When does a patient need donor stem cells?
The most common disease for which a stem cell transplant is used is leukemia. A stem cell transplant is often seen as a last resort for the patient.
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Leukemia
The most common disease for which a stem cell transplant is used is leukemia. In leukemia, the production of blood cells from stem cells is different. In the body of a leukemia patient, the non-functioning white blood cells renew uncontrollably due to a DNA defect. As a result, there is less room for normal blood cells. Life-threatening situations may arise due to:
- Infections (because there are too few functional white blood cells)
- Bleeding (due to a lack of platelets)
- Oxygen deficiency in healthy tissue and organs (due to a low number of red blood cells)
- After a stem cell transplant, the new stem cells will again produce healthy blood cells.
Diseases
In addition to leukemia, a stem cell transplant can also be used for other diseases. A few examples:
- Myelofibrosis
- Sickle cell anemia
- Thalassemia
- MDS
- Aplastic anemia