Bone Marrow Transplant has become a specialized surgical procedure for the treatment of leukemia, lymphoma, and Parkinson’s disease

 

Bone Marrow Transplantation (or BMT) is the specialized treatment of patients suffering from diseases like multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and multiple myeloma. Hematologic stem cells are usually taken from bone marrow. They are harvested and divided into two types namely autologous and allogenic. Autologous cells are implanted in the diseased area and they work against the disease while allogeneic cells are taken from the bone marrow and used for transplants. In general, BMT is more successful when compared to other treatment modalities. In Germany, around 13,895 people were diagnosed with leukemia with around 4% of them aged 15 years and below.

One common cause of blood transfusions is the occurrence of sickle cell anemia. Sickle cell anemia is a disorder wherein the red blood cells of the body are shaped differently from normal. These blood cells are thick and might contain large amounts of iron. A bone marrow transplant can be given after the occurrence of sickle cell anemia. Blood transfusion therapy is not usually required when BMT is given. Another reason why a bone marrow transplant is considered effective is that it improves the immune status of the patient. This means that during the period of the treatment, a healthy person is provided with stem cells from the bone marrow so the person will not get sick easily. Since these stem cells come from the bone marrow, they are considered to be healthier than those stem cells obtained from the normal body. This means that there is a higher probability of the treatment being successful.

Patients who undergo this type of treatment are known to have more than a 50 percent chance of achieving full remission. However, due to the effectiveness of this procedure, this percentage may vary. The procedure involves the use of a new procedure where new stem cells from the bone marrow are transplanted into the bloodstream of the patient. Recently, in February 2020, Jupiter Hospital, Pune, India launched a bone marrow transplant center to provide advanced medical treatment for common disorders such as myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma.