Types of Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants. Autologous. Autologous transplant uses your own stem cells

Types of Bone Marrow Transplants

• Germ Cell (Testicular) Cancer
• Lymphomas
• Multiple myeloma, and related diseases. Occasionally, this type of transplant is used for treatment of leukemia.
• Leukemias and bone marrow or immune system failure diseases.
• Reduced intensity or "mini"-transplant refers to a type of allogeneic transplant in which the pre-transplant

chemotherapy and/or radiation (called conditioning, see below) is less than maximally intensive. This type of transplant depends heavily on the anti-tumor effect of the donor cells for its therapeutic effect, so it generally requires that the disease either be in remission or very slow growing at the time of transplant. The immediate side effects of a reduced intensity transplant are less than those associated with a standard transplant, making it possible to offer transplant to a wider variety of people, including those who might otherwise not be transplant candidates because of age or other illnesses.

What the Donor Experiences
If stem cells are collected by bone marrow harvest (much less likely), the donor will go to the operating room and while asleep under anesthesia, a needle will be inserted into either the hip or the breastbone to take out some bone marrow. After awakening, he/she may feel some pain where the needle was inserted.

Autologous (self-transplant): This is the simplest form of transplant, and involves collection of the patient's own cells, which are counted, analyzed, and then frozen for later use. This type of transplant is most commonly performed for

• Hodgkin Disease

Bloodless Transfusions: For patients requiring a bloodless stem cell transplantation, our transplant center specializes in doing what is known as Bloodless Autologous transplants where patients do not receive any allogenic blood or blood products after the stem cell reinfusion. The period of cytopenias is managed with growth factors & other drugs to prevent bleeding.

Syngeneic (identical twin transplant): An identical twin is an ideal donor because of the genetic identity between the donor and recipient. It is like using one's own cells, except that the cells are not damaged from prior exposure to chemotherapy, and the risk to tumor cell contamination is eliminated.

Allogeneic (donor transplant): For this form of transplant, the stem cells are collected from a relative (usually a sibling), or other donor (volunteer unrelated donor or umbilical cord blood), whose tissue type matches closely with that of the patient. The chances of a brother or sister being a suitable match are about 1 in 4. The chances of any other family member being a match are much less, so we usually do not recommend extended family typing. Allogeneic transplants are most commonly done for

In most cases, a donation is made using circulating stem cells (PBSC) collected by apheresis. First, the donor receives injections for a few days of a medication that causes stem cells to move out of the bone marrow and into the blood. For the stem cell collection, the donor is connected to a machine by a needle inserted in the vein (like for blood donation). Blood is taken from the vein, filtered by the machine to collect the stem cells, then returned back to the donor through a needle in the other arm. There is almost no need for a recovery time with this procedure.

A bone marrow transplant is a difficult procedure to go through. Usually the person receives high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation to eliminate whatever bone marrow he/she has left to make room for the new marrow transplant. Once this is done, the new stem cells are put into the person intravenously, similar to a blood transfusion. The stem cells then find their way to the bone and start to grow and produce more cells (called engraftment).

Leukemia symptoms vary, depending on the type of leukemia. Common leukemia signs and symptoms include

Leukemia is cancer that starts in the tissue that forms blood. To understand cancer, it helps to know how normal blood cells form. Most blood cells develop from cells in the bone marrow called stem cells. Bone marrow is the soft material in the center of most bones. Stem cells mature into different kinds of blood cells. Each kind has a special job

Leukemia symptoms vary, depending on the type of leukemia. Common leukemia signs and symptoms include:

• Fever or chills
• Persistent fatigue, weakness
• Frequent or severe infections
• Losing weight without trying
• Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen
• Easy bleeding or bruising
• Recurrent nosebleeds
• Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
• Excessive sweating, especially at night
• Bone pain or tenderness

Bone marrow

Bone marrow is a spongy material that is found inside the bones, and it produces all of the blood cells. It also produces vital cells called stem cells that can create other specialised cells that carry out essential functions. These specialised cells are of three types:

* Red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body

* White blood cells which help fight infection

* Platelets which help stop bleeding

Acute leukaemia prevents the affected bone marrow from producing stem cells that mature into adult blood cells. Instead it releases numerous immature blood cells called blast cells. The immature white blood cells begin to rapidly disrupt the normal balance of cells in the blood, limiting the presence of red blood cells or platelet cells in the body. This can lead to tiredness and other

symptoms of anaemia, and also increase risk of excessive bleeding. The patient also becomes more vulnerable to infection as the white blood cells are not properly formed and thus ineffective in

fighting bacteria and viruses.

Types of acute leukaemia

There are two main types of white blood cells classified according to the type of white blood cells that are affected by cancer:

Lymphocytes which are mostly used to fight viral infections

Myeloid cells which fight bacterial infections defend the body against parasites and prevent the spread of tissue damage

The two main types of acute leukaemia are:

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which is cancer of the lymphocytes

Acute myeloid leukaemia, which is cancer of the myeloid cells

Acute myeloid leukaemia

It is more common in older people, especially when over 50 years of age, and more common in males than females, though it is not clear why. The causes of acute leukaemia are uncertain, but known risk factors include:

Exposure to high levels of radiation

Exposure to benzene, a chemical that is used in manufacturing and is also found in cigarettes

The lack of healthy blood cells in the blood supply causes most of the symptoms of acute leukaemia, which usually begin slowly before rapidly escalating in severity as the number of blast cells in the blood increases.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

ALL is the most common type of cancer found in children, though it is uncommon on an overall basis. Approximately one in every 2,000 children will develop ALL. The majority of cases develop in the age group of two to five year olds, and 85 per cent develop in children below the age of 15.

Treatment

Treatment for AML involves two stages:

Induction: The aim of the initial stage of treatment is to kill the leukaemia cells in the bone marrow, restore the blood to proper working order and resolve any symptoms that may be present.

Consolidation: This stage aims to kill any remaining leukaemia cells that may be present in the central nervous system.

Treatment for ALL involves three stages:

Induction

Consolidation

Maintenance, which involves taking regular doses of chemotherapy tablets to prevent the leukaemia returning. This seems to be the most effective stage.

Other treatments

The other treatments that are used in some circumstances are:

• Radiotherapy
• Stem cell transplant
• Targeted therapies

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What are the five major approaches to the treatment of leukemia (Blood Cancer)

Leukemia(Blood Cancer) 

Cancer can form in and attack any organ or organic system in the human body. When it comes down to blood cancer, it is found that cancerous cells multiply rapidly and violently attack different parts of the circulatory system, making it one of the, if not the most dangerous cancer that could possibly attack anyone. Apart from blood and the lymphatic system; bone marrow is prone to be affected by this kind of cancer.

There are three basic types of blood cancer, primarily. These are:

Leukemia – Because of the rapid increase of cancerous cells that are either affecting the marrow or the blood, the circulatory system loses its ability to produce and regulate blood effectively, hence severely impairing it.

Lymphoma – The cancer affecting lymphocytes is called lymphoma. Lymphocytes are one of the types of white blood corpuscles.

Myeloma – Myeloma affects plasma, another type of white blood corpuscles.

Treating blood cancer is determined by various factors, such as age, how fast the cancer is progressing, where the cancer has spread to, other health conditions, etc.

Leukemia is not a single disease. Instead, the term leukemia refers to a number of related cancers that start in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. There are both acute and chronic forms of leukemia, each with many subtypes that vary in their response to treatment. In addition, children with leukemia have special needs that are best met by care in pediatric cancer centers. 

Most Advanced Blood Cancer Care and Treatment in India

In general, there are five major approaches to the treatment of leukemia:

• Chemotherapy to kill leukemia cells using strong anti-cancer drugs
• Interferon therapy to slow the reproduction of leukemia cells and promote the immune system's anti-leukemia activity
• Radiation therapy to kill cancer cells by exposure to high-energy radiation
• Stem cell transplantation (SCT) to enable treatment with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and
• Surgery to remove an enlarged spleen or to install a venous access device (large plastic tube) to give medications and withdraw blood samples.

Stemcell transplantation

Younger patients that are at high risk for dying from CLL might consider hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Autologous stem cell transplantation, a lower-risk form of treatment using the patient's own blood cells, is not curative. Myeloablative (bone marrow killing) forms of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, a high-risk treatment using blood cells from a healthy donor, may be curative for some patients, but most patients cannot tolerate the treatment. An intermediate level, called reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation, may be better tolerated by older or frail patients.

Biological Therapy : Biological therapy, also referred to as immunotherapy, involves the treatment with those substances that affect the ability of an immune system to kill cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies and interferon are the two types of biological therapy. The purpose of monoclonal antibodies is to stick to cancer cells in order to draw the attention of the immune system to these cancer cells. On the other hand, interferon helps in stimulating the immune system so as to destroy the cancer cells. These two options are generally used for chronic leukemia instead of acute leukemia.

Radiotherapy : Radiotherapy, also known as radiation therapy, makes use of energy rays such as X-rays for stopping the growth and multiplication of the cancer cells. This energy is directed at any particular part of the body such as the spleen or also to the entire body.

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Leukemia symptoms - Cancer Treatment Centers of India

Cancer can form in and attack any organ or organic system in the human body. When it comes down to blood cancer, it is found that cancerous cells multiply rapidly and violently attack different parts of the circulatory system, making it one of the, if not the most dangerous cancer that could possibly attack anyone. Apart from blood and the lymphatic system; bone marrow is prone to be affected by this kind of cancer.

There are three basic types of blood cancer, primarily. These are:

Leukemia – Because of the rapid increase of cancerous cells that are either affecting the marrow or the blood, the circulatory system loses its ability to produce and regulate blood effectively, hence severely impairing it.

Lymphoma – The cancer affecting lymphocytes is called lymphoma. Lymphocytes are one of the types of white blood corpuscles.

Myeloma – Myeloma affects plasma, another type of white blood corpuscles.

Treating blood cancer is determined by various factors, such as age, how fast the cancer is progressing, where the cancer has spread to, other health conditions, etc.

Leukemia(Blood Cancer) Treatment at BestHospital in India

Leukemia is not a single disease. Instead, the term leukemia refers to a number of related cancers that start in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. There are both acute and chronic forms of leukemia, each with many subtypes that vary in their response to treatment. In addition, children with leukemia have special needs that are best met by care in pediatric cancer centers. 

In general, there are five major approaches to the treatment of leukemia:

• Chemotherapy to kill leukemia cells using strong anti-cancer drugs
• Interferon therapy to slow the reproduction of leukemia cells and promote the immune system's anti-leukemia activity
• Radiation therapy to kill cancer cells by exposure to high-energy radiation
• Stem cell transplantation (SCT) to enable treatment with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation therapy and
• Surgery to remove an enlarged spleen or to install a venous access device (large plastic tube) to give medications and withdraw blood samples.

Stem cell transplantation

Younger patients that are at high risk for dying from CLL might consider hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Autologous stem cell transplantation, a lower-risk form of treatment using the patient's own blood cells, is not curative. Myeloablative (bone marrow killing) forms of allogeneic stem cell transplantation, a high-risk treatment using blood cells from a healthy donor, may be curative for some patients, but most patients cannot tolerate the treatment. An intermediate level, called reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic stem cell transplantation, may be better tolerated by older or frail patients.

Biological Therapy : Biological therapy, also referred to as immunotherapy, involves the treatment with those substances that affect the ability of an immune system to kill cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies and interferon are the two types of biological therapy. The purpose of monoclonal antibodies is to stick to cancer cells in order to draw the attention of the immune system to these cancer cells. On the other hand, interferon helps in stimulating the immune system so as to destroy the cancer cells. These two options are generally used for chronic leukemia instead of acute leukemia.

Radiotherapy : Radiotherapy, also known as radiation therapy, makes use of energy rays such as X-rays for stopping the growth and multiplication of the cancer cells. This energy is directed at any particular part of the body such as the spleen or also to the entire body.

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Please scan and email your medical reports  to us at care@medworldindia.com and we shall get you a Free Medical Opinion from India’s Best Doctors.

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Possible Treatments for Blood Cancer : Low Cost Cancer Treatment in India

Leukeamia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow. Normally all blood cells are produced by the bone marrow (the spongy area in the middle of bones) in a controlled fashion. All leukaemias have in common property that the leukaemia cells are abnormal and do not respond to normal control mechanisms. Large numbers of leukaemia cells build up as they multiply or because they live much longer than normal cells, or both. With many leukaemia cells in the bone marrow, they spill out into the bloodstream.

Types of  Blood Cancer

Common types of blood cancer include:

• §     Leukemia: Cancer that originates in blood-forming tissue.
• 
  
• §     Non-Hodgkin lymphoma: Cancer that develops in the lymphatic system from cells 
• 
  
• §    Hodgkin lymphoma: Cancer that develops in the lymphatic system from cells called lymphocytes. Hodgkin lymphoma is marked by the presence of an abnormal lymphocyte called the Reed-Sternberg cell (or B lymphocyte).
• 
  
•      Multiple myeloma: Cancer that begins in the blood's plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that is made in the bone marrow.

Blood cancer symptoms

Some common blood cancer symptoms include:

• §   Fever, chills
• §   Persistent fatigue, weakness
• §   Loss of appetite, nausea
• §   Unexplained weight loss
• §   Night sweats
• §   Bone/joint pain
• §   Abdominal discomfort
• §   Headaches
• §   Shortness of breath
• §   Frequent infections
• §   Itchy skin or skin rash
• §   Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarms, groin

Best Treatments for Blood Cancer  in India

Biological Therapy

Biological therapy assists the body as it fights off the cancer on its own.  It helps to strengthen the body’s natural cancer-fighting processes.  Biological therapy may cause some side effects, but other medications can be used to treat these.  Side effects often vary from person to person.

Chemotherapy

Chemotherapy uses chemicals to fight the cancer.  It can be taken by mouth or injected into a vein.  Sometimes it is injected into the spinal fluid.  The drugs used in chemotherapy kill the cancer cells but can also damage regular, healthy cells.  The damage to the healthy cells is what causes so many side effects.  Side effects from chemotherapy may include:

• Low levels of blood cells—this can make you feel tired, or you may get sick more often.
• Hair loss
• Upset stomach which may cause vomiting or diarrhea
• Sores in the mouth and/or on the lips
• Infertility

Induction Therapy

Induction therapy is a combination of chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and steroids.

Radiation Therapy

In radiation therapy, a beam of high-energy rays is directed towards the cancer, or over the entire body.  The rays kill the cancer cells.  Side effects vary depending on how much radiation is received and what part of the body it is directed towards.  Most side effects are temporary and can be managed with medication.

Stem Cell Transplantation

Because chemotherapy and radiation therapy can end up killing off healthy blood cells, patients may receive a stem cell transplant.  A stem cell transplant allows the patient's body to develop new, healthy blood cells.  The transplanted stem cells may come from the patient or someone who donates them to the patient.  Patients who receive a stem cell transplant often must stay in the hospital for a long period of time because they may get sick easily.  They must also be monitored to make sure their body will not fight against the new stem cells.

Targeted Therapy

During targeted therapy, drugs are used to stop the cancer from growing or spreading to other parts of the body.  It does this by focusing on certain parts of the cancer cells that help it grow and copy itself.  Targeted therapy does cause some side effects such as rash, swelling, muscle cramps, bloating, weight gain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

The causes of acute leukaemia are uncertain, but known risk factors include ...

Cancer occurs when there is uncontrolled abnormal cell growth and development. It disturbs the normal life span of cells wherein they are formed, mature, carry out their intended function, die, and are replaced by new cells which are constantly regenerated in the body to maintain normal cellular function. Cancer represents the disturbance of this process.

Leukaemia is cancer of the white blood cells. The symptoms of leukaemia include:

* Breathlessness

* Having repeated infections over a short space of time

* Pale skin

* Tiredness

In acute leukaemia, the condition progresses at a rapid and aggressive pace, and treatment needs to be administered immediately.

Bone marrow

Bone marrow is a spongy material that is found inside the bones, and it produces all of the blood cells. It also produces vital cells called stem cells that can create other specialised cells that carry out essential functions. These specialised cells are of three types:

* Red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body

* White blood cells which help fight infection

* Platelets which help stop bleeding

Acute leukaemia prevents the affected bone marrow from producing stem cells that mature into adult blood cells. Instead it releases numerous immature blood cells called blast cells. The immature white blood cells begin to rapidly disrupt the normal balance of cells in the blood, limiting the presence of red blood cells or platelet cells in the body. This can lead to tiredness and other

symptoms of anaemia, and also increase risk of excessive bleeding. The patient also becomes more vulnerable to infection as the white blood cells are not properly formed and thus ineffective in

fighting bacteria and viruses.

Types of acute leukaemia

There are two main types of white blood cells classified according to the type of white blood cells that are affected by cancer:

* Lymphocytes which are mostly used to fight viral infections

* Myeloid cells which fight bacterial infections defend the body against parasites and prevent the spread of tissue damage

The two main types of acute leukaemia are:

* Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which is cancer of the lymphocytes

* Acute myeloid leukaemia, which is cancer of the myeloid cells

Acute myeloid leukaemia

It is more common in older people, especially when over 50 years of age, and more common in males than females, though it is not clear why. The causes of acute leukaemia are uncertain, but known risk factors include:

* Exposure to high levels of radiation

* Exposure to benzene, a chemical that is used in manufacturing and is also found in cigarettes

The lack of healthy blood cells in the blood supply causes most of the symptoms of acute leukaemia, which usually begin slowly before rapidly escalating in severity as the number of blast cells in the blood increases.

Outlook

The outlook for people with AML depends on the sub-type of AML, with some subtypes being more challenging to treat than others. The cure rate thus varies, and some sub-types have a 75 per cent cure rate, while others have a 20 per cent cure rate. The outlook also favours younger people as compared to older people. The treatment usually includes a combination of chemotherapy and radiation, or a bone marrow transplant in some cases.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

ALL is the most common type of cancer found in children, though it is uncommon on an overall basis. Approximately one in every 2,000 children will develop ALL. The majority of cases develop in the age group of two to five year olds, and 85 per cent develop in children below the age of 15.

Outlook

The outlook for children with ALL is optimistic, as almost all of them will achieve a remission from their symptoms. 85 per cent of children will be completely cured, whereas only 40 per cent of adults will be completely cured.

Treatment

Treatment for AML involves two stages:

* Induction: The aim of the initial stage of treatment is to kill the leukaemia cells in the bone marrow, restore the blood to proper working order and resolve any symptoms that may be present.

* Consolidation: This stage aims to kill any remaining leukaemia cells that may be present in the central nervous system.

Treatment for ALL involves three stages:

* Induction

* Consolidation

* Maintenance, which involves taking regular doses of chemotherapy tablets to prevent the leukaemia returning. This seems to be the most effective stage.

Other treatments

The other treatments that are used in some circumstances are:

* Radiotherapy

* Stem cell transplant

* Targeted therapies

New directions

The treatment of hematologic malignancies is rapidly changing, and primary therapy for leukaemia has advanced steadily over the past years. Biologic advances have led to a better understanding of drug resistance and the emergence of various targeted therapies, which have revolutionised the way in which leukaemia’s are treated. Some of these offer patients more treatment options with less toxicity.

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How to Recognize the Signs of Leukemia - Leukemia Treatment in India

Cancer occurs when there is uncontrolled abnormal cell growth and development. It disturbs the normal life span of cells wherein they are formed, mature, carry out their intended function, die, and are replaced by new cells which are constantly regenerated in the body to maintain normal cellular function. Cancer represents the disturbance of this process.

Leukemia symptoms vary, depending on the type of leukemia. Common leukemia signs and symptoms include:

• Fever or chills
• Persistent fatigue, weakness
• Frequent or severe infections
• Losing weight without trying
• Swollen lymph nodes, enlarged liver or spleen
• Easy bleeding or bruising
• Recurrent nosebleeds
• Tiny red spots in your skin (petechiae)
• Excessive sweating, especially at night
• Bone pain or tenderness

Bone marrow

Bone marrow is a spongy material that is found inside the bones, and it produces all of the blood cells. It also produces vital cells called stem cells that can create other specialised cells that carry out essential functions. These specialised cells are of three types:

* Red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body

* White blood cells which help fight infection

* Platelets which help stop bleeding

Acute leukaemia prevents the affected bone marrow from producing stem cells that mature into adult blood cells. Instead it releases numerous immature blood cells called blast cells. The immature white blood cells begin to rapidly disrupt the normal balance of cells in the blood, limiting the presence of red blood cells or platelet cells in the body. This can lead to tiredness and other

symptoms of anaemia, and also increase risk of excessive bleeding. The patient also becomes more vulnerable to infection as the white blood cells are not properly formed and thus ineffective in

fighting bacteria and viruses.

Types of acute leukaemia

There are two main types of white blood cells classified according to the type of white blood cells that are affected by cancer:

Lymphocytes which are mostly used to fight viral infections

Myeloid cells which fight bacterial infections defend the body against parasites and prevent the spread of tissue damage

The two main types of acute leukaemia are:

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which is cancer of the lymphocytes

Acute myeloid leukaemia, which is cancer of the myeloid cells

Acute myeloid leukaemia

It is more common in older people, especially when over 50 years of age, and more common in males than females, though it is not clear why. The causes of acute leukaemia are uncertain, but known risk factors include:

Exposure to high levels of radiation

Exposure to benzene, a chemical that is used in manufacturing and is also found in cigarettes

The lack of healthy blood cells in the blood supply causes most of the symptoms of acute leukaemia, which usually begin slowly before rapidly escalating in severity as the number of blast cells in the blood increases.

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

ALL is the most common type of cancer found in children, though it is uncommon on an overall basis. Approximately one in every 2,000 children will develop ALL. The majority of cases develop in the age group of two to five year olds, and 85 per cent develop in children below the age of 15.

Treatment

Treatment for AML involves two stages:

Induction: The aim of the initial stage of treatment is to kill the leukaemia cells in the bone marrow, restore the blood to proper working order and resolve any symptoms that may be present.

Consolidation: This stage aims to kill any remaining leukaemia cells that may be present in the central nervous system.

Treatment for ALL involves three stages:

Induction

Consolidation

Maintenance, which involves taking regular doses of chemotherapy tablets to prevent the leukaemia returning. This seems to be the most effective stage.

Other treatments

The other treatments that are used in some circumstances are:

• Radiotherapy
• Stem cell transplant
• Targeted therapies

For more information visit:          http://www.medworldindia.com        
                    https://www.facebook.com/medworld.india

Please scan and email your medical reports  to us at care@medworldindia.com and we shall get you a Free Medical Opinion from India’s Best Doctors.

Call Us : +91-9811058159

Mail Us : care@medworldindia.com