Rahul Bhargava: Landmark Study Shows Excellent Outcomes in Pediatric AML Transplant
Rahul Bhargava, Director and Head of Hematology, Hematoncology and Stem Cell Transplant at Fortis Health Care, posted on LinkedIn:
”Dr Vikas Dua makes Fortis Healthcare and India proud with its exceptional outcomes of Bone Marrow transplant in Pediatric AML
2nd biggest paper after sickle cell one
Proud Moment for FMRI Pediatric Hematology and BMT Team!
Our landmark study, “Excellent Outcomes of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant for Pediatric High-Risk and Relapsed Acute Myeloid Leukemia,” has been published in the Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (JPHO)!
Study Highlights:
- Median age at transplant: 8.5 years
- Male : Female ratio: 1.9 : 1
- Total patients: 48 (46 de novo AML + 2 secondary AML)
- Donor types: 29 MSD | 3 MRD | 18 Haploidentical HSCT
- Conditioning regimen: Fludarabine-based (all engrafted)
- Cumulative relapse: 16 %
- Median follow-up: 40.9 months
- Event-Free Survival (EFS): 78 %
- Overall Survival (OS): 86 %
- Non-Relapse Mortality (NRM): 6 %
- Matched vs Haplo HSCT: EFS 78.1 % vs 77.8 % (p = 0.78); OS 84.4 % vs 88.9 % (p = 0.83)
These outcomes reaffirm that Haploidentical HSCT can achieve results comparable to matched donor transplants, expanding access to curative therapy for children with high-risk AML.
Heartfelt gratitude to Dr Vikas Dua dedicated physician-scientist making Fortis and India proud, and to the incredible team — Swati Bhayana, Arun Danewa Sohini, Dr Parminder, our nurse practitioners, Aastha Gupta, Dr. Neha Rastogi Panda, Shrinidhi Nathany, Amit Pal Singh Raina, Geetanjali Gupta for their remarkable work and perseverance.
Special congratulations to Sunisha Arora , our Associate Consultant, for leading this effort and getting it in black and white! Yashpal Singh Rawat, Dr Ritu Mittal Garg, Dr. Abhishek Sharma, Anusha S., Rachit Agrawal, Nikhil M Kumar.
You truly deserve a grand celebration!”

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