logo
logo
AI Products 

Autologous Stem Cell And Non-Stem Cell Based Therapies Transplantation: Understanding the Differences

avatar
Pooja salve
Autologous Stem Cell And Non-Stem Cell Based Therapies Transplantation: Understanding the Differences

What are Autologous Stem Cell Transplants? An autologous stem cell transplant is a procedure that uses a patient's own blood-forming stem cells to restore the bone marrow and immune system that may be damaged by high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy given to treat certain cancers, such as multiple myeloma or breast cancer. In an autologous transplant, the patient's own blood-forming stem cells are collected from their bloodstream and stored in frozen containers. After high-dose treatment, the stem cells are thawed and returned to the patient intravenously. The stem cells travel to the bone marrow and begin producing new white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Autologous Stem Cell And Non-Stem Cell Based Therapies transplantation provides the patient with stem cells capable of regenerating their entire hematopoietic (blood and immune) system. As long as the original cancer hasn't contaminated or damaged the harvested stem cells, an autologous transplant allows patients to receive higher doses of chemo and radiation to try to eradicate any lingering cancer cells. The Process of Autologous Stem Cell Collection Blood-forming stem cells are typically collected from the bloodstream using a procedure called peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection. During this outpatient process, the patient receives injections of drugs that mobilize stem cells from the bone marrow into circulating blood. Then an apheresis machine is used to collect the enriched blood product containing stem cells. The blood is passed through a machine that separates out the stem cells, returning other blood components like red blood cells back to the patient. This process may need to be repeated over several days to collect an adequate number of stem cells for transplant. Once collected, the stem cells are cryopreserved in special containers at very low temperatures until needed for transplant. Studies show that stem cells frozen for over 20 years can still regenerate blood production after thawing. What are Non-Stem Cell Transplants? A non-stem cell transplant involves the transfer of blood-forming cells from a donor to help a patient's bone marrow recover after intensive chemo/radiation. These donor cells see the patient's body as foreign and work to fight off remaining cancer cells. The two main types of non-stem cell transplants are: - Allogeneic transplant: This uses stem cells from a donor whose tissues match the patient's as closely as possible, often a sibling. Close matches lower the risks of rejection and complications. - Umbilical cord blood transplant: This uses blood remaining in the placenta and umbilical cord after a baby is born. Cord blood contains stem cells that can treat over 80 diseases if a suitable cell match is found. Benefits and Challenges of Allogeneic Transplants A key benefit of allogeneic transplants is the graft-versus-tumor effect. The donor immune cells may help fight off any residual cancer cells through an immune response recognizing the patient's body as foreign. However, risks are also higher as the donor cells could potentially cause graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) by attacking the patient's normal organs and tissues. Treatment is needed to prevent rejection of donor cells or development of GVHD. Supportive medications are required long-term. With autologous transplants, there is no risk of GVHD since the stem cells come from the patient. However, there is a potential for reintroducing cancer cells if not all were removed during the initial chemotherapy. Close monitoring is important post-transplant. Eligibility for Different Transplant Types Autologous transplants are generally considered for patients whose disease is responsive to chemotherapy, meaning their cancer can be reduced to low or undetectable levels prior to stem cell collection. This helps minimize reintroducing tumor cells. Allogeneic transplants are typically recommended for diseases where high-dose chemo alone may not provide a cure or the cancer is aggressive. The graft-versus-tumor effect offers an added treatment effect. However, patients must be healthy enough to undergo the intensive procedure and manage potential complications. Umbilical cord blood transplants can be an option when a well-matched bone marrow donor is not available for allogeneic transplant. They have lower rates of GVHD but the stem cells from cord blood may engraft or produce new blood cells more slowly. Both autologous and allogeneic stem cell/non-stem cell transplantation can provide potentially curative treatment options for patients with relapsed or high-risk blood cancers and other diseases. Choice of transplant depends on disease characteristics, health status, availability of matched donors, and other factors assessed by a transplant team. With continued advances, more patients may benefit from these intensive but potentially life-saving procedures.


Get this Report in Japanese Language-  自家幹細胞と非幹細胞治療

 

Get this Report in Korean Language-  자가 줄기세포 및 비줄기세포 기반 치료법


About Author-

Ravina Pandya, Content Writer, has a strong foothold in the market research industry. She specializes in writing well-researched articles from different industries, including food and beverages, information and technology, healthcare, chemical and materials, etc. With an MBA in E-commerce, she has an expertise in SEO-optimized content that resonates with industry professionals. (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ravina-pandya-1a3984191)

collect
0
avatar
Pooja salve
guide
Zupyak is the world’s largest content marketing community, with over 400 000 members and 3 million articles. Explore and get your content discovered.
Read more