Everything you should know about Leukemia Bone Marrow Transplant

1. Everything you should know about Leukemia Bone Marrow Transplant Let us first get our facts clear about the bone marrow and its importance. It is the spongy substance in the middle of our bones that manufacture stem cells, which in turn produce blood cells. The blood cells produced by the bone marrow play a vital role in the human body. The patients that suffer from blood diseases need life-saving Stem cells transplant, which they get from suitable donors from their family or unmatched donors. This process is called Bone marrow transplant. More on Bone Marrow Transplant As mentioned above, a bone marrow transplant, also referred as the stem cell transplant is the medical treatment in which the patient's bone marrow is replaced with healthy cells. The cells can be used from the person's body or a suitable donor. This transplantation cures cancers such as leukemia, myeloma, lymphoma, and other blood and immune system-related diseases. The Two Main Transplants 1.Autologous Transplant For this, the stem cells are used from the patient's body. Before the cancer treatment begins the stem cells are removed from the bone marrow because the extreme chemotherapy done on the patient's body can damage the stem cells including the immune system. Once the chemotherapy is completed, the cells are restored in the patient's body which helps the body to generate blood cells and keep infections away. The other name for this process is Auto Transplant 2.Allogeneic Transplant Doctors take the cells for this transplant come from a donor. After the chemotherapy is done the donated cells are transferred to the patients. The donor needs to match their human leukocyte agents (HLA), close to the patient. The more closely donor's proteins match the lesser are the chances of any kind of side effect. Treatment of Leukemia through Transplant Leukemia is the cancer of blood cells. There are three types of blood cells including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Leukemia is the cancer of white blood cells. Once affected, the WBCs aren't able to fight for the immune system and start dividing quickly, crowding a normal cell. Initially, leukemia can be acute, causing the cells to multiply quickly, or it can be chronic, causing the cells to multiply slowly. There are four main types of Leukemia

2. 1.Acute myelogenous leukemia 2.Acute lymphocytic leukemia 3.Chronic myelogenous leukemia 4.Chronic lymphocytic leukemia Symptoms of leukemia include excessive sweating, fatigue, unintentional weight loss, bone pain, swollen lymph nodes, enlargement of liver, petechiae, frequent infections, and fever and chills. Cancer can also spread to the nervous system causing headaches, nausea, vomiting, loss of muscle control, and seizures. Before a bone marrow transplantation doctors undergo a treatment to kill as many leukemia cells as possible. A high dosage of chemo and radiation therapy is used for the treatment. In some cases, less toxic doses can also be used. The stem cell transplant is done after this process intravenously. The stem cells enter the body and travel to the bone marrow to make new blood cells. This process is called engraftment. After the treatment, the patient may need transfusions of RBCs and platelets. Also, in case of an Allo transplant, the doctor prescribes drugs to reduce the chances of infections. Overall, recovery from a leukemia bone marrow transplant may take several months. Overview The results of the transplant depend on the stage of the disease with survival rates of 53%, 44%, and 20% in five years. Also, the survival rate of patients with acute leukemia after transplant is 55% to 68% with related donors and 26% to 50% with unrelated donors. The patients live freely with no leukemia and no maintenance chemotherapy which adds a new definition to their treatment. Gift of Life Also Offers Following Services : Bone Marrow Transplant Donor Bone Marrow Registry Search Blood Cancer Bone Marrow Transplant Leukemia Marrow Transplant