Finding a cure

Understanding Transplantation

In a blood stem cell transplant, patients receive healthy blood stem cells from a donor. These donor cells navigate through the bloodstream to the patient’s bone marrow, initiating the production of new blood cells, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

Blood stem cell transplantation is a procedure requiring a dedicated team of healthcare professionals, including a transplant physician, transplant nurse, and other specialists. Rigorous monitoring of the patient is essential before, during, and after the transplantation to address any potential complications. Nevertheless, for numerous patients grappling with blood cancers and related diseases, a blood stem cell transplant stands as a potentially life-saving treatment option.

Navigating the patient journey

What is autologous and allogeneic transplant?

In blood stem cell transplants, two main types of protocols: autologous and allogeneic.

Autologous Transplants:
- Utilize the patient’s own stem cells.
- Stem cells are collected before high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
- Post-treatment, the patient’s stem cells are reintroduced to restore blood-forming cells.
Allogeneic Transplants:
- Involve stem cells from a closely matched donor, collected from bone marrow, peripheral blood, or cord blood.
- Donors can be relatives or strangers, chosen based on human leukocyte antigens (HLA) compatibility.

Finding a Matching Donor

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Matching Donor Confirmation

Transplantation & Recovery

Pre-transplant treatment includes high-dose chemotherapy and possibly radiation.
This prepares the patient for transplantation by creating space for healthy stem cells and suppressing the immune system.
After transplantation, the patient stays in the hospital until immune system recovery is confirmed.
Specialists monitor for side effects, infections, Graft vs. Host Disease, or graft failure during this critical recovery period.

Risks of transplantation

A bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cell or umbilical cord blood transplantation is a medical procedure, and no procedure is risk-free. Patients should always consult their transplant physician about the associated risks. Outcomes have improved considerably thanks to collaboration between scientists, clinicians and nurses within scientific communities that collect data on procedures and analyse outcomes. Disease-free survival rates depend on various aspects, including disease stage and degree of HLA matching between donor and patient.

Infection: the risk of infection is increased after transplantation because the patient’s immune system is weak. Infections can be serious and may be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or yeast. The risk of infections decreases as the immune system recovers.

Graft vs. Host Disease: GvHD is a common complication for people who receive blood stem cells from a donor. It can vary from mild to life-threatening. In GvHD, the new blood stem cells attack the recipient’s body. Acute GvHD occurs within 90 to 100 days after transplantation; chronic GvHD occurs more than 90 to 100 days after.

Graft failure: this means that the new blood stem cells do not function properly. It can happen if the patient’s immune system rejects the new blood stem cells, if the number or quality of the transplanted cells was insufficient, or if the transplanted cells are damaged by infection or toxic substances after transplantation.

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