Ahead of World Blood Cancer Day, observed on May 28 every year, Indian health experts warn that many blood cancer patients in India still struggle to find matching donors in time for life-saving stem cell transplants, often losing crucial treatment time as the disease progresses.
While stem cell transplantation remains the only curative treatment option for several blood cancers, severe donor shortages, delayed diagnosis, and India’s limited donor registry continue to impact timely access to treatment across the country.
Blood cancer in India
Blood cancer remains a major life-threatening health concern in India, with over 1 lakh people diagnosed every year and more than 70,000 lives lost annually. For many patients battling blood cancer, a blood stem cell transplant is often the only hope for survival and long-term recovery. However, while nearly 70 per cent of patients requiring a transplant depend on unrelated donors to survive, only about 0.09 per cent of India’s population is currently registered as blood stem cell donors, making timely donor matches extremely difficult.
Despite these access challenges, advances in transplant care have significantly improved survival outcomes for patients who are able to undergo the procedure. Blood stem cell transplantation helps regenerate a healthy blood and immune system in patients battling life-threatening blood cancers, and improvements in donor matching, transplant procedures, conditioning regimens, and supportive care have further strengthened outcomes across several Indian transplant centres.
Dr Esha Kaul, Director – Haemato Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant, Medanta Super Speciality Hospital, Noida, said, “Blood cancers can progress very rapidly, and for many patients a stem cell transplant offers the best chance of survival. However, one of the biggest challenges we continue to face in India is the delay in finding a suitable matching donor in time. In aggressive blood cancers, delays of even a few months while searching for a donor can significantly impact treatment outcomes and survival chances. Increasing awareness around blood stem cell donation and expanding India’s donor registry is therefore extremely critical to ensure more patients receive timely transplants when they need them the most.”
The challenge becomes even more critical in India because stem cell matching depends heavily on genetic and ethnic compatibility. A small and non-diverse donor registry significantly reduces the chances of patients finding suitable matches quickly, often delaying timely treatment for those battling aggressive blood cancers.
Highlighting the urgent need to strengthen India’s blood stem cell donor registry, Patrick Paul, executive chairman, DKMS Foundation India, said, “India continues to face a critical shortage of registered blood stem cell donors despite the growing number of patients requiring life-saving stem cell transplants every year. For many blood cancer patients, finding a matching donor in time can mean the difference between life and death. While awareness around blood stem cell donation has improved, India’s donor registry still remains far smaller than what is needed for a country of our population. Participation from young individuals, educational institutions, corporates, and communities is critical to help strengthen the donor registry and give more patients a second chance at life.”
While awareness of blood stem cell donation has improved in metropolitan cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune due to stronger healthcare infrastructure and greater corporate engagement, donor registrations from Tier-2, Tier-3, and rural regions remain comparatively low.
Dr. Aruna Rajendran – assistant professor, Department of Hematology, Institute of Child Health and Hospital for Children, Chennai, said, “As a hematologist, I witness the devastating impact of blood cancers on patients and families almost every day, particularly when delayed diagnosis affects timely treatment. Many patients spend weeks or even months visiting general physicians for symptoms they assume are viral infections, simple anaemia, or fatigue before a specialist is consulted. In some cases, fear of a cancer diagnosis also leads patients and families to delay important tests and medical consultations, further impacting timely treatment. By the time they reach specialised centres, the disease may already have progressed significantly, reducing treatment options and survival chances. Timely referrals remain extremely important for improving outcomes among blood cancer patients.”
Doctors also note that with improving awareness and diagnostic capabilities, more young patients are being identified earlier with blood disorders that may eventually require long-term transplant support, further highlighting the urgent need to strengthen India’s blood stem cell donor registry.
“A major barrier to strengthening India’s blood stem cell donor registry continues to be the misconceptions surrounding blood stem cell donation. Many people still believe the process is painful or highly invasive, whereas in most cases donation is similar to blood donation and recovery is usually quick. Fear about potential health effects also prevents many individuals from registering as donors despite the procedure being considered safe for healthy individuals. Young people, especially between 18 and 35 years, can play a critical role in expanding the donor pool and improving the chances of blood cancer patients finding a life-saving match in time,” added Dr. Nitin Agarwal, head of Donor Request Management, DKMS Foundation India.
Donor shortage causing many Indian patients to miss out on stem cell transplant
