What Is Hematopoietic Cell Transplant?
Hematopoietic cell transplantation is a medical procedure used to treat a wide variety of diseases, including childhood cancer. It replaces damaged or inactive blood-forming (hematopoietic) cells with healthy blood-forming cells.
Since the main source of blood-forming cells is the bone marrow, this procedure is traditionally called a bone marrow transplant. Gradually with development in this field it came to be called hematopoietic cell transplantation. These words are often used interchangeably. Some people may also call this procedure stem cell transplant.
Some childhood cancers can be successfully treated with transplants, but they can have serious side effects and delayed effects. This option should be considered carefully. Getting a transplant is not an easy process. This can have physical and mental effects on both the patient and the family caregiver. But many people from the transplant care team will be there to support patients and families during this time. Many children and teens who have received transplants now lead active cancer-free lives.
There are two basic types of implants:
Allogeneic(blood-forming cells are taken from a donor) and autologous (the patient's own cells are used). The patient receives cells from the donor through a vein, like a blood transfusion. The cells travel through the bloodstream to the center of the long bones. With the help of the transplanted cells, the patient makes healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
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Role of Bone Marrow and Blood Forming Cells
Bone marrow is a soft, spongy substance located in the center of most of the body's bones. Bone marrow contains a large number of blood-forming (hematopoietic) cells.
Hematopoietic cells are the ancestors of all other blood cells. These cells mature and later become the following:
- Red blood cells (which carry oxygen)
- Platelets (which help blood clot)
- White blood cells (which fight infection)
The bone marrow works like a blood cell factory, constantly producing new hematopoietic cells so that the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood can do their jobs properly.
All red blood cells and platelets, as well as about 70 percent of white blood cells, are made in the bone marrow. (The other 30 percent is made up of the spleen, lymph nodes, and lymph nodes.)
A small number of hematopoietic cells can be found in the peripheral (circulating) blood. Cord blood is also a source of blood-forming cells.
The goals of transplantation are to:
Give high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation to destroy the patient's cancer.
Prevent rejection of donor cells (allogeneic rejection).
Replace the patient's blood cells with healthy donor cells that will fight and destroy the cancer cells.