Stem Cell Transplants

Question 1

What is a stem cell transplant and when is it used?

Answer 1

After high does of chemotherapy or radiotherapy to treat lymphoma, leukaemia or myeloma, the stem cells are depleted so a transplant is needed.

Stem cell- stem cells collected from bloodstream
Bone marrow- stem cells collected from bone marrow

Question 2

What is an autologous stem cell transplant?

Answer 2

Uses patients own pre-harvested stem cells to transfuse. Need to have growth factor injections to boost stem cells in the bloodstream beforehand.

Question 3

What is an allogenic stem cell transplant?

Answer 3

Stem cells transfused from an eligible donor. Usually brother or sister or matched unrelated donor.

Match depends on 10 HLA proteins. Need 9 or 10 out of 10 to be an acceptable match. Less likely to have graft vs host disease

Question 4

What is a cord cell transplant?

Answer 4

Women can donate their cord and placenta to have the stem cells harvested. Often used in children and does not need to be as close a match.

Question 5

Give 6 side effects of a stem cell transplant

Answer 5

Increased risk of infection 
Diet change- need to wash fruit well and heat food well 
Lose all vaccination history 
Anaemia 
Increased risk of bleeding 
N+V
Sore mouth 
Lose appetite
Weight loss 
Fatigue 
Infertility 
Graft vs host disease- graft attacks the host stem cells as they recognise them as foreign.