What is Haematology?

Haematology is the branch of medicine concerned with the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases of the blood and bone marrow.

Common Disorders treated are:

• Benign haematological problems: anaemia, bleeding disorders, platelet disorders, and haemoglobinopathies
• Bone marrow failure syndromes including aplastic anemia
• Haematological malignancies: leukemia, lymphomas, multiple myeloma, myeloproliferative and lymphoproliferative disorders
• Leukemia induction / consolidation chemotherapy in adults / paediatrics in neutropenic facility
• Out-patient based chemotherapy for myeloma, lymphoma, myeloproliferative, lymphoproliferative disorders and some types of leukemia

Treatments offered are:

• Bone marrow and stem cell transplantation
• Autologous and various types of allogeneic stem cell transplantation (syngenic, related, unrelated, and haploidentical)

What is Bone Marrow Transplant?

Bone Marrow Transplant procedure is performed not only for cancerous conditions like blood cancer, but also for genetic conditions like Thalassemia. Here the cancerous or genetically abnormal stem cells are eradicated by chemotherapy and immune suppressive medicines and new functionally normal stem cells are given, which later populate the bone marrow and blood with non-cancerous cells and genetically normal cells.

Types of Bone Marrow Transplant:

• Autologous Stem Cell Transplant
• An autologous stem cell transplant, uses healthy blood stem cells from your own body to replace the diseased or damaged bone marrow.
• Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant
• In this procedure a patient receives healthy stem cells (blood-forming cells) to replace their own stem cells that have been destroyed by treatment with radiation or high doses of chemotherapy
• Bone Marrow Transplant is done by transferring stem cells from one person to another. Stem cells can either be collected from the circulating cells in the blood (the peripheral system) or from the bone marrow and the process requires high precision.

Zydus Cancer Hospital – The Most Comprehensive Set up for Bone Marrow Transplant in Gujarat View More

• The hospital is equipped with ultra-modern infrastructure and internationally trained, widely experienced faculty and BMT unit nursing staff.
• The BMT set up includes 7 rooms, furnished like an ICU, with separate AHU and terminal HEPA filters in each room and the corridor.
• Supported by state-of-the-art laboratory & transfusion services.
• Fully equipped Radiation Oncology unit with facility for total body irradiation.
• Very stringent infection control norms which are critical for BMT patients.
• Amalgamation of latest technology, internationally trained experts, state-of-the-art infrastructure & compassionate care.
• Our comprehensive team includes:
  • BMT physicians
  • Hemato-oncologist
  • Medical oncologist
  • Radiation oncologist
  • Transfusion medicine expert
  • Hemato-pathologist
  • Trained transplant nurses
  • Infection control specialist
  • Physiotherapist
  • Dietician
  • Counsellors
  • BMT coordinator

How does Bone Marrow Transplant Work?

Before stem cell transplant, stem cells are collected from either the bone marrow or the blood. Patient is given high doses of chemotherapy, usually over a few days. Sometimes, radiotherapy is also given to the whole body, known as Total Body Irradiation (TBI). While destroying any remaining cancer cells, the high doses of chemotherapy also destroy the stem cells in the bone marrow. After the chemotherapy, patient is given the stem cells that were collected before the treatment. These stem cells start producing mature blood cells again.

Indications

• Autologous Transplant (Stem Cells collected from one's own body)
  • Hodgkin's & Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: For relapsed/refractory cases, it is standard therapy and in most such cases, it is the only curative option
  • Myeloma: Although not curative, it is standard treatment as a part of initial therapy, as it prolongs survival substantially
  • Leukemia: Relapsed Acute promyelocytic leukemia
• Allogenic Transplant (Stem Cells collected from someone else's body)
  • Thalassemia
  • Several other genetic disorders, especially with single gene defects
  • Aplastic Anemia
  • Chronic Myeloid Leukemia
  • High Risk AML & Relapsed AML
  • Relapsed ALL (Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia)
  • As an option in several advanced or refractory haematological malignancies for example follicular lymphoma, CLL, myeloma etc