Over 70 different types of blood disorders are treated with blood stem cell transplantations while over 50 000 patients undergo treatment every year globally. Transplants are used to treat people with a variety of life-threatening diseases and all methods yield the same results.
What is a blood disorder?
Blood stem cells divide and change themselves into the specialised cell types that make up what we know as blood. This includes red blood cells (which carry oxygen), platelets (to help blood clot) and white blood cells (for fighting infections). Being diagnosed with a blood disorder means that there is a problem with a particular stage in this process that makes some of the cells in your blood unable to properly perform the job they are designed to do.
Why does a blood disorder happen?
There are lots of different blood disorders and they are treated in different ways, depending on their type and severity. Some blood disorders are caused by a genetic fault inherited at birth while others can occur without any obvious reason. A few of them can develop into blood cancers over time. Only some people with blood disorders will need a blood stem cell transplant determined by the diagnosis and stage of the disorder.
Over 70 different types of blood disorders are treated with blood stem cell transplantations while over 50 000 patients undergo treatment every year globally. Transplants are used to treat people with a variety of life-threatening diseases and all methods yield the same results.
A transplant is when a patient receives blood stem cells that will develop into a new immune system with the only difference being how the blood and cells are collected from the donor. In more than 90% of donation cases, blood stem cells are collected through the donor’s bloodstream, this process is called peripheral blood stem cell collection (PBSC). The donor’s blood travels through a small tube into a machine that collects the blood stem cells and immediately returns the rest of the blood to the body.
The other method is collecting stem cells from the donor's bone marrow which happens in only 2% of transplant cases. A needle is used to collect bone marrow from the donor’s pelvis while they are under general anaesthetic.
There are a few factors that determine the method of extraction your doctor will make to collect blood stem cells, these are (a) the patient’s condition (b) the patient’s general health (c) age.
BEFORE TRANSPLANT?
Before the transplant process begins after the doctor approves the patient’s eligibility followed by an extensive discussion on the risks and benefits of the operation. The doctor thereafter will also conduct various tests to ensure you are in a good state to go ahead with the procedure.
TRANSPLANT PROCESS
The first part of the treatment process involves getting rid of the abnormal cells that are the cause of the illness through chemotherapy and sometimes radiotherapy. This process is referred to as conditioning therapy. What follows is the patient’s new blood stem cells are infused into their blood, similar to a regular blood transfusion. Once the new blood stem cells are in the blood, they travel to the bone marrow and produce new blood cells which then create new blood and immune system replacing dead and diseased cells.
AFTER TRANSPLANT
According to the American Cancer Society, there are many risks that can be expected after the stem cell procedure. Therefore, maintain communication with your doctors to update them on any problems you have or changes you may notice. Ask for their after-hours contact numbers to make sure you will be able to do this.
Until the new stem cells start producing white blood cells (engraftment), you can easily get serious infections, especially bacterial infections, while viral infections controlled by your immune system can become active again. This is because right after the transplant you don't have many white blood cells that are working well, and they are the primary immune cells that fight off infections.
Because of this increased risk, common after people go through surgery, you will be monitored closely for any signs of infection, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or diarrhea.
Remember that good nutrition is important for people diagnosed with blood cancer and cancer disorders.