The first patient, a 46-year-old man, came to the hospital with a dry, persistent cough, intermittent fever, and weight loss. A chest scan showed left lower lobe pneumonia, which led doctors to assume tuberculosis over cancer. Bronchoscopy with BAL (bronchoalveolar lavage) found the presence of Aspergillus flavus, a lesser-known fungus species. The patient has now recovered completely.

The second instance involved a 56-year-old female who presented with a right upper lobe mass lesion and a thick-walled cavity, both of which were highly suspected of being malignant. In this case, a BAL fungal culture revealed Aspergillus niger. She was successfully treated, and the lesions in her lung gradually disappeared.

Speaking about the case, Dr. Nagesh Dhadge, HOD & Consultant – Respiratory Medicine, Manipal Hospital, Baner, said, “Pulmonary aspergillosis is no longer confined to the immunocompromised. Climate change, air pollution, and excessive moisture during the monsoon season all contribute to non-immunocompromised conditions linked with fungal infections, independent of immune competence. In both cases mentioned, bronchoscopy and antifungal medication led to timely intervention, preventing major consequences. We were able to make a diagnosis after eliminating tuberculosis and malignancy. Bronchoscopy and BAL cultures were important in isolating the fungus species and implementing appropriate care.”

Anand Mote, Cluster Director, Manipal Hospital, Baner, Pune, said, “At Manipal Hospitals, we are committed to treating patients quickly and competently, especially in uncommon and difficult situations. Although rare, these situations serve as strong reflections of the importance of rapid diagnosis and the use of multidisciplinary teams to manage complex infections.”

It is important to urge the public to be alert to persistent respiratory symptoms, particularly during the monsoon season, and to make prompt diagnosis and treatment decisions. Some respiratory symptoms, such as coughing without explanation, fever, and weight loss, should not be taken seriously, especially if a person resides in an environment where fungi can grow rapidly.

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Abhinav Bindra said that I had a very long career in sports of over two decades. During that tenure, I had more than 10 physiotherapists. Physiotherapists are not just a part of the recovery, but they really are the recovery. My relationship with them has been based on trust. Athletes’ lives are long and hard as we push ourselves to the limit every day. Citing the point in time where he had a tough relationship with his coach, he said that my physiotherapists were not only physiotherapists but mental therapists as well. They were the ones who helped mend the relationship with my coach by telling me the coach’s perspective during my treatment. So, this relationship takes care of our overall well-being. It is the same relationship that goes to patients and helps them overcome fears.  We are living in times where physical inactivity is at an all-time high, and so many people have postural challenges and therefore, this department will help in not only treating but also in prevention.

Dr. Parag Sancheti, Chairman of Sancheti Hospitals, said that Abhinav Bindra has inspired many youths through his career, tireless work, and the Abhinav Bindra Foundation. The state-of-the-art physiotherapy centre inaugurated today at the hands of Abhinav Bindra will go a long way in helping not only patients but also sportsmen to assess their abilities and get to their peak performances. This centre will start a new journey for patients and athletes.

Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, Bajaj Auto, said that I look at this centre with three metrics, viz individualisation, holistic experience, and vitality. This is an outstanding centre.

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Pratibha Prabhakar Pulmonary Rehabilitation Centre recently arranged an event in Goregaon to highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle and pure air for patients of pulmonary diseases. Masala King Dhananjay Datar, a philanthropist and an ardent supporter of social welfare projects, attended the program and donated oxygen kits to 6 such patients who regularly need oxygen but can’t afford the expenses. Each kit included an oxygen concentrator of 5 to 10 kg capacity to supply oxygen at home, a portable oxygen machine to supply oxygen for a few hours in travel or outside the home, and a Pulse Oximeter to check the oxygen saturation level in blood. Dhananjay Datar had given 8 such kits last year also.

Dhananjay Datar said, “My mother, in her last days, suffered from a pulmonary ailment and couldn’t draw breath properly. I couldn’t bear her pain and struggle. Even today, I feel restless when I see such patients who are in dire need of oxygen, but can’t afford an oxygen supply instrument. During the COVID pandemic, many patients died without timely oxygen provision, and some could not even reach the hospital in time due to the unavailability of an ambulance. We, therefore, financially supported a unique drive called ‘Rickshaw Ambulance’ where an auto-rickshaw can be equipped with an oxygen cylinder and can be utilised as an ambulance. Last year’s donation was a small token of our help, and this year, we continued it. We will endeavour to help many more such patients in the future.”

The program was coordinated by Dr. Poorvi Devani, who has extensive experience in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients of pulmonary diseases. She said that patients of pulmonary diseases could live a normal and healthy life with positive thinking, correct treatment, discipline, and regular exercise, along with counselling and rehabilitation.

Dr. Prahlad Prabhudesai and his wife, Mrs. Vaishali Prabhudesai, the founders of Pratibha Prabhakar Pulmonary Rehabilitation Centre, acquainted the audience with the activities and social work of the centre. Dr. Prabhudesai said, “It is important to live a healthy life and for that everyone should understand the necessity of maintaining health, adopting the right lifestyle and realising the value of a breath.”

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Every 27 seconds, someone in the world is diagnosed with a blood cancer or a blood disorder, and for many people affected a stem cell transplantation is the only hope for a cure. For both initial and repeat transplants, finding a match and getting the stem cells to the patient as quickly as possible is very important as this has a major impact on survival. But even when a match is found, it can take up to 12 weeks before transplantation takes place, making the procedure a race against time. It remains a race against time.

Therefore, it is important to develop additional approaches to stem cell transplantation to speed up the process. This urgent need was the initial motivation to expand the activities for processing and storing cryopreserved stem cells for the DKMS Stem Cell Bank. Experience Studies show that the average stem cell donor produces more stem cells than are needed for a transplant. If the donor meets certain criteria and gives consent, the excess cells collected during apheresis are preserved at very low temperatures. The scientific term for preserving these types of cells is cryopreservation (from the Greek “kryos”, cold). In this state, the cells can be stored in special cryotanks, until they are requested for another person with blood cancer. Once a request is received, it usually takes up to three business days to transport the material – an advantage that saves valuable time in the race against blood cancer.

“This approach is straightforward and one hundred percent ethical for our voluntary donors. We only approach those who donate to a specific person anyway. This way, our donors can save two lives with one donation,” said Dr. Alexander Platz, Medical Director of the DKMS Stem Cell Bank.

First transplantation of stem cells from the cryotank

The first transplantation of such cryopreserved stem cells from the DKMS Stem Cell Bank showed that this is not just theory. The patient received this transplant as a second graft. The stem cells used were cryopreserved and stored at the time of the first transplant. The fact that the cells were already available in the DKMS Stem Cell Bank had many advantages: the confirmatory typing and the preliminary examination had already been carried out, and the donation arrived at the transplantation center within a few days. This allowed the patient to receive the stem cells he needed as soon as possible. At the same time, the donor did not have to make any additional effort, since a second donation was not necessary. A second donation is not a single case. Generally, about one in 30 donors donates stem cells for a second time, mostly for the same patient. Since the stem cells have been stored in the DKMS Stem Cell Bank, this will not always be necessary in the future – two stem cell grafts were obtained from one collection, and both have now been used.

The first transplantation of cryopreserved stem cells from the DKMS Stem Cell Bank proves that this approach is more than just a theory. The patient received the transplant as a second graft, using stem cells that had been cryopreserved and stored at the time of the initial transplant. Having these stem cells readily available in the DKMS Stem Cell Bank offered several advantages: confirmatory typing and preliminary examinations had already been completed, and the donation reached the transplantation center within a few days. This enabled the patient to receive the necessary stem cells as quickly as possible without requiring the donor to undergo another procedure, as a second donation was unnecessary.

Second donations are not uncommon; approximately one in 30 donors donates stem cells a second time, usually for the same patient. However, with stem cells now stored in the DKMS Stem Cell Bank, such additional donations may no longer be required in many cases. From a single collection, two stem cell grafts were obtained and have both been successfully used.

“The whole team in Dresden was very happy about this first stem cell transplantation from the DKMS Stem Cell Bank. The delivery process from the cryotank to the patient and the transplantation went smoothly, but now we have to keep our fingers crossed. We truly hope that the treatment will now have the desired effect,” said Dr. Alexander Platz.

The DKMS Life Science Lab, the Clinical Trials Unit, the DKMS Collection Center, and the Collaborative Biobankare further facilities that contribute to research and development in the field of stem cell donation in the science hub of Dresden, Germany.

In this case, the DKMS does not disclose any further information in order to maintain anonymity. Patients should be given the opportunity to fully concentrate on themselves and their recovery during this physically and mentally difficult time. Only after a two-year period and with the consent of both parties can anonymity be rescinded.

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