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In contemporary times cancer care has experienced a paradigm shift and is all about comprehensive care, which requires commitment, expertise and a strong spirit. The Oncology team at Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital brings together the brightest minds in surgical & Medical Oncology.
Our medical oncology specialists provide state-of-the-art cancer care to the patients. Our team specializes in treating cancer with chemotherapy by the use of medicine to kill cancer cells, usually by stopping the cancer cell’s ability to grow or other medications, such as targeted therapy and oral - in pill - chemotherapy.
Bone Marrow Transplant - What is It?
A bone marrow transplant (BMT) is a procedure that infuses healthy blood-forming stem cells into your body to treat broken or diseased bone marrow. BMT is also called a stem cell transplant (SCT). Contrary to popular belief, stem cell transplant is not a surgical procedure. It is a medical procedure with no harm to the donor. A stem cell transplant is a procedure needed to treat some types of cancers like leukemias, multiple myeloma, lymphomas, and various haematological disorders like aplastic anaemia, thalassemia etc. In the past, SCT was more commonly referred to as a bone marrow transplant because stem cells were harvested from bone marrow directly. Today, due to the techniques available to mobilise stem cells from bone marrow to blood, stem cells can be harvested from the blood, in preference over bone marrow. For this reason, the procedure now is more often referred to as a “peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT).” Stem cell donation is done like blood donation at a blood bank. SCT may either use cells from your own body (autologous SCT) or from a donor (allogeneic SCT).
Bone marrow contains stem cells; and in healthy individuals, stem cells within the marrow form different components of blood. Namely
People with any of the following conditions may require bone marrow transplant:
The very first allogeneic transplantation was performed by E. Donnall Thomas in 1957, and since 1957, the field has evolved greatly with the development of new technologies along with ever advancing research and breakthroughs. These new developments have have afforded higher success and reduced complications significantly when compared to the past.
Aakash Healthcare ranks among the very best hospitals for BMT/SCT in india. The hospital is wholly committed to affording unmatched care and comfort to all our patients. BMT/SCT at Aakash Healthcare is performed to replace damaged bone marrow with healthier marrow and some of the best bone marrow transplant specialists in Delhi are part of our team here at Aakash Healthcare. We are fully equipped with a state-of-the-art blood bank unit, HEPA-filter installed wards, a specialised chemotherapy preparation unit to cater to the requirements of all SCT patients. Our accompanying team of trained doctors, nurses and other paramedical staff are always ready to provide special care to cater to the specific needs of our BMT/SCT patients here.
Bone marrow transplant can be categorised into three categories:
Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant
The term “auto” means self, and in this procedure, stem cells are extracted from the patient’s own body before they are administered high-dose chemotherapy or given radiation treatment. The purpose of high dose chemotherapy is to completely eradicate cancerous cells with doses of chemotherapy; which can’t be done if stem cells are not available and ready to rescue the bone marrow. It is also called a “rescue” transplant for this very reason. The stem cells are properly preserved in a freezer or can even be cryopreserved at very low temperatures with the help of certain assistant chemicals. After receiving high-dose chemotherapy, the patient’s stems cells are infused back their body to help retain the proper function of blood cell formation via stem cells. Typically it takes around 2-3 weeks for your infused stem cells to reform the blood cells in your body.
Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant
The term "allo" means other. Here, stem cells are removed from another person, called a “donor”. Many times, it is a prerequisite that the donor's genes match (partly/fully) with the patient’s genes. Specially designed tests (HLA testing) are performed to screen and determine if a donor is a good match for a patient. A sibling is most likely to be the ideal match and at times, parents, children, who may not be a full match but could still be good matches where half of their genes match that of the patient (Haploidentical transplant). There are various national/international bone marrow registries where people may be able to find ideal matching donors who are not related to them but are still a good match [Matched unrelated donor transplant, (MUD)].
Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant
This is also a form of allogeneic transplant. In this procedure, stem cells are detached from a newborn baby's umbilical cord right after birth. The stem cells are then frozen and stored in a highly controlled environment, till the time they are required for a transplant. There are various cord bank registrations that store a wide range different stem cells. Umbilical cord blood cells naturally aren’t fully matured and therefore, there is really no need of finding a good match. Because of the smaller range of the stem cells, the blood count takes much longer to return to full strength, about 4-6 weeks.
Bone Marrow Transplant: Frequently asked Questions (FAQs)
'Bone marrow' is the spongy tissue inside your bones that forms blood cells. A Bone marrow transplant however, refers to a procedure which involves replacing blood-forming cells (known as stem cells). At first, the patient receives chemotherapy, radiation, or both to eliminate the cancerous cells and preserve the healthy cells within the bone marrow. Afterwards, the patient receives new stem cells through an IV. The new stem cells begin to generate healthy blood cells over time.
The only real difference between a bone marrow transplant and a stem cell transplant is based on the source from where the stem cells are procured. Stem cells are produced in the bone marrow, but some of those cells also travel into the bloodstream. If the stem cells for the transplant are extracted from bone marrow, the treatment is called a "bone marrow transplant." If the stem cell is taken from the bloodstream, the treatment is called a "peripheral blood stem cell transplant."
There are two two kinds of bone marrow transplants:
This depends on your disease, the severity of it and your overall analysis of your health. Your doctor will be best equipped to help determine the best option for you. Discuss all treatment options with your doctor to find out what is best suited to your requirements, you can even note down your questions and concerns about bone marrow transplant before your appointment and bring them over to discuss with your doctor.
Generally, patients are required to stay in the hospital anywhere from 30–100 days after they have received the transplant. The recovery time varies depends on a few factors:
Before treatment, your doctor will give you an idea of how long the stay may be, but no fixed dates or days can possibly be determined before surgery and the duration of your stay may change once the transplant has been done..
You will be required to undergo certain blood testing and some genetic tests to determine whether you are the right match or not. You can discuss with your family members before these tests and with the concerned doctor on how to go about testing
These following complications of SCT are most commonly reported Autologous SCT:
Apart from the complications seen in Autologous SCT, there are certain complications unique to Allogeneic SCTs:
No treatments found for this speciality.
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