BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT

Bones, like the ones in our hips and thighs, have a spongy tissue which is called bone marrow. It contains stem cells which can develop into red blood cells to carry oxygen through our bodies. Bone marrow also makes up the immune system. Bone marrow treatment is done to replace the unhealthy marrow with healthy bone marrow. It is also known as the blood or marrow transplant (BMT). It is taken care of by the haematology department. This department consists of more than one science that is related with blood and the organs that produce blood. It examines any problem related to blood and looks after the origin, structure, development and regulation levels of the blood composition. Blood transfusion, bone marrow transplant and cell applications are all done by this department. 

The hematology department we only work with experts in all the problems related to blood. We also suggest tests before carrying out the transplant. Our experts in medicines will also prescribe the suitable medicine for you. 

Bone marrow transplant in Turkey

The situation under which bone marrow transplant is required is leukemia. Blood or bone marrow cancer is largely known as leukemia. It occurs when the leukocytes or the white blood cells are affected by the cancerous cells. It can be treated with drugs in the childhood. It requires chemotherapy for the treatment and can go up to 3 to 3.5 years at a stretch. Almost 85% of the patients afflicted with leukemia are said to be living healthily after going through chemotherapy. However, chemotherapy may not always work on all types of cancers. Thus, bone marrow transplant is done on people who cannot take chemotherapy or cannot respond to chemotherapy. On the other hand, chemotherapy can be given to people who do not respond to bone marrow transplant. In the bone marrow transplant method the healthy stem cells are taken from the healthy people and are the n transplanted to the bone marrow of the people ailing from leukemia. This leads to a proper and normal blood production for the patient. 

How can the bone marrow transplant be done?

Before the healthy cells are transferred from one person to the patient’s body, their tissue group compatibility is checked. Unless both are compatible the bone marrow transplantation will not be a successful one. Therefore, it is mandatory to check the compatibility. Following are some ways how the bone marrow transplant can be made possible:

• Compatible tissue groups (HLA) can be easily obtained from siblings or rarely from other family members. The compatible group tissues can also be obtained from others outside the family circle as far as compatibility is concerned. 
• The patient's own marrow can also be frozen and then given back to the patient later again during the bone marrow transplant.
• The main stem cells can also be possibly taken with special and critical treatments from healthy people and stored. Then they can be transplanted to the patients later on.
• Newborn sibling's placenta may also be used as a compatible group tissue to be given during the bone marrow transplant.

The collection is done at the hospital where the transplant will take place. New cells start to work nearly in 3 weeks by gradually repairing the damaged blood cells.