Effectiveness of bone marrow transplant in cancer treatment – Dr. Sandeep Nayak
Bone Marrow Transplant is a ray of hope for cancer patients. Please consult with Dr. Sandeep Nayak, a leading oncologist in Bangalore, for help and guidance in the recovery process from cancer.
The Importance of Bone Marrow Transplants for Cancer Patients
If you’ve ever watched a loved one suffer from cancer, you know that the disease is brutal. Patients frequently need chemotherapy and radiation to fight the disease, and those who are not cured usually experience a prolonged, painful decline in health.
Because of this, there’s an ongoing search for alternative treatments that could have a positive impact on people with cancer. One such treatment is bone marrow transplantation.
Dr. Sandeep Nayak of MACs for cancer clinic offers the best cancer treatment in Bangalore.
He says that many patients do well after receiving bone marrow transplants.
But the long-term risks of the treatment have made it unattractive. However, thanks to the development of stem cell therapy and immunotherapy, we can now have the benefits of a bone marrow transplant without the risks. This article will explore the possible benefits of bone marrow transplants.
What is bone marrow?
Bone marrow is a soft tissue inside the bone that produces blood cells. The bone marrow also contains stem cells, which are cells that can transform into blood and immune system cells.
The pluripotent stem cell is used for bone marrow transplants since they can replicate themselves or multiply into more cells with different qualities.
Bone marrow transplants are used to treat leukemia, lymphoma, and other diseases where the bone marrow has been destroyed.
The process of transplanting bone marrow is difficult but successful when doctors find a suitable match for their patients. It does have risks associated, but immunotherapies are a way out.
Why Use Bone Marrow Transplantation?
One possible benefit of bone marrow transplants is that the increased blood production it provides can help patients live longer. There’s also evidence that bone marrow transplantation can help people recover from radiation and chemotherapy.
Bone marrow transplants could also be beneficial for people with damaged or absent immune systems. The treatment could replace their own cells or augment them and provide a stronger immune system in the process.
Bone marrow transplants aren’t without risks, however. Patients who receive bone marrow transplants are at risk of developing various complications, including graft-versus-host disease, infection, and rejection of the new cells by the body.
What diseases can be cured with a bone marrow transplant?
Bone marrow transplantation is a procedure that takes blood stem cells from a donor and uses them to cure the person receiving the transplant. The recipient’s bone marrow “recruits” the new stem cells, which are then used to make new blood cells, tissues, and organs in order to replace those lost during cancer treatment.
Because of this process, bone marrow transplants can potentially treat many different types of diseases, such as
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Severe aplastic anemia
- Immune deficiency disorders
- Myeloma
- And in some cases, solid tumor cancers.
Types of Bone Marrow Transplants.
Bone Marrow transplant is done using 2 techniques based on the option’s viability.
Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant: Here, the patient is the donor. Stem cells from the patient are taken by bone marrow harvest or apheresis – collecting peripheral blood stem cells. These are frozen and given back to the patient when the treatment is over.
Allogenic Bone Marrow Transplant: A donor matching the same gene set is sought. If found, the donor’s bone marrow is harvested and is used at a later stage when required.
Umbilical cord bone marrow transplant: a form of allogeneic transplant. A child’s umbilical cord stem cells are taken and frozen in case required in the future.
The donor may be related or unrelated to the patient.
The primary criteria is that the HLA (human Leukocyte antigen) should match.
Final Words: Is a Bone Marrow Transplant Right for You?
The risks of a bone marrow transplant are high, but the potential benefits are great. If you’re considering undergoing the procedure, it’s essential to ask yourself if you would be willing to take that risk. You should also talk with your doctor and ensure you’ll have access to necessary follow-up care after the transplant.
If you want to find out more about bone marrow transplants, talk with Dr. Sandeep Nayak, as no one better than him can tell you whether or not this treatment is right for you.