Treatment FAQ

why is bone marrow transplant used as treatment for leukemia

by Prof. Frida Yundt IV Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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A transplant can help replace damaged bone marrow cells and, in turn, make healthy blood cells. In some cases, a bone marrow transplant may even help get rid of harmful leukemia cells. The goal of a bone marrow transplant in treating leukemia is complete remission.

A bone marrow transplant may be used to: Safely allow treatment of your condition with high doses of chemotherapy or radiation by replacing or rescuing the bone marrow damaged by treatment. Replace diseased or damaged marrow with new stem cells. Provide new stem cells, which can help kill cancer cells directly.Oct 24, 2019

Full Answer

What is the average life expectancy after bone marrow transplant?

What is the average life expectancy after bone marrow transplant? Although only 62% of patients survived the first year post- BMT, 98.5% of patients alive after 6 years survived at least another year. Almost 1/3 (31%) of the deaths in long-term survivors resulted from causes unrelated to transplantation or relapse.

What to consider before a bone marrow transplant?

While you plan for the bone marrow transplant, we will work with you on:

  • Health evaluation: You will come into the hospital for a complete medical history and physical exam. ...
  • Finding a bone marrow donor: Your transplant team will work with you to find a donor who is the best possible match. ...
  • Financial considerations: You have the option to meet with a financial counselor who can discuss treatment costs. ...

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What to know before a bone marrow transplant?

Before a bone marrow transplant, you will need a complete physical exam. Your doctor (usually a hematologist or oncologist ) will order tests to check your blood and see how well your heart, lungs ...

Who is the best doctor for a bone marrow transplant?

  • OK. Dr. Khalil graduated from the King Edward Medical University in 1996.
  • RG. Dr. Gentry graduated from the University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences College of Medicine in 2002.
  • KM. Dr. Mccarthy graduated from the University of Arkansas For Medical Sciences College of Medicine in 2006.
  • ES. Dr. ...
  • MH. Dr. ...
  • JS. Dr. ...
  • LM. Dr. ...
  • RP. Dr. ...
  • WB. Dr. ...
  • TP. Dr. ...

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How does bone marrow transplant work for leukemia?

A bone marrow transplant is a specialized procedure in which healthy stem cells are infused into the blood. The healthy stem cells then move into the bone marrow and replace unhealthy stem cells. This type of transplant is typically used to treat blood cancers called leukemia.

Is a bone marrow transplant necessary for leukemia?

Bone-marrow transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling is effective in eradicating leukaemia in most patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) in first remission. The efficacy is widely assumed to be related to the high doses of drugs and radiation administered before transplantation.

How does bone marrow help leukemia patients?

BMT, also known as a bone marrow transplant or blood stem cell transplant, can treat patients who have AML, including older patients. It replaces the unhealthy blood-forming cells (stem cells) with healthy ones. For some people, transplant can cure their disease.

Is a bone marrow transplant the only way to save leukemia patients?

However, is a bone marrow transplant (from a donor) 'only' a cure for leukaemia? No, definitely not. There are an increasing number of patients who require this method of treatment in order to overcome a diverse range of diseases.

Why are bone marrow transplants used?

A bone marrow transplant may be used to: Safely allow treatment of your condition with high doses of chemotherapy or radiation by replacing or rescuing the bone marrow damaged by treatment. Replace diseased or damaged marrow with new stem cells. Provide new stem cells, which can help kill cancer cells directly.

Can leukemia come back after a bone marrow transplant?

However, most patients finally relapse and die of uncontrolled leukemia. Second BMT is successful in 20% to 25% patients and is a reasonable option in patients who relapse more than 6 months after the initial transplant.

What happens to bone marrow during leukemia?

Leukemia usually involves the white blood cells. Your white blood cells are potent infection fighters — they normally grow and divide in an orderly way, as your body needs them. But in people with leukemia, the bone marrow produces an excessive amount of abnormal white blood cells, which don't function properly.

What happens during a bone marrow transplant?

Your medical team collects stem cells from your own marrow or blood and stores them while you get cancer treatment. Then, they put the stem cells into your bloodstream. The cells travel to your bone marrow and multiply to help it make healthy stem cells again. Allogeneic.

How long do you live after bone marrow transplant?

Some 62% of BMT patients survived at least 365 days, and of those surviving 365 days, 89% survived at least another 365 days. Of the patients who survived 6 years post-BMT, 98.5% survived at least another year.

How painful is a bone marrow transplant?

This procedure isn't painful and is done while you're awake. It takes around 3 hours and may need to be repeated the next day if not enough cells are removed the first time.

Can a son donate bone marrow to his father?

For any person—child or adult—who needs a bone marrow transplant, the first step is to ask family members if they are willing to donate their stem cells, and then conduct tests to determine if they are a match for the patient.

How serious is a bone marrow transplant?

A bone marrow transplant has serious risks. Some patients suffer from life-threatening problems as a result of their transplant. These problems can include serious infections and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) , in which the transplanted cells attack the patient's body.

Why do we need bone marrow transplants?

A bone marrow transplant may be used to: Safely allow treatment of your condition with high doses of chemotherapy or radiation by replacing or rescuing the bone marrow damaged by treatment. Replace diseased or damaged marrow with new stem cells. Provide new stem cells, which can help kill cancer cells directly.

What is the function of bone marrow?

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside some bones. Its job is to produce blood cells. If your bone marrow isn't functioning properly because of cancer or another disease, you may receive a stem cell transplant.

How long after bone marrow transplant do you have to have blood tests?

In the days and weeks after your bone marrow transplant, you'll have blood tests and other tests to monitor your condition. You may need medicine to manage complications, such as nausea and diarrhea. After your bone marrow transplant, you'll remain under close medical care.

How to get rid of cancer cells?

Destroy cancer cells if you are being treated for a malignancy. Suppress your immune system. Prepare your bone marrow for the new stem cells. The type of conditioning process you receive depends on a number of factors, including your disease, overall health and the type of transplant planned.

How does physical activity help after bone marrow transplant?

After your bone marrow transplant, regular physical activity helps you control your weight, strengthen your bones, increase your endurance, strengthen your muscles and keep your heart healthy. As you recover, you can slowly increase your physical activity.

What happens if you receive a transplant?

If you receive a transplant that uses stem cells from a donor (allogeneic transplant), you may be at risk of developing graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). This condition occurs when the donor stem cells that make up your new immune system see your body's tissues and organs as something foreign and attack them.

How long does it take for stem cells to return to normal?

In time, they multiply and begin to make new, healthy blood cells. This is called engraftment. It usually takes several weeks before the number of blood cells in your body starts to return to normal.

Why do we need bone marrow transplants?

The goal of a bone marrow transplant is to cure many diseases and types of cancer. When the doses of chemotherapy or radiation needed to cure a cancer are so high that a person's bone marrow stem cells will be permanently damaged or destroyed by the treatment, a bone marrow transplant may be needed.

Why replace bone marrow with healthy bone marrow?

This process is often called rescue. Replace bone marrow with genetically healthy functioning bone marrow to prevent more damage from a genetic disease process (such as Hurler's syndrome and adrenoleukodystrophy).

How are stem cells collected for bone marrow transplant?

This is a collection of stem cells with a needle placed into the soft center of the bone marrow.

How are stem cells taken from a patient?

Stem cells are taken from the patient either by bone marrow harvest or apheresis (a process of collecting peripheral blood stem cells), frozen, and then given back to the patient after intensive treatment. Often the term rescue is used instead of transplant. Allogeneic bone marrow transplant.

How long before apheresis can you give a donor a medicine?

A medicine may be given to the donor for about one week prior to apheresis that will stimulate the bone marrow to increase production of new stem cells. These new stem cells will be released from the marrow and into the circulating or peripheral blood system; from there they can be collected during apheresis.

What is the purpose of regenerating bone marrow after chemo?

Replace the bone marrow and restore its normal function after high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation are given to treat a malignancy.

Why is ablative therapy called myeloablative?

This therapy is often called ablative, or myeloablative, because of the effect on the bone marrow. The bone marrow produces most of the blood cells in our body.

Does bone marrow transplant cure leukaemia?

How does bone-marrow transplantation cure leukaemia? Bone-marrow transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling is effective in eradicating leukaemia in most patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) in first remission. The efficacy is widely assumed to be related to the high doses of drugs and radiation administered before transplantation.

Is bone marrow transplantation effective?

Bone-marrow transplantation from an HLA-identical sibling is effective in eradicating leukaemia in most patients with acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) in first remission. The efficacy is widely assumed to be related to the high doses of drugs and radiation administered before transplantation.

Where do stem cells come from in an allogeneic transplant?

Allogeneic transplant: In an allogeneic transplant, the stem cells come from a donor. The donor can be a close blood relative or an individual located through a national donor registry program, such as Be the Match. Occasionally, stem cells will be taken from umbilical cord blood that has been donated after the birth of a child.

What are the different types of stem cell transplants?

There are three different kinds of stem cell transplants. The types indicate where, or who, the stem cells come from. Patients with leukemia often receive allogeneic transplants. Autologous transplant: When you receive an autologous transplant, you donate stem cells for yourself. Stem cells will be removed from your blood or bone marrow ...

What is the process of extracting stem cells from a patient's hip?

In the past, physicians would extract bone marrow from patient’s hipbone in order to access the stem cells. Today, most physicians use a process called pheresis to separate the stem cells from the bloodstream.

How to contact a physician for a blood transplant?

If your physician believes that you are a good candidate for a blood or marrow transplant, he or she should contact our referral specialists at 314-747-3046 or 877-251-6485 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Referrals also can be made online through a secure appointment request service at https://www.siteman.wustl.edu/refer.

Is a stem cell transplant a major medical procedure?

A stem cell transplant is a major medical procedure that impacts the entire body. Consequently, there are a number of risks to transplant patients. Your care team at Siteman will design your treatment plan so as to minimize the risks you experience.

What is the process of removing stem cells from bone marrow?

In an autologous transplant, a patient’s own stem cells are removed from his or her bone marrow or blood. They are frozen and stored while the person gets treatment (high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation). In the lab, a process called purging may be used to try to remove any leukemia cells in the samples.

Why are donor cells important?

Donor cells are also helpful because of the graft-versus-leukemia effect. When the donor immune cells are infused into the body, they may recognize any remaining leukemia cells as being foreign to them and attack them. This effect doesn’t happen with autologous stem cell transplants.

What happens when a donor's immune system is taken over?

When this happens, the donor immune system may see the patient’s own body tissues as foreign and attack them. Symptoms can include severe skin rashes, itching, mouth sores (which can affect eating), nausea, and severe diarrhea.

Can you separate stem cells from leukemia?

One problem with autologous transplants is that it’s hard to separate normal stem cells from leukemia cells in the bone marrow or blood samples. Even after purging (treating the stem cells in the lab to try to kill or remove any remaining leukemia cells), there is the risk of returning some leukemia cells with the stem cell transplant.

Where do stem cells come from?

The blood-forming stem cells used for a transplant can come either from blood or from bone marrow. Sometimes stem cells from a baby’s umbilical cord blood are used.

Can stem cells be transplanted for AML?

Even though higher doses of these drugs might kill more cancer cells, they can’t be given because they could severely damage the bone marrow, ...

Can you get a non-myeloablative transplant as an outpatient?

A non-myeloablative transplant can still sometimes work with much less toxicity. In fact, a patient can get the transplant as an outpatient. The major complication is graft-versus-host disease. Many doctors still consider this an experimental procedure for AML, and it is being studied to determine how useful it may be.

What is stem cell transplant?

In regard to this, stem-cell transplantation is a cellular therapeutic approach to restore those impaired cells, tissue, or organs. SCs have a therapeutic potential in the application of stem-cell transplantation.

What is stem cell?

Abstract. Stem cells (SCs) play a major role in advanced fields of regenerative medicine and other research areas. They are involved in the regeneration of damaged tissue or cells, due to their self-renewal characteristics. Tissue or cells can be damaged through a variety of diseases, including hematologic and nonhematologic malignancies.

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Overview

Why It's Done

  • A bone marrow transplant may be used to: 1. Safely allow treatment of your condition with high doses of chemotherapy or radiation by replacing or rescuing the bone marrow damaged by treatment 2. Replace diseased or damaged marrow with new stem cells 3. Provide new stem cells, which can help kill cancer cells directly Bone marrow transplants can ben...
See more on mayoclinic.org

Risks

  • A bone marrow transplant poses numerous risks. Some people experience minimal problems with a bone marrow transplant, while others can have serious complications that require treatment or hospitalization. Sometimes, complications are life-threatening. Your particular risks depend on many factors, including the disease or condition that caused you to need a transplant, the type o…
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How You Prepare

  • Pretransplant tests and procedures
    You'll undergo a series of tests and procedures to assess your general health and the status of your condition, and to ensure that you're physically prepared for the transplant. The evaluation may take several days or more. In addition, a surgeon or radiologist will implant a long thin tube …
  • Collecting stem cells for autologous transplant
    If a transplant using your own stem cells (autologous transplant) is planned, you'll undergo a procedure called apheresis (af-uh-REE-sis) to collect blood stem cells. Before apheresis, you'll receive daily injections of growth factor to increase stem cell production and move stem cells in…
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What You Can Expect

  • During your bone marrow transplant
    Your bone marrow transplant occurs after you complete the conditioning process. On the day of your transplant, stem cells are infused into your body through your central line. The transplant infusion is painless. You'll be awake during the procedure.
  • After your bone marrow transplant
    When the new stem cells enter your body, they travel through your blood to your bone marrow. In time, they multiply and begin to make new, healthy blood cells. This is called engraftment. It usually takes several weeks before the number of blood cells in your body starts to return to nor…
See more on mayoclinic.org

Results

  • A bone marrow transplant can cure some diseases and put others into remission. Goals of a bone marrow transplant depend on your individual situation, but usually include controlling or curing your disease, extending your life, and improving your quality of life. Some people complete bone marrow transplantation with few side effects and complications. Others experience numerous c…
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Clinical Trials

  • Explore Mayo Clinic studiesof tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions.
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Coping and Support

  • Living with a bone marrow transplant or waiting for a bone marrow transplant can be difficult, and it's normal to have fears and concerns. Having support from your friends and family can be helpful. Also, you and your family may benefit from joining a support group of people who understand what you're going through and who can provide support. Support groups offer a plac…
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