BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT

TYPES

There are three types of bone marrow transplant based on the source of the stem cells.

• Bone marrow transplantation with the stem cells sourced from the recipients owns the body. The stem cells are removed from the collection before being subjected to radiation therapy or chemotherapy and transplanted back to the body after such procedures are through. This has the lowest risk of the body, rejecting the transplanted cells since it is recognized as one of your own.
• Bone marrow transplantation with cells derived from a matched donor. However, this procedure has to go down lengthy testing of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) to make sure that the recipient and the donor somehow have close to the same genetic makeup to prevent rejection.
• Bone marrow transplantation using the cells from the newborn’s umbilical cord- The umbilical cord is rich in stem cells that have been known through extensive research to cure or reverse the harmful effects of the malignancy in one’s body. The presence of immature cells does not necessitate the precise HLA matching, and there is a lesser chance of rejection.

SYMPTOMS

Autoimmune disorders such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus infection, metabolic syndromes, bone marrow failure, and inherited red cell disorders that fail to respond to repeated treatments may need to undergo bone marrow transplantation.

Malignant conditions such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myelogenous leukemia, and chronic myelogenous leukemia that commonly presents with low-grade fever, recurrent infections refractory to treatment, and have bleeding episodes may respond to stem cell transplantation.

DIAGNOSIS

A physical examination done thoroughly can help the clinician formulate a working impression and arrive at a possible diagnosis ninety-five percent of the time. In cases wherein there are doubts about the appropriate action that necessitates ancillary procedures, the following can be done.

• Bone marrow aspiration biopsy- A large-bore needle is inserted on the lumbar spine. A sample is extracted and sent to the laboratory for examination to check for the predominating cells and decide for the plan of treatment.
• Molecular and genetic testing- usually requested to identify the specific type of hematologic malignancy done thru flow cytometry.
• Radiologic Imaging such as computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging is usually requested to evaluate and rule out other causes of recurrent infections.

TREATMENT

Depending on the type of malignancy, one can have any of the following treatment options before undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

Chemotherapy or radiotherapy- use of medications that prevent the replication of malignant cells, but before undergoing the procedure, a section of the bone marrow is preserved and frozen. By the time the patient is ready for transplant, it can easily be retrieved.