A stell cell transplant (also known as a blood stem cell transplant) is used to replace damaged blood cells and restore bone marrow in people with leukemia. It can also help to cure cancer by restoring the immune system.
stell cell transplant helps leukemia patient can be done before or after other treatments, such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Stem cells are blood-forming cells that grow into other types of cells, such as white blood cells, which fight infection. Stem cells can be obtained from the blood, bone marrow, or umbilical cord blood. For this treatment, doctors find a donor who is a close match in terms of human leukocyte antigens (HLA) or other characteristics. They then prepare the body for a transplant by giving high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation. This is called conditioning therapy.
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After the conditioning treatment, doctors give you healthy donor stem cells in a vein. These healthy blood cells are expected to mature, attack, and destroy any remaining diseased cells in the bone marrow. This effect is called graft-versus-leukemia (GVL).
You may need to stay in hospital for several weeks, depending on your condition and the type of transplant. During this time, you’ll have frequent blood tests and follow-up appointments, and be watched for complications of the transplant such as infection or graft-versus-host disease.
Your care team will explain the risk factors and side effects of this treatment. These include a higher chance of infections and low platelet counts, which can lead to excessive bleeding and fatigue. You may also be at a greater risk for serious conditions such as pneumonia or other lung problems and heart attacks. You can get advice on how to manage these risks from Dana-Farber’s Adult Survivorship Program, which includes specialists in cardiology, pulmonology, endocrinology, gynecology, and sexual health.