What are the treatments for aplastic anemia?
The first step in the treatment of aplastic anemia involves discontinuing exposure to any substance that may be causing the disorder. Although it would seem that blood transfusions would be helpful in this disease, in fact, they only serve as a temporary help, and may complicate future attempts at bone marrow transplantation. The most successful treatment for aplastic anemia is bone marrow transplantation. To do this, a marrow donor (often a sibling) must be identified. There are a number of tissue markers that must be examined to determine whether a bone marrow donation is likely to be compatible with the patient’s immune system. Compatibility is necessary to avoid complications, including the destruction of the donor marrow by the patient’s own immune system. Patients who cannot undergo bone marrow transplant can be treated with a number of agents, including antithymocyte globulin (ATG), cyclophosphamide, steroids, and cyclosporine. These agents all have the potential to cause a numb
