Stem cell transplants are procedures that restore blood-forming stem cells in people who have had theirs destroyed by the very high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy that are used to treat certain cancers.
Blood-forming stem cells are important because they grow into different types of blood cells. The main types of blood cells are:
- White blood cells, which are part of your immune system and help your body fight infection
- Red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body
- Platelets, which help the blood clot
You need all three types of blood cells to be healthy.
TYPES OF STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS
In a stem cell transplant, you receive healthy blood-forming stem cells through a needle in your vein. Once they enter your bloodstream, the stem cells travel to the bone marrow, where they take the place of the cells that were destroyed by treatment. The blood-forming stem cells that are used in transplants can come from the bone marrow, bloodstream, or umbilical cord. Transplants can be:
- Autologous, which means the stem cells come from you, the patient
- Allogeneic, which means the stem cells come from someone else. The donor may be a blood relative but can also be someone who is not related.
- Syngeneic, which means the stem cells come from your identical twin, if you have one
HOW STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS WORK AGAINST CANCER
Stem cell transplants do not usually work against cancer directly. Instead, they help you recover your ability to produce stem cells after treatment with very high doses of radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or both.
However, in multiple myeloma and some types of leukemia, the stem cell transplant may work against cancer directly. This happens because of an effect called graft-versus-tumor that can occur after allogeneic transplants. Graft-versus-tumor occurs when white blood cells from your donor (the graft) attack any cancer cells that remain in your body (the tumor) after high-dose treatments. This effect improves the success of the treatments.
WHO RECEIVES STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS
Stem cell transplants are most often used to help people with leukemia and lymphoma. They may also be used for neuroblastoma and multiple myeloma.
STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS CAN CAUSE SIDE EFFECTS
The high doses of cancer treatment that you have before a stem cell transplant can cause problems such as bleeding and an increased risk of infection. Talk with your doctor or nurse about other side effects that you might have and how serious they might be. For more information about side effects and how to manage them, see the section on side effects.
If you have an allogeneic transplant, you might develop a serious problem called graft-versus-host disease. Graft-versus-host disease can occur when white blood cells from your donor (the graft) recognize cells in your body (the host) as foreign and attack them. This problem can cause damage to your skin, liver, intestines, and many other organs. It can occur a few weeks after the transplant or much later. Graft-versus-host disease can be treated with steroids or other drugs that suppress your immune system.
The closer your donor’s blood-forming stem cells match yours, the less likely you are to have graft-versus-host disease. Your doctor may also try to prevent it by giving you drugs to suppress your immune system.
WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN RECEIVING A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT
HOW LONG IT TAKES TO HAVE A STEM CELL TRANSPLANT
A stem cell transplant can take a few months to complete. The process begins with treatment of high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of the two. This treatment goes on for a week or two. Once you have finished, you will have a few days to rest.
Next, you will receive the blood-forming stem cells. The stem cells will be given to you through an IV catheter. This process is like receiving a blood transfusion. It takes 1 to 5 hours to receive all the stem cells.
After receiving the stem cells, you begin the recovery phase. During this time, you wait for the blood cells you received to start making new blood cells.
Even after your blood counts return to normal, it takes much longer for your immune system to fully recover—several months for autologous transplants and 1 to 2 years for allogeneic or syngeneic transplants.
HOW STEM CELL TRANSPLANTS MAY AFFECT YOU
Stem cell transplants affect people in different ways. How you feel depends on:
- The type of transplant that you have
- The doses of treatment you had before the transplant
- How you respond to the high-dose treatments
- Your type of cancer
- How advanced your cancer is
- How healthy you were before the transplant
Since people respond to stem cell transplants in different ways, your doctor or nurses cannot know for sure how the procedure will make you feel.
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR STEM CELL TRANSPLANT WORKED
Doctors will follow the progress of the new blood cells by checking your blood counts often. As the newly transplanted stem cells produce blood cells, your blood counts will go up.
SPECIAL DIET NEEDS
The high-dose treatments that you have before a stem cell transplant can cause side effects that make it hard to eat, such as mouth sores and nausea. Tell your doctor or nurse if you have trouble eating while you are receiving treatment. You might also find it helpful to speak with a dietitian. For more information about coping with eating problems see the booklet Eating Hints or the section on side effects.
WORKING DURING YOUR STEM CELL TRANSPLANT
Whether or not you can work during a stem cell transplant may depend on the type of job you have. The process of a stem cell transplant, with the high-dose treatments, the transplant, and recovery, can take weeks or months. You will be in and out of the hospital during this time. Even when you are not in the hospital, sometimes you will need to stay near it, rather than staying in your own home. So, if your job allows, you may want to arrange to work remotely part-time.
Many employers are required by law to change your work schedule to meet your needs during cancer treatment. Talk with your employer about ways to adjust your work during treatment. You can learn more about these laws by talking with a social worker.
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