Blood Disorders

A variety blood disorders can be treated by infusing healthy hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) with the patient's blood. HSCs are responsible for renewing the body's blood supply. They can give rise to all blood cells: white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets.

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Types of Transplants:

Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant:

A patient receives HSCs from a donor. The tissue types of the patient and donor must match in order to avoid rejection. Advantageously, the donor HSCs may recognize the patient's leukemia cells as foreign bodies and attack them.
Autologous Stem Cell Transplant:

A sample of HSCs is removed from the patient's blood or bone marrow and stored. The patient then undergoes treatment such as chemotherapy. The stored HSCs are purged of leukemia cells and then reinfused into the patient's blood post-treatment. This technique is often used with patients who cannot find a suitable donor match.

Leukemia

Leukemia occurs when a mutation occurs in the DNA of blood cells. These abnormal blood cells persistently crowd out the healthy blood cells found in the bone marrow. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplants stimulate healthy bone marrow growth, which in turn makes new blood cells. Transplants of HSCs can be obtained from peripheral blood or bone marrow. In some cases, cord blood stem cells are used because they are less likely to be rejected by the patient's immune system.

Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell Disease is a genetic disorder in which hemoglobin, a molecule found in red blood cells that distributes oxygen to the body, is affected. Patients carrying this disease have abnormal hemoglobin molecules that deform the shape of their red blood cells. As a result, the sickle cells stick together and block blood flow, leading to pain and organ damage. Many patients have been successfully treated with blood stem cell and bone marrow transplants. In preparation for a transplant, patients undergo chemotherapy to destroy their own unhealthy stem cells so that their body readily accepts the incoming stem cells. The patient’s own cells are then replaced with healthy blood-forming stem cells from a donor.