A stem cell transplant is a very complicated medical technique that is utilized for curing different types of serious illnesses, particularly blood disorders and a few cancers. With this treatment, the damaged or sick bone marrow gets replaced with healthy stem cells, which enables the body to generate normal blood cells once again.
Major hospitals like Liv Hospital provide expert stem cell transplant treatment facilities by means of advanced technology and highly skilled medical personnel.
What Is a Stem Cell Transplant?
Stem cell transplantation is a therapeutic approach where healthy stem cells are given to a patient to regenerate the patient's bone marrow that got affected. These cells have the ability to differentiate into various blood components such as red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. The main indication of this therapy is the condition of the patient's bone marrow being compromised either because of the disease itself or the aggressive treatments like chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
How Does the Stem Cell Transplant Procedure Work?
Typically,the treatment begins with chemotherapy or radiation therapy given in high doses to wipe out the diseased cells. However, as this also damages the normal bone marrow, to restore it healthy stem cells are given to the patient through an intravenous (IV) line.
When the stem cells are in the body, they home to the bone marrow and begin generating new healthy blood cells. This part of the treatment is known as engraftment and is performed under close observation by the medical team to guarantee the patient's successful recovery.
Types of Stem Cell Transplants
Autologous Stem Cell Transplant
Here,stem cells are first extracted from the patient's body and then preserved. After the patient undergoes chemotherapy or radiation, these cells are given back to the patient. This technique lowers the chance of the immune system rejecting the cells, and it is commonly employed in cancer therapy.
Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant
This type of transplant uses stem cells from a compatible donor, usually a family member or a matched donor. Proper matching of the donor is a must to minimize the risk of complications.
Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant
At birth, stem cells are taken from the umbilical cord blood of the baby. When a perfect adult donor cannot be found, these cells are more versatile and helpful.
For further information on whether you qualify and how you can be treated, please go to Stem Cell Transplant.
Diseases Treated with Stem Cell Transplant
Stem cell transplant is a treatment that can be used for many serious diseases such as:
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Leukemia
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Lymphoma
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Multiple myeloma
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Bone marrow failure disorders
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Inherited blood diseases
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Certain immune system disorders
Frequently, the use of stem cells can result in the patients either staying disease-free for a long time or completely recovering.
Benefits of Stem Cell Transplant
As with any significant medical procedure, stem cell transplantation has certain risks to it, for example, infections, tiredness, and immune-related issues. If the transplant is donor-based, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) might be one of the risks.
Recovery sometimes can last for several months and demands follow-ups, medications, and changes in a person’s lifestyle to facilitate healing.
Final Thoughts
Stem cell transplant is one of the most important therapies to treat severe blood diseases and some types of cancer.
Treatment and prognosis of patients suffering from these disorders have radically improved through the use of expert care and sophisticated medical technology. It is through adherence to post-transplant guidelines, periodic medical check-ups, and a healthy lifestyle that one can recover from treatment. It is also very important to have family and healthcare professionals around for moral support. The addition of good nutrition, less vigorous physical activity, and stress control methods to your life will cumulatively bring about better health and a strong immune system. Head over to live and feel to find lifestyle tips that will aid your recovery and keep you healthy.
