A stem cell transplant is a curative treatment for blood cancers and blood disorders. The procedure involves replacing a patient’s stem cells with those of a tissue type-matched donor, which then go on to produce healthy blood cells in the recipient.
Patients from minority ethnic backgrounds are more likely to have a unique tissue type and less likely to find a donor on UK registers compared to those from white, northern European backgrounds. In addition, just 16 per cent of potential donors across the aligned UK registry are from a minority ethnic background.
While UK stem cell registers are working to recruit more people from minority ethnic backgrounds, analysis from Anthony Nolan shows recruiting from the UK population alone is not enough to fully address this disparity.
In an innovative three-year pilot project, Anthony Nolan has partnered with DATRI, India’s largest stem cell register, with the aim of supporting it to recruit an additional 10,000 Indian donors. These individuals could go on to donate to patients in India or anywhere in the world, including the UK - where South Asian patients make up the largest minority ethnic group.
The project will use cutting-edge data technologies developed by Anthony Nolan researchers to predict which areas in India most closely mirror the UK South Asian population, allowing recruitment to be targeted to areas which could go on to help the most British Asian patients.
Initial results suggest regions including Rajasthan, Delhi, Punjab and Haryana have the highest concentration of potential donors with tissue types similar to those needed by UK patients.
So far over 3,000 Indian donors have been recruited through the project, with 67 per cent of those having tissue types that have never been recorded by the DATRI register.
Four individuals so far have donated to Indian patients. Several others have been identified as 10/10 matches for international patients.
Dr James Robinson, head of bioinformatics at Anthony Nolan and leader of the study, said: “If you’re from a minority ethnic background, you’re more likely to have a rare or even completely unique tissue type which can make it harder to find a fully matched unrelated stem cell donor.
"That is why we are thrilled to partner with DATRI on this important initiative. The British Asian population is the largest minority ethnic group in the UK, and our collaboration seeks to address the global shortage of suitable stem cell donors for patients with South Asian heritage.
“Our initial results indicate that international cooperation between registries and Anthony Nolan’s data-driven recruitment strategies can effectively increase the diversity of stem cell registries, with the potential to save countless lives across the globe and reduce long-standing health inequalities.”
Yasmin Sheikh, head of policy and publics affairs at Anthony Nolan, said: “Finding matching donors is a critical challenge in stem cell transplantation, particularly for patients from a minority ethnic background.
“Equity is a major pillar of our work, and our teams work tirelessly to support patients who can’t find suitable matches on the stem cell register. This innovative collaboration with DATRI will broaden the global pool of adult stem cell donors, with the aim of reducing health inequalities for British Asian patients.
“We know recruitment isn’t the only solution to making transplants equitable. That’s why our researchers are investigating alternatives to full-matching and working to better understand the causes behind patient inequalities.”
Claudia Rutt, CFO at DATRI Blood Stem Cell Donors Registry, said: “DATRI, India’s largest Blood Stem Cell Donors Registry, is proud to partner with Anthony Nolan to provide patients worldwide with a second chance at life.
“This collaboration exemplifies how registries can transcend borders, demonstrating that patient support and care are not limited by political boundaries. With early results showing that four patients of Indian origin have already received the second chance at life from donors recruited through this initiative, the potential impact of such projects is clear. DATRI eagerly anticipates many more collaborative efforts in the future.”
Raj Parmar, 31, from Leicester, had a stem cell transplant in September 2020 after he was diagnosed with blood cancer. A search for a matching donor was conducted across international registries and eventually a 10/10 match was found for Raj in Germany.
Raj said: “Because of my Indian heritage my medical team told me I had less chance of finding a good match. Luckily a suitable donor was found for me and four years post-transplant I’m doing really well, but the reality for others with a similar background to me can be very different.
“It’s fantastic to hear about Anthony Nolan and DATRI’s collaboration – my hope is that everyone, regardless of ethnicity, has the same chance of finding a suitable donor. Research projects like this could make all the difference for patients now and in the future.”
For more information on the project, upcoming findings or to join the stem cell register, please visit: www.anthonynolan.org
