How Bone Marrow Transplants Work in India?

Cancer is a lifelong ailment. It is not possible for a healthy person to have an inkling of the physical pain and emotional scarring that a cancer patient and their family has to go through. It not only drains a patient’s bank account, but quite literally their life. Cancer treatments, even when they kill off all the cancer cells, damage healthy blood cells in the process. 

If you go to the best cancer specialist in Mumbai, they would probably direct you to Jaslok Hospitals and Research Center. From conducting path-breaking research on cancer treatment in Mumbai to taking exemplary care of their patients, they are doing it all. Their stellar team of doctors and nurses are empathetic, polite, and helpful, which is what makes them a top choice for patients around the globe. 

Bone Marrow Transplantation

Bone Marrow is the soft, gel-like material found inside the bones. It consists of hematopoietic cells that form blood. These blood-forming stem cells multiply into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Jaslok Hospitals and Research Center is a bmt hospital in Mumbai, that specializes in bone marrow transplantation. Some peripheral blood stem cells are found in the bloodstream. Some stem cells are also available in the umbilical cord. Cancer treatment in Mumbai encompasses a procedure to inject new stem cells to replace the damaged stem cells. The process is termed as ‘engraftment’. 

Bone Marrow Transplantation and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation are procedures to restore the stem cells that have been lost or damaged due to chemotherapy, a form of cancer treatment. There are three types of bone marrow transplantation- autologous transplantation where the patients receive identical stem cells from their twin, allogeneic transplantation where the patients receive stem cells from an unrelated or non-familial donor. After new stem cells are injected 

The reason why you should choose the best bmt hospital in Mumbai, Jaslok Hospitals and Research Center for your bone marrow transplantation is because they have specialized equipment and trained doctors to perform this critical operation. 

Conditions that Indicate You Need a Bone Marrow Transplant

The best cancer specialist in Mumbai would recommend a bone marrow transplant for you if only you have undergone high doses of radiation therapy to combat any kind of cancer. Jaslok Hospitals are one of the best radiation therapy hospitals in Mumbai, making a top choice to undergo bone marrow transplant. Myeloma, Malignant lymphoma, and acute myeloblastic leukemia are some of the most critical illnesses that demand bone marrow transplantation. Leukemia and Neuroblastoma are two of the most common cancers that are treated with bone bone marrow transplantation and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Bone marrow transplants also help to kill off any leftover cancerous cells in the body. Some kinds of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation leads to a phenomenon like graft-versus-tumor that kills off leftover radiation therapy cells in the body. 

Survival Rate of Bone Marrow Transplant Patients

Most patients who underwent bone marrow transplantation at one of the radiation therapy hospitals in Mumbai survived for more than three years. It depends on the crucial one year period after transplantation. The one who lived after a year went on to live another year. It cou;d be estimated depending on the type of cancer and age that a person who underwent bone marrow transplantation would live for 6 to 7 years for certain. 

Matching Criteria for Bone Marrow Transplantation

HLA Markers like Human Leukocyte Antigens are the sole determining agents of a bone transplant match. They decide whether the transplanted cell is a foreign cell or not. 

The most common tests that are required for bone marrow transplantation and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation are blood tests, chest X-rays, PET scans, heart tests, and a bone marrow biopsy of both the donor and the receiver.

Risks and Side Effects for Bone Marrow Transplantation

The most obvious risk factor in a bone marrow transplantation is tissue rejection. The success of a bone marrow transplant is solely dependent on the matching of the tissue. If it does not match properly, it could lead to higher chances of infection, infertility,  potential damage to the liver, lungs, and kidneys, and so on. 

Conclusion

Bone marrow transplantation is quite an expensive and life-threatening procedure. However, its alternatives are also not reliable. If cancerous cells are left in the body, or it damages healthy blood cells, it would be fatal for a person. Most patients who have already battled with cancer prefer to fight the last remaining bits as well. Jaslok Hospitals’ team of doctors offer unparalleled equipment and emotional support for its patients.