years old.

According to Dr. Nguyen Thi Kim Hoa, MA, Deputy Head of the Department of Oncology - Hematology and Marrow Transplantation Unit (Pediatric Center, Hue Central Hospital), the pediatric patients had their peripheral blood stem cells harvested and were all treated with combination therapy. The recovery time for pediatric patients is usually 12 days. In the first 10 pediatric patients, no patient suffered from serious complications during stem cell transplantation and their survival rate reached over 80%.

Prof. Dr. Pham Nhu Hiep, Director of Hue Central Hospital emphasized: A healthy survival rate of over 80% is the ideal rate for pediatric cancers treated with combination therapy, including: chemotherapy - surgery - radiotherapy - stem cell transplantation. This method is implemented by Hue Central Hospital with good efficiency and is almost complete. In terms of radiation therapy for pediatric cancer patients, Hue Central Hospital is currently the only unit in the country that performs it, which is highly appreciated and receives patients transferred from major hospitals in the country.

The results of 10 successful pediatric stem cell transplants confirm that this is not only a pride for the Pediatric Center, Hue Central Hospital, but also a remarkable mark of the Thua Thien Hue healthcare system. This is also an important milestone for Hue Central Hospital to continue developing, being able to perform higher techniques, such as: allogeneic stem cell transplant, stem cell transplant for non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients and performing stem cell transplant for 2 or more pediatric patients at the same time.

By Dong Van