What are the different types of bone marrow or stem cell transplantation?
There are two main types of transplants – Autologous and Allogenic. Autologous Transplants: This means that the bone marrow or stem cells used for the transplant are one’s own. A little bit of the patient’s bone marrow or stem cells is taken and stored before high dose treatment. When the treatment is over, the bone marrow or stem cells are given back through a vein. Allogeneic Transplants: In this type of transplant, bone marrow donated by someone else is used. It is essential that the donor’s tissue matches. The most suitable donor is usually a close relative, most commonly a brother or sister. It is possible to get a good match from an unrelated donor, but this facility does not exist in India. What is the basic process? There are three main steps in the transplantation process – The first step is the collection of the bone marrow or stem cells (the harvest) from the donor. We now know that the umbilical cord blood is also a rich source of stem cells. The second step is to completel
