The Basics of Allogeneic Transplantation: What Fellows Need to Know

Introduction

Bone marrow transplant is an advanced medical procedure performed successfully by the Best BMT units in India. During the treatment, Doctors will replace the infected bone marrow with healthy and properly functioning healthy stem cells. The cells used for replacement could be from a donor or the patient’s body.

Bone marrow transplant treatment is usually recommended by doctors for treating damaged bone marrow in patients struggling with the immune system and blood-related diseases or with certain cancer types such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma.

What are stem cells?

Stem cells are distinctive cells that can develop into diverse ranges of healthy cells needed by your body. Certain cancer types and the treatments provided can easily damage these stem cells.

What is bone marrow?

Bone marrow is the spongy soft tissue found in the center parts of bones and many blood vessels. There are yellow bone marrow and red bone marrow. Red bone marrow contains stem cells that can easily develop into platelets, white blood cells or red blood cells. Yellow bone marrow is mostly made of fat.

What is a bone marrow transplant?

When the stem cells are infected or damaged they may not develop into platelets or white blood cells or red blood cells, which are vital for the proper functioning of your body. Such conditions are treated by Bone marrow transplant in India where the doctors will implant healthy stem cells into the blood or the patient's bone marrow.

Types of a bone marrow transplant

There are three categories of bone marrow transplants that are autologous transplants, haplo transplant and allogeneic transplants respectively.

1. Autologous bone marrow transplant: An autologous transplant is performed to remove and store healthy stem cells from the patient’s body before starting dangerous cancer treatments such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Later these stem cells will be transplanted back into their bone marrow or blood to restore immunity and health to the patient.
2. Haplo Treatment: A haploidentical transplant or haplo treatment uses the healthy cells that produce blood from a donor whose cells partially matched, in order to replace and fix the unhealthy cells. Usually the donor might be a family member. 
3. Allogeneic bone marrow transplant: In this type of bone marrow transplant stem cells are taken from a donor. If you are a caregiver or a patient, then read further for detailed information about the transplantation procedures done by Bone Marrow Transplant specialists in India and your journey during the treatment process.

Types of Allogeneic Transplants

1. Unmodified Stem Cell Transplant
2. T-Cell-Depleted Transplants
3. Cord Blood Transplants
4. Donor Lymphocyte Infusions (DLI)

1. Unmodified Stem Cell Transplant

This is the most common type of bone marrow transplant, where the stem cells taken from the donor are completely transplanted without any changes. In such cases, the transplanted stem cells also contain T immune-boosting cells. This is a better option for patients with relapse risk and those who can take proper medications for graft-versus-host disease

2. T-Cell-Depleted bone marrow transplant

Since the T cells can cause a disease called graft-versus-host, it is removed from the donor’s stem cells and then transplanted into the patient’s bloodstream or bone marrow. This process is known as T-Cell-Depleted Transplants.

3. Cord Blood Transplants

In the cord blood, the transplantation process stem cells for transplant are taken from the placenta and umbilical cord of a newborn healthy child. In this type of transplant, the chances of patients being affected after transplant treatment by graft-versus-host disease are very low. Cord Blood Transplants could be considered the best option for patients who are finding it difficult to find a matching donor.

4. Donor Lymphocyte Infusions (DLI)

Doctors mostly recommend Donor Lymphocyte Infusions after stem cell transplants for patients with rare cancer types. During this process, doctors will gradually infuse more donor T cells, which can help in treating cancer with less risk of graft-versus-host disease occurrence.

How to get a donor?

If your doctors have recommended an allogeneic transplant then you must find a donor with matching types of tissues. Vanya Health Medical Value Travel India is the ultimate destination for those searching for quality medical care and donors at affordable rates. The immune system in your body can easily spot the differences from any other foreign stem cells because of different tissue types. If it is not a perfect match, then your immune system will be affected causing damages and complications that are difficult to be treated.

The most preferred and ideal bone marrow transplant donor is the patient’s sister or brother because they might have the same leukocyte antigen genes. If their HLA does not match, then other members of the patient’s family or other outside the family donor or from the stored umbilical cord blood can be checked to find if any of them possess partial human leukocyte antigens match.
 

Complications that might arise after the allogeneic transplant

• Loss of appetite.
• Vomiting
• Nausea.
• Diarrhea that might be bloody sometimes
• Stomach aches.
• Skin and eyes turn yellow 
• Loss of weight

What to expect?

After the transplant patients should be under medical care by performing diverse tests to monitor their health condition. Vanya health Medical value travel is well equipped and experienced to guide and support you in finding highly qualified doctors for performing the bone marrow transplant surgery for your loved ones.

The recovery period might differ in patients and you must stay closer to medical care for treating and managing complications. Patients need to periodically visit the doctor or communicate with them virtually through the medical value company to monitor any issues and eradicate them. Health is a state of having complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit. Good luck