To understand the complete procedure of Stem Cell Treatment In India, first of all, we should understand what stem cells are? So, These are the cells that are produced in the bone marrow of a human body. The stem cells are produced to become any cells that the body requires. Stem cells become RBCs, WBCs, or blood platelets.
What are stem cells?
Stem cells are the basic cells of the body that can develop into different types of specialized cells. They are used to rebuild and treat various organs and tissues of the body.
Importance of Stem Cell Transplantation
Stem cell transplantation is extremely important for treating serious diseases like cancer, blood diseases and other complex diseases. It can give a new life to the patients and improve their quality of life.
Why Stem Cell Transplant Required?
Stem cell transplant is actually a part of the bone marrow transplant. It is used to be done to replace the affected stem cells to improve the bone marrow’s efficiency which is used to produce new blood cells after conditioning treatment or radiation therapy.
After radiation therapy, the body is used to expose the large volumes of anti-carcinogenic elements that killed cancerous cells. In this process, the bone marrow is also get damaged and loses its capability to produce new blood cells.
At this point, the immune system of the body is weak as the bone marrow is not able to produce any white blood cells and stem cells. With a Stem Cell Treatment In India, the patient is induced with healthy stem cells that move to the bone marrow and form new blood cells and strengthen the immune system to fight the remnant cancer cells that are weakened after radiation.
What are the Types of Stem Cell Transplants?
Basically, there are 6 types of stem cell transplant which is used according to the condition of the patients.
Autologous Stem Cell Transplant
It is a procedure that uses the patient’s own blood cells to produce new stem cells. In the same process, the patient undergoes ‘Cell mobilization’, which is a process that is used to encourage the body to produce more stem cells. It initiates the movement of the stem cells from the bone marrow to the bloodstream.
The rich blood of stem-cell is collected from the patient and processed into a machine that separates the stem cells from the blood. Then, it is stored in sub-zero conditions for later usage.
Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation
In this type of transplantation, the patient receives stem cells from a donor and is executed after the patient undergoes chemotherapy or treatment. In the above process, the rich blood of stem cells of a matching donor is processed in a machine that separates stem cells from the blood and is transferred into the host’s body.
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant
It is an intravenous cell replacement process that induces stem cells to replace the damaged cells affected by radiation treatment.
This type of transplant has been in widespread use since the early 1960s and has been prominent in treating and curing related diseases. Multiple Sclerosis is a disease that often used to treat with this method.
Peripheral blood stem transplant
We can say that this transplant is a form of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant (HSCT) that is used in Autologous and Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplants. In this process, the stem cells are collected from the blood rather than the source, i.e the bone marrow.
Bone marrow transplant
It is a procedure that replaces the cells that are produced by the bone marrow. First, we need to understand what a bone marrow transplant is? It is a soft tissue that is present inside the bones in form of soft tissue. Stem cells are used to produce by the bone marrow and these stem cells are converted into red blood cells, white blood cells, and blood platelets or form new stem cells if required.
Cord blood Stem Cell Transplant
It is a process that is highly used across the world. The umbilical cord is also a rich source for stem cells similar to the peripheral blood and bone marrow. This type of transplant is most effective in treating children and have seen efficient results in the case of adults.
How to Find a Donor for Stem Transplant?
Finding a donor for a stem cell transplant is a long and tedious process because only 3 out of 10 cases in unrelated donors and in 5 out of 10 cases in related donors.
For the patient undergoing such a transplant his/her own body is the first option as for transplant because it is very unlikely to be rejected by the body in GVHS after the transplant. However, the medical team will test to see if you are a good donor based on your weight, general conditions, severity of the condition, and the rate at which the existing stem cells are affected.
The second option is siblings which have generally considered the next best option when looking for an HLA-matched donor. Due to the similar genetic composition of the HLA from their biological parents, siblings have a higher chance of being a good HLA match for Stem Cell Transplants.
When siblings are not HLA match, then the searching for a donor is begun and the existing cells in the storage facility are combed through to find stem cells or umbilical cords which match the HLA of the patient.
Cost of Stem Cell Transplant
The cost of stem cell transplant in India is relatively low compared to other countries. The cost depends on the type of transplant, the hospital and the condition of the patient. The procedure usually costs Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.
Conclusion
Stem cell transplant in India is a significant achievement in the medical field. This procedure is highly effective in treating serious diseases and is giving new life to many patients. Due to the presence of modern medical technology and skilled doctors, this procedure is being performed successfully in India.
