Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
In allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation the diseased bone marrow of the patient is exchanged by healthy hematopoietic stem cells from a donor.
In leukemia, the aim is to destroy the malignant cells by intensive chemotherapy, in some cases in combination with radiation, and allow for regeneration of the blood and immune system by transplantation of healthy donor-derived hematopoietic stem cells. Immune cells of the donor also mount a protective anti-leukemic immune response called graft-versus leukemia effect.
Amongst the diseases treated by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are
- leukemias
- myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS/JMML)
- hemoglobinopathies
- innate and acquired bone marrow failures
- immune deficiencies
- metabolic disorders
In allogeneic transplantation, hematopoietic stem cells are transferred to the patient from another person. Unrelated donors can be identified through the national and international donor databases; family members and siblings are another option. It is critical that tissue characteristics between donor and patient match to a very high degree. Based on technical and medical advances hematopoietic stem
cells can nowadays also be transplanted when only half of the tissue markers match as in transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells from parents to children.
