Bone marrow transplant 7
Bone marrow transplantation is a fast–changing field, with new advances occurring regularly. At present, two new types of bone marrow transplants are being studied in clinical trials and producing significant results. They are:
Mini–transplant. Also called a non–myeloablative or reduced–intensity transplant, this is a type of allogeneic transplant that uses lower, less toxic doses of chemotherapy or radiation to prepare patients for bone marrow transplants. These lower doses do not completely destroy the patient’s bone marrow but still reduce levels of cancer cells and suppress the immune system to prevent rejection of the transplant. These treatments are being tried in older patients and those with solid tumors.
Unlike a traditional bone marrow transplant, cells from both the donor and the patient coexist in the body for a while after a mini–transplant. However, as the donor cells begin the process of engraftment, they may trigger the graft–versus–tumor (GVT) effect and begin killing cancer cells that remain after chemotherapy or radiation.
Mini–transplants are being tested for use in treating:
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Multiple myeloma
- Other cancers of the blood
Tandem transplant. A type of autologous transplant that involves two sequential courses of high–dose chemotherapy with a stem cell transplant. In most cases, two treatment courses are given several weeks to several months apart.
Researchers are hopeful this method will help prevent cancers from recurring later. It is being tested for use in:
- Multiple myeloma
- Antigen cell cancer
Marie Godfrey, PhDÂ Â Â <!--break-->