9 Steps In Autologous Stem Cell Transplant
Autologous transplants are given to patients with blood cancers. This transplant allows the use of high dose chemotherapy, which improves the condition of a cancer patient. Most patients are given a single transplant, but patients with myeloma and other solid tumors would require two or more transplants, over a period of few months. In autologous stem cell transplant, the patient is their own cell donor. Required cells are collected in advance (during remission) and returned to the patient at a later stage to replace their stem cells that have been damaged because of chemotherapy. This stem cell therapy for cancer involves a long and complex process. The 9 stages in this therapy are 1. Transplant planning: Cells are collected when the patient is in a stable state.
2. Pre-transplant workup: Cells are collected using a cell separator machine after deciding the best day for collection by bloodtests. 3. Conditioning therapy: high doses of chemotherapy and at times radiation are given before a week of transplant to treat diseases like cancer. 4. Transplant: Frozen stem cells are re-infused into the body
5. Pre-Engraftment: Cells move to the bone marrow and start to grow
6. Potential post transplant complications: Blood count drops after a week of transplant as white blood cells being produced are very less. 7. Discharge from hospital: Once the blood count start to increase, the patient would be discharged 8. Potential side effects: Areas exposed to infection should be avoided. 9. Recovery: Regular visits to the hospital should be made.