In a deep dive into the intricate field of medical transplants, a ground-breaking exploration unfolds into bone marrow transplantation, a life-saving procedure that plays a crucial role in treating severe blood disorders such as leukemia, aplastic anemia, and lymphomas. The procedure, while offering hope for many, demands a rigorous and meticulous process tailored to replace damaged bone marrow cells with healthy ones, required due to the bone marrow‘s critical role in producing essential blood cells.
The transplant journey begins with either an autologous transplant, using the patient’s own stem cells, or an allogeneic transplant from a donor. These stem cells are collected through methods such as bone marrow harvest or peripheral blood stem cell collection. Before the transplant, patients undergo high-dose chemotherapy or radiation not only to destroy the diseased bone marrow but to reduce the risk of transplant rejection. This intensive conditioning phase significantly weakens the immune system, necessitating a period of quarantine to protect the patient from any potential infections.
Shariati Hospital, a leader in hematology oncology and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, boasts over three decades of experience. It has conducted a staggering 8,300 transplants since its inception. The focus remains on two primary types of transplantations, autologous and allogeneic, allowing for a diverse application in treating malignant and non-malignant blood diseases, as well as immune deficiencies.
In recent advancements, cell therapy has been growing in prominence alongside traditional bone marrow transplants. Techniques like CAR T-cell therapy involve modifying the patient’s T-cells to combat cancer more effectively. This transformation in cancer treatment, along with CAR NK cell therapy, offers renewed hope, although the full capacity required for bone marrow procedures in the country remains unmet. However, with continuous advancements, efforts to bridge this gap are underway.
