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Understanding Stem Cell Transplants

Stem cell transplants restore blood-forming stem cells in cancer patients whose own stem cells were destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy. There are three types of stem cell transplants: autologous using the patient's own stem cells, allogeneic using a donor's stem cells, and syngeneic using an identical twin's stem cells. Stem cell transplants help cancer recovery by replacing destroyed stem cells allowing the body to produce new blood cells, and in some leukemias and myeloma the donor cells may attack remaining cancer cells. However, stem cell transplants also carry side effects like infections and graft-versus-host disease where donor cells attack the patient's body.

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63 views49 pages

Understanding Stem Cell Transplants

Stem cell transplants restore blood-forming stem cells in cancer patients whose own stem cells were destroyed by chemotherapy or radiation therapy. There are three types of stem cell transplants: autologous using the patient's own stem cells, allogeneic using a donor's stem cells, and syngeneic using an identical twin's stem cells. Stem cell transplants help cancer recovery by replacing destroyed stem cells allowing the body to produce new blood cells, and in some leukemias and myeloma the donor cells may attack remaining cancer cells. However, stem cell transplants also carry side effects like infections and graft-versus-host disease where donor cells attack the patient's body.

Uploaded by

sabuz pata
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

STEM CELLS

Stem Cell Transplants in Cancer Treatment

Stem cell transplants are procedures that restore blood-forming stem


cells in people who have had theirs destroyed by the high doses of
chemotherapy or radiation therapy that are used to treat certain
cancers.
Blood-forming stem cells are important because they grow into
different types of blood cells. The main types of blood cells are:

•white blood cells, which are part of your immune system and help
your body fight infection
•red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body
•platelets, which help the blood clot
Types of stem cell transplants

In a stem cell transplant, you receive healthy blood-forming stem cells


through a needle in your vein. Once they enter your bloodstream, the stem
cells travel to the bone marrow, where they take the place of the cells that
were destroyed by treatment. The blood-forming stem cells that are used in
transplants can come from the bone marrow, bloodstream, or umbilical
cord. Transplants can be:

•autologous, which means the stem cells come from you, the patient
•allogeneic, which means the stem cells come from someone else. The
donor may be a blood relative but can also be someone who is not related.
•syngeneic, which means the stem cells come from your identical twin, if
you have one

To reduce possible side effects and improve the chances that an allogeneic
transplant will work, the donor’s blood-forming stem cells must match
yours in certain ways. To learn more about how blood-forming stem cells
are matched, see Blood-Forming Stem Cell Transplants.
How stem cell transplants work against cancer

Stem cell transplants do not usually work against cancer directly.


Instead, they help you recover your body's ability to produce stem
cells after treatment with very high doses of radiation therapy,
chemotherapy, or both.
However, in multiple myeloma and some types of leukemia, the
stem cell transplant may work against cancer directly. This
happens because of an effect called graft-versus-tumor that can
occur after allogeneic transplants. Graft-versus-tumor occurs when
white blood cells from your donor (the graft) attack any cancer
cells that remain in your body (the tumor) after high-dose
treatments. This effect improves the success of the treatments.
Stem cell transplants can cause side effects

The high doses of cancer treatment that you have before a stem cell
transplant can cause problems such as bleeding and an increased risk of
infection. Talk with your doctor or nurse about other side effects that you
might have and how serious they might be. For more information about
side effects and how to manage them, see the section on side effects.

If you have an allogeneic transplant, you might develop a serious problem


called graft-versus-host disease. Graft-versus-host disease can occur when
white blood cells from your donor (the graft) recognize cells in your body
(the host) as foreign and attack them. This problem can cause damage to
your skin, liver, intestines, and many other organs. It can occur a few
weeks after the transplant or much later. Graft-versus-host disease can be
treated with steroids or other drugs that suppress your immune system.
The closer your donor’s blood-forming stem cells match yours, the less
likely you are to have graft-versus-host disease. Your doctor may also try
to prevent it by giving you drugs to suppress your immune system.

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