Bone marrow has nothing to do with brain activity, as it has no neurons. Bone marrow transplantation is a transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells, which are involved in the genesis of blood cells. The material is extracted from the spongy tissues of fonor’s large bones and transplanted to the recipient via intravenous injections. Lots of bone marrow transplantations are performed in Israeli clinics annually to treat cancer patients from all over the world.
Types of bone marrow transplantation
There are two types of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation depending on its purpose, patient’s diagnosis and medical condition.
- Autologous transplantation is transplantation of the patient’s own material extracted prior to treatment. The goal is to save and restore bone marrow which is damaged during chemotherapy for lymphoma, myeloma, acute leukemia and other cancers in other organs and systems of the body. Autologous bone marrow transplantation allows to prolong the remission period.
- Allogeneic transplantation – transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells from a donor (a close relative or any other histologically compatible HLA-type person). This type of bone marrow transplantation is performed in acute leukemia and other recurrent hematologic diseases, when standard chemotherapy does not have the expected effect. The donor material destroys leukemic cancer cells more intensively than the patient’s own hematopoietic stem cells.
There is also syngeneic bone marrow transplantation. This is a special case of allogeneic transplantation, when donor hematopoietic stem cells are taken from a genetically identical donor – the patient’s identical twin.
Indications
Each of the two types of bone marrow transplantation has its own list of indications, some of which may be common.
Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation:
- acute lymphoblastic leukemia;
- acute myeloid leukemia;
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma;
- malignant non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma;
- multiple myeloma;
- neuroblastoma;
- autoimmune diseases.
Allogeneic transplantation:
- acute lymphoblastic leukemia;
- acute myeloid leukemia;
- malignant lymphoma;
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma;
- chronic myeloleukemia;
- chronic lympholeukemia;
- myelodysplastic syndrome;
- primary myelofibrosis;
- aplastic anemia;
- thalassemia.
Transplanted healthy bone marrow allows to restore full hematopoietic function and actively fight cancer cells.
Contraindications
- Infectious diseases in acute form.
- Acute diseases of cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and genitourinary systems.
- Serious mental disorders.
- Pregnancy.
Bone marrow transplantation (transplantation) in Israel
Israeli clinics are affiliated with American and European transplant centers – active exchange of the latest technologies for transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells and treatment of hematooncological diseases allows achieving high efficiency and an extremely low percentage of rejection of donor material.
The latest medical equipment, advanced protocols for the treatment of hematooncological diseases and highly qualified doctors have made Israel a center for medical tourism for patients with blood cancer and other diseases requiring bone marrow transplantation.