Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplants in India: A Parent’s Guide
In a Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, haematologist-oncologists, nurses, social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, and others treat children and adolescents whose cancers are either fatal or curable with bone marrow transplants. Contrary to popular belief, many children and families cope well, especially in relatively simple cases with a positive outcome.
In simple words, Bone Marrow (Stem Cell) Transplantation is a treatment for teenagers and children with certain kinds of cancer and other blood disorders, including Sickle Cell Anaemia in some circumstances.
What is Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation?
A bone marrow transplant (BMT) is an intervention treatment for children with cancer or other blood disorders. The purpose of this treatment is to replace a kid’s damaged bone marrow with healthy bone marrow.
Bone marrow is the sponge-like material in the middle of the bones that produces all types of blood cells, including stem cells, which are fresh blood cells. A paediatric bone marrow transplant in India involves filtering stem cells and reinserting them. These stem cells will then develop into new, healthy bone marrow. The transplanted stem cells are called the graft.
In India, there are different types of Bone Marrow Transplant depending on how the healthy stem cells are harvested:
1- Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant: Your child is their own donor. There are two methods for collecting your child’s stem cells:
- Peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs): During apheresis, stem cells are extracted from your child’s peripheral blood. Apheresis is the process of collecting stem cells (peripheral blood stem cells) that float in the blood. The cells are returned to your child after extensive treatment.
- Bone marrow harvest: Doctors extract stem cells from your child by inserting a needle into the soft middle of their bones. Hip bones are the most commonly used regions for bone marrow harvesting because they contain a higher concentration of stem cells.
2- Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant: The donor has the same or similar genetic type to your child. This is often a brother or sister. Finding a compatible donor can be time-consuming. In some cases, a parent may be a donor. The donor could also be a matched unrelated donor (MUD) found through a bone marrow registry. The donor’s stem cells are extracted using apheresis or bone marrow extraction.
3- Umbilical Cord Blood Transplant: Stem cells are extracted from a baby’s umbilical cord shortly after birth. These stem cells mature more quickly and effectively than stem cells from another adult’s or child’s bone marrow. The stem cells are examined, typed, and numbered before being frozen until they are used in a transplant.
Reason for Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplant-
Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplant aims to cure numerous diseases, including cancer. It can be used to do the following:
Transplanting healthy bone marrow in place of sick bone marrow. This is done to treat diseases like aplastic anaemia, leukaemia, and sickle cell anaemia.
Bone marrow is replaced after strong doses of chemotherapy or radiation, which are used to treat cancer. This surgery is generally referred to as rescue rather than transplant. This is used to treat conditions like lymphoma and neuroblastoma.
Replacing damaged bone marrow with healthy bone marrow minimises further injury from a hereditary disorder. This procedure is used to treat illnesses such as Hurler syndrome and adrenoleukodystrophy disorder.
In India, Paediatric Bone Marrow Transplant can be used to treat the following diseases:
- Cancers include brain tumours, leukaemia, neuroblastoma, lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and kidney cancer.
- Aplastic anaemia is a kind of anaemia.
- Immune deficiency like Wiskott-Aldrich disease or severe mixed immunodeficiency disorder.
- Genetic disorders include Sickle Cell Disease, Diamond Blackfan Anaemia, Thalassemia, Hurler Syndrome, and Adrenoleukodystrophy Disorder.
Conclusion
There is a common question regarding whether a relative other than a sibling can donate bone marrow. A parent has a 1% chance of being closely matched with their child and can be employed in the same way as a matched sibling can. In general, the chances of finding a suitably matched relative, such as an uncle, cousin, or grandmother, are so slim that the time and effort required to conduct a search are usually not worth it. However, it may be worthwhile to conduct a thorough extended family search in rare instances, such as if the parents’ families are linked.
The long-term success of each child differs. Throughout the transplant procedure, emotional support for your kid and family is critical. Your transplant team will help you deal with the procedure’s stress and will be there for you when your child comes home. They will advise you on drugs, child care, and when and how to contact them if you have any issues.
Your child’s transplant team will also discuss with you about their prognosis, follow-up care, and future treatments.
Curebridge, home to several of India’s most excellent hematologists, is committed to conforming to India’s growing healthcare policies. Curebridge assures that its Hematology practices, led by the best hematologists in India, adhere to the most recent norms and regulations by remaining at the forefront of these policies. This commitment to improving the quality of care offered to patients has a global influence by serving as a model for healthcare practices worldwide.
Curebridge’s expertise benefits patients from all over the world, as the institution’s unwavering commitment to compliance and innovation, driven by the best hematologists in India, creates new standards in orthopedics, providing hope and healing to people worldwide.