What is a bone marrow transplant (BMT)?
Bone marrow transplant is a specific medical procedure for patients with certain cancers. Bone marrow transplantation, often known as BMT, is a procedure that restores bone marrow that has been injured or destroyed by disease, infection, or radiation. Hematologists or Hematology & bone marrow experts transplant blood stem cells into the bone marrow to get new blood cells. It supports the creation of a new marrow as part of a bone marrow transplant treatment. Bone marrow is the soft and rubbery fatty tissue inside your bones.
Bone marrow generates the following parts of the blood:
- RBCs, which carry oxygen and nutrients throughout the body
- WBCs, which fight infection
- Blood Platelets, which are crucial components for the formation of clots
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| THREE decades after BMT |
Hematopoietic stem cells, or HSCs, are also found in the bone marrow and are imperfect blood-forming stem cells. They can only make copies of themselves. However, these stem cells are unspecialized. They can multiply through cell division and either remain stem cells or differentiate and mature into many different kinds of blood cells. The HSCs found in the bone marrow will create new blood cells throughout your lifespan. We are aware that a bone marrow transplant can replace your damaged stem cells with healthy cells. The BMT process helps your body make enough white blood cells, platelets, or red blood cells to avoid infections, bleeding disorders, and anemia. We know that healthy stem cells can come from a donor, or they can come from your own body. In such cases, stem cells can collect before starting chemotherapy or radiation treatment. Those healthy cells are then stored and used for transplantation.
Why Do Patients Need Bone Marrow Transplants?
Hematologists perform bone marrow transplants when the marrow is not healthy to function perfectly. This situation occurs due to chronic infections, disease, or cancer treatments. The following are some of the indications for a bone marrow transplant:
- Aplastic anemia is a condition in which the bone marrow prevents producing new blood cells.
- Leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma are malignancies that attack the bone marrow.
- Chemotherapy can affect the bone marrow.
- Congenital neutropenia is a hereditary condition that results in recurrent infections.
- Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood condition characterized by abnormally shaped red blood cells.
- Thalassemia is a genetic blood illness in which the body produces an aberrant form of hemoglobin, a component of red blood cells.
What are the Types of Bone Marrow Transplant?
There are two prime types of bone marrow transplants. Hematologists determine the form of the reason you require a transplant.
- Autologous Transplants
Autologous transplants involve the use of patient stem cells. They typically connect with accumulating your cells before beginning a damaging therapy for cells like chemotherapy or radiation. After the treatment, your cells can return to your body. We note that this type of transplant isn’t always available. Hematologists use it if you have healthy bone marrow. However, it reduces the risk of some complications, like GVHD.
- Allogeneic Transplants
Allogeneic transplants encompass the use of cells from a donor. Often, a relative is the best choice, but some genetic trials will work in a donor registry. Allogeneic transplants are necessary if your condition damages your bone marrow cells. You will also probably need to be on immunosuppressive treatment. This treatment will help the immune system so that your body doesn’t attack the new cells. This process can leave you susceptible to illness. The benefit of an allogeneic transplant depends on how closely the donor cells match your own.
- Umbilical cord blood transplant.
Experts can collect Stem cells from the umbilical cord immediately after the childbirth of an infant. These stem cells transcribe into more mature and more effectively than do stem cells taken from the bone marrow of another child or adult. Experts are testing these stem cells and may freeze until they need for transplant.
How do the experts perform the Bone Marrow Transplant?
You will have a bone marrow transplant when your expert specialist believes you are ready. The procedure has a good resemblance to a blood transfusion. If your doctor performs an allogeneic transplant, they can obtain bone marrow cells from your donor a day before your BMT. If you need new cells, experts get them from a stem cell bank. Experts can collect the cells in two ways. During a bone marrow harvest, experts collect cells from both hipbones through a needle. Your doctor may prefer to give anesthesia for this procedure. This step indicates that you’ll be asleep and free of any pain.
Leukapheresis:
During the leukapheresis procedure, experts administered five shots to the donor. This process helps the stem cells move from the bone marrow into the bloodstream. Experts pull the blood through an intravenous (IV) line, and then the machine separates the white blood cells containing stem cells. Experts may install it on the upper right portion of your chest with the help of a needle named a central venous catheter. This procedure allows fluid containing new stem cells to enter your heart directly. The stem cells then circulate throughout your body. They move through your blood and into the bone marrow. They’ll become established there and begin to develop. The port remains in place because the bone marrow transplant can take place over several sessions for a few days. Multiple sessions provide the formation of new stem cells with the viable option to integrate themselves into your body. The medical procedure is known as engraftment. Experts use this port for you to get blood transfusions, liquids, and possibly nutrients. You may need medication to resist infections and help the new marrow grow. Your doctor will monitor your progress to avoid any complications.
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| Happy patient after BMT |
What to Expect After BMT?
You have to monitor the status of your engraftment with your expert. It’s generally complete within 30 days after the initial transplant. The first confirmation of engraftment is a rising white blood cell count. This process indicates that the transplant is starting to make new blood cells. The recovery time for a bone marrow transplant is about 90 days.
Recovery depends on numerous factors, including:
- Treatment of the condition
- Chemotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Donor match
- The precise location of the transplant
Although you may experience some of the symptoms, the BMT will follow you for the rest of your life.