Why Choose HCG as a Bone Marrow Transplant Hospital in Bangalore?
As a leading bone marrow transplant hospital in Bangalore, HCG Cancer Hospital has a dedicated bone marrow
transplant department in the hospital run by experienced transplant specialists.
This department comprises highly skilled and experienced hemato oncologists, bone marrow transplant
physicians, medical oncologists, and hematologists who have specialized experience in treating both
cancerous and non-cancerous conditions.
One of the crucial aspects of BMT treatment is preventing infection risk. As an NABH-accredited cancer
hospital, HCG follows stringent protocols to ensure enhanced patient safety throughout the treatment.
At HCG, we create a seamless treatment journey for patients who undergo BMT, which includes comprehensive
pre- and post-transplant care. We employ a 360-degree approach, which includes pre-treatment assessment,
assistance in finding a suitable donor, transplantation, conditioning therapy monitoring, and long-term
follow-up, to help patients not only achieve excellent health outcomes but also enjoy a better quality of
life.
Stem Cell Transplant Services
HCG Cancer Hospital offers comprehensive stem cell transplant services in Bangalore. At our advanced BMT
facility, we offer all types of bone marrow transplants, which include autologous stem cell transplants,
allogeneic stem cell transplants, peripheral blood stem cell transplants (PBSCT), and cord blood
transplants.
Additionally, we also offer end-to-end laboratory services, including molecular diagnostics,
immunophenotyping, HLA typing for donor matching, and more.
Before recommending stem cell transplant as a treatment strategy, hemato oncologists and medical oncologists
at HCG carefully evaluate the case information, stage or severity of the disease, the patient's age and
overall health, donor availability, and other aspects; this helps them achieve optimized health outcomes for
their patients.
Before the procedure, patients are clearly informed about what to expect from the treatment; they are
informed of the side effects, post-treatment care, and follow-up guidelines.
Types of Bone Marrow Transplant
There are different types of bone marrow transplants, depending on the source of the stem cells. The type of
bone marrow transplant recommended depends on factors like the type of disease, the disease status,
underlying illnesses, the patient's overall health, donor availability, risk vs. benefits analysis, history
of previous treatments, and more.
HCG Cancer Hospital uses a complete clinical examination to offer transplant recommendations that assure
patient safety and compliance with specified medical requirements. The following are the different types of
bone marrow transplants available at HCG Cancer Hospital in Bangalore:
Autologous Bone Marrow Transplant
When a patient has an autologous bone marrow transplant, their stem cells are collected for transplant. In
other words, the patient is the donor and the recipient.
Stem cells are carefully collected before the marrow or blood is treated and stored appropriately. The
patient receives high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy to treat the disease. Once the disease is
treated, the stored stem cells are infused back into the patient's body to restore normal blood cell
production and bone marrow function.
Autologous BMT is generally recommended for patients who have conditions that need intensive chemotherapy or
radiotherapy and do not have any diseases related to bone marrow itself. It is not recommended for patients
with inherited bone marrow diseases.
Autologous transplants are commonly recommended for multiple myeloma, lymphomas (relapsed/refractory), and
selected cases of acute myeloid leukemia and solid tumors.
Allogeneic Bone Marrow Transplant
For allogeneic bone marrow transplants, the stem cells come from another individual, called a donor.
An allogeneic BMT requires an HLA-matched donor. HLA, or human leukocyte antigen, is a special protein
present on most cells in our body. This protein helps our immune system differentiate our own cells from
foreign ones. When searching for a donor for an allogeneic transplant, HLA typing is performed to identify a
donor whose HLA markers closely match those of the patient. This step is crucial to reduce the risk of graft
rejection.
This donor might be a member of the donor's family or an unrelated, matched donor. Before receiving donor
stem cells, the patient will undergo a preconditioning procedure to prepare their body for the transplant.
The stem cells collected are carefully stored and infused into the patient's body once their marrow or blood
is treated.
Donor stem cells can eradicate any remaining sick cells, as well as repair wounded bone marrow.
Allogeneic transplants are commonly recommended for acute/chronic myeloid leukemia, acute lymphoblastic
leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), aplastic anemia, thalassemia major, and various inherited bone
marrow disorders.
Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplant
Peripheral blood stem cell transplants involve collecting stem cells from the bloodstream rather than the
bone marrow. Using this method, stem cells can be collected from both the patient and an individual donor.
The patient or donor will receive medication before the collection in order to activate the bone marrow's
stem cells and allow them to start circulating in the bloodstream. Apheresis is the process used to collect
these stem cells.
Peripheral blood stem cell transplant is slowly becoming more common, as it is relatively less invasive and
easier than traditional approaches.
Peripheral blood stem cell transplants are recommended for blood cancers, namely leukemia, lymphoma, and
multiple myeloma.
Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant
For cord blood stem cell transplants, stem cells are collected from the umbilical cord and placenta after
childbirth. Cord blood can be stored in cord blood banks and is advantageous in cases when an HLA-matched
donor is not available.
The primary advantage of this type of stem cell transplant is that it comes with a very low risk of
graft-versus-host disease.
Cord blood stem cell transplants are recommended for both malignant and non-malignant conditions, namely
anemia, sickle cell anemia, and other immunodeficiencies.
For more information on comprehensive bone marrow transplant services in Bangalore, please connect with HCG.
Diseases Treated with Bone Marrow Transplant
However, depending on the clinical evaluation and stage of the disease, a bone marrow transplant may be part
of the treatment strategy for a variety of disorders, both malignant and non-malignant.
Malignant diseases treated with bone marrow transplant include:
- Multiple myeloma
- Relapsed Hodgkin's lymphoma
- Relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL)
- Acute myeloid lymphoma (AML)
- Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
There is a chance that some solid tumors in teenagers will necessitate the use of transplant-based
therapeutic approaches, and some examples include neuroblastoma, relapsed Ewing's sarcoma, and metastatic
Ewing's sarcoma.
Blood and immunological disorders treated with bone marrow transplant include:
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS)
- Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN)
- Aplastic anemia
- Thalassemia
- Inherited metabolic diseases
- Severe autoimmune diseases (treatment-resistent)
- Severe immunodeficiency problems
Doctors recommend bone marrow transplants for these conditions with a curative intent. Severe autoimmune
illnesses that do not respond to conventional therapy may be eligible for transplantation if strict clinical
criteria are met.
