Nagendran Nagarajan, Trustee, Friends of Max, invited to moderate a panel discussion on CML and BMT at current times, being conducted at a webinar hosted by Indian Society for Blood & Marrow Transplantation (ISBMT) on 12-Apr 2025

A vital and insightful webinar on the Role of Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) in the Management of Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia (CML), hosted by Indian Society for Blood & Marrow Transplantation (ISBMT).

Over 80 participants participated in an informative and very pertinent online session conducted on 12 April 2025.

Dr. Ganapathy Ramanan (Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist, Apollo Hospital, Chennai), presented a detailed and elegant introductory talk on the relevance of Bone Marrow Transplantation in the era of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors or (TKI).

Dr Ramanan reiterated the following important considerations: 

• BMT continues to be considered only if the patient presents in Accelerated Phase of CML or in Blast Crisis, displays resistance mutation or is intolerant to TKI
• To undergo a BMT, the patient has to be physically and emotionally fit and have the financial capacity to bear related costs
• The entire journey of the BMT procedure, from consideration to completion and beyond needs to be carefully understood and nurtured consistently and for over the required period by the family
• Important components of a good team includes a knowledgeable care giver, readily available and accessible set of donors and the ability to manage sudden spikes in finances
• Appropriate Insurance can be availed of by carefully choosing the relevant company. After a three year survival period with the pre-existing condition, there is a possibility that CML and BMT are covered
• The importance of conditioning the donor

Then followed the equally important second half of the webinar – a Panel Discussion, moderated by Nagendran Nagarajan, Trustee, Friends of Max , which brought together medical experts of the caliber of Dr. Prabhas Mishra (Hematologist/ Hemato-oncologist), Dr. Jasmeet Kaur (Pathologist), Dr. Rhea Daruvala (Physco oncologist), and Dr. Lakshman (Sr Oncologist), fielding a wide range of practical questions from the participants. These included queries about the ideal age for a successful procedure and issues regarding donor readiness. Information regarding Donor Registries were sought and given.

Other queries were on chimerism testing which is performed to evaluate the success of a transplant and also to diagnose relapse and also on the physiological impact of a procedure of the magnitude of a BMT.

Friends of Max with its huge membership of CML patients and their caregivers; living on treatment that will go on indefinitely is happy to partner with entities like ISBTM. We can bring to the table invaluable resources like lived experiences of patients and the case studies their treating physicians can share too. Meetings like these by ISBMT are vital in knowledge building, reducing anxiety and strengthen patient – physician bonds.