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Autologous
Stem Cell Transplant
from Bone Marrow Transplants, A
Book of Basics for Patients
A common form of treatment for Hodgkin’s Disease
patients that do not achieve remission after chemotherapy is a Stem Cell
Transplant or BMT. The most common on these transplants (performed over 5,000
times a year), and most successful, is an autologous (pronounced au-tol'-o-gous)
transplant. In an autologous BMT the patient is both the donor and the recipient
of the bone marrow.
Autologous BMTs have expanded treatment options
for thousands of patients diagnosed with life-threatening diseases such as
Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, breast cancer, ovarian cancer,
testicular cancer and pediatric solid tumors such as neuroblastoma. Not all
patients diagnosed with these diseases are candidates for an autologous BMT. The
type of disease, the stage to which it has progressed, the responsiveness of the
disease to prior treatment, and the patient's age and general physical condition
are all factors that will determine whether a patient is considered a suitable
candidate for an autologous BMT.
With the exception of leukemia, diseases treated
by autologous BMTs are usually not disorders that start in or involve the bone
marrow. Rather, they're "malignant" or cancerous tumors located
elsewhere in the body that are responsive to treatment with high-dose
chemotherapy and/or radiation. The high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation,
however, also destroy the patient's bone marrow. Without bone marrow, the body
is unable to manufacture blood cells needed to defend against infection, carry
oxygen and prevent bleeding. An autologous BMT enables physicians to
"rescue" the patient from the effects of high-dose chemotherapy and/or
radiation treatment by replacing the destroyed bone marrow.
courtesy BMTNews.org
For each disease discussed below, long-term
survival rates following treatment with an autologous BMT are cited. Keep in
mind that these numbers are only ballpark estimates which cover a wide range of
circumstances. The projected survival rate of an individual patient will depend
on his or her age and general physical condition, the specific characteristics
of the disease, the stage to which the disease has progressed, and the
responsiveness of the disease to prior treatment. The patient's own physician
can provide the best assessment of a patient's chances for long-term survival
following an autologous BMT.
Transplants for HD and NHL
Autologous BMTs are actually most frequently
used to treat patients diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's
lymphoma. Patients with Hodgkin's disease and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma can often
be cured by radiation and/or chemotherapy. However, if patients have not
achieved a remission with radiation /chemotherapy, have relapsed after
chemotherapy, or have experienced progression of the disease while undergoing
chemotherapy, an autologous BMT may be the best option to save their life.
Patients with advanced Hodgkin's or
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who undergo an autologous BMT have a 25 to 50 percent
chance of long term survival. Without a BMT, their chances for long term
survival are 5 to 10 percent.
Life Post Transplant
The prognosis for long-term survival varies
according to the disease being treated, the stage of the disease at which an
autologous BMT was performed, the patient's age, prior treatment history, and
any complications that may have developed during transplant. There is no
guarantee that an autologous BMT (or any BMT for that matter) will cure the
disease.
Nonetheless,
the alternative is usually near-certain death. Each added day of life,
therefore, is special. Most patients agree that the potential rewards of an
autologous BMT are well worth the effort.
Information provided by:
Bone Marrow Transplants:
A Book of Basics for Patients
If you or a loved one is seeking more information about transplants, I
advise you to order a copy of this book from their website. Their is no cost,
but they do ask for donations. You can also review the book in its entirety
online http://www.bmtnews.org/bmt/bmt.book/toc.html
Click here to order
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