Bone marrow transplantation is actually stem cell transplantation in the current sense. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue in the inner parts of bones and contains special stem cells that form blood cells. Stem cells are the main cells that ensure the continuation of life by transforming into many different cells when needed. There are various stem cells. Among these, the most emphasized ones are
hematopoietic (blood-forming) stem cells. The stem cells discussed in this article are blood-forming stem cells. Stem cells in the bone marrow turn into three different blood cells. These are
red blood cells (erythrocytes) that carry oxygen, white blood cells (leukocytes) that protect our body against infection or other disease-causing factors,
cancer, and platelets that prevent bleeding (
cells ( platelets). If there is damage that prevents the bone marrow from performing this task safely, stem cell transplantation is needed. Stem cells taken from a healthy person are transplanted to the patient.
. Stem cells are mostly obtained from the marrow of the hip bone, from the peripheral blood circulating in the arm veins, and from the cord blood (from the umbilical cord after the baby is born), however, the number of stem cells in the cord blood depends on the bone marrow. or less than the stem cells in the peripheral blood.
Stem cell transplantation is most commonly performed in the following diseases:
Diseases that cause bone marrow failure (e.g. aplastic anemia)
Blood cancer (e.g. acute leukemia, which is cancer of the white blood cells)
Lymph node cancer (for example, non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, which is cancer of the lymphatic system)
Some genetic blood diseases (for example, thalassemia-Mediterranean anemia)
Apart from the diseases we have mentioned, organs such as breast, ovaries, testicles
cancers, germ cell tumors, neuroblastoma, immune system diseases (e.g.
systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis), immunodeficiency diseases (e.g. Wiskott- Stem cell transplantation can also be performed in congenital metabolic diseases such as Aldrich Syndrome, immunodeficiency syndrome. In these areas, stem cell transplantation is as effective as in hematological diseases.
r is not common. There are three types of stem cell transplants.
1-Allogeneic stem cell transplantation: Stem cells taken from another person are used for the patient.
. The preferred donors for this type of transplantation are family members. If a donor within the family cannot be found, it is taken from relatives outside the family, or if not, from non-relative individuals.
2-Autologous stem cell transplantation: While the patient is in good condition, stem cells are taken, stored and used in case of need in the future.
3-Syngeneic stem cell transplantation: The patient is given stem cells taken from his twin brother.
It is desired that the donor who gives stem cells to the patient be fully compatible with the patient in terms of tissue compatibility.
If a fully compatible donor cannot be found, then stem cells are taken from almost or partially compatible donors.
However, in stem cell transplants that are not fully compatible, the risk of failure increases. Those who weigh less than 50 kg become weak. or overweight people with high body mass index
, people under 18 years of age, people over 55 years of age, people with infectious diseases and immune system diseases, people who have been refused blood donations from the blood bank, people with heart diseases
patients, lung patients, cancer patients, blood patients, people with coagulation disorders, diabetes
patients, and those who have had an organ or tissue transplant cannot be stem cell donors. There are no serious health problems in people who are stem cell donors. There may be some undesirable complications in patients who undergo stem cell transplantation.
The most feared of these is the tissue rejection reaction. Itching, scaly rash and redness on the skin, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, jaundice and liver damage, bloody or watery diarrhea, fever, lung, kidney
and Damage to other organs and dry mouth may be symptoms of tissue rejection. Viral,
fungal or bacterial infections are also important complications of stem cell transplantation.
Dear readers, I wish you a disease-free, problem-free, healthy, happy and long life.
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