A bone marrow transplant also called a stem cell transplant, replaces the bone marrow with healthy cells. It treats some types of cancer and other bone marrow problems. Just like any other treatment, a bone and marrow transplant also comes with certain side effects and complications. However, these are different for each person. They depend on what kind of transplant you have, how healthy you are, and other things, too.
Many side effects go away over time, but some can stay with you for a long time. The good advice is to talk to your health care team before starting the transplant process. They can tell you about all the possible side effects that could happen.
People who have cancer need to deal with side effects. This kind of care is called palliative care or supportive care, and it helps people who are sick. Therefore, you should talk to your health care team about any symptoms you, or the person, are taking care of.
The Most Common Complications
Although the side effects and complications of blood and marrow transplant are almost identical, including:
Infections
Infections caused by bacteria are the most common, but they aren’t always the case. Many other types of infections can also happen. Several weeks or months after the transplant, some infections may start to show up. Infections can keep you in the hospital for a long time, stop or delay engraftment, damage your organs, and even kill you.
Many people who have a lot of serious infections are given antibiotics, antifungal medications, and antiviral medications. Blood tests and other appropriate studies are done to find and treat infections quickly. So, if an infection is suspected, many antibiotics are usually taken simultaneously.
Preventive steps are taken to keep the person getting a transplant from being exposed to viruses, bacteria, and other diseases.
Graft-vs.-Host Disease (GVHD)
Graft-versus-host disease can be a serious and life-threatening side effect of allogeneic BMT. When the donor’s immune system fights against the recipient’s tissue, it’s called GVHD. The new cells don’t like the tissues and organs of the recipient’s body because they don’t belong to them. The most common places for GVHD are on the skin, digestive tract, liver, and lungs, but it can happen anywhere.
GVHD can happen quickly (acute) or over a long period (chronic). Skin rash, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, and abnormal liver function tests are some side effects of acute GVHD. If your child has signs or symptoms of GVHD, the doctor will keep an eye on them.
Several steps are taken before the transplant to lessen this chance. If GVHD turns into a big medical problem, doctors use steroids and cyclosporine to treat it.
Complications and Side Effects of Different Blood and Marrow Transplant
There are two types of bone marrow transplants. Both of these have different complications and side effects.
Autologous Transplant Side Effects and Complications
When a person gets a stem cell transplant from their own body, it’s called an AUTO transplant or a stem cell rescue. When you have an AUTO transplant, your own stem cells are used to make new cells. After you have chemotherapy, with or without radiation therapy, your doctor will give them back to you, and you can keep them. Auto transplant side effects are a lot like the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy, but they’re not the same. The most dangerous side effect is that your body has a low number of white blood cells, making it more likely to get sick.
Immediate Side-Effects
- Infection
- Vomiting and nausea
- Fatigue
- Mouth sores
- Diarrhea
- Anemia
- Low levels of platelets
Long-term Complications
- Early menopause
- Sexual side effects
- Infertility
- Another cancer
- Bone or lung damage
- Cataracts (cloudy vision)
An Allogenic transplant Complications and Side Effects
Allogeneic transplant, also known as an ALLO transplant, replaces cells from another person called a donor. You have chemotherapy and sometimes radiation therapy to prepare your body to get the healthy cells from the donor. In fact, the side effects of an ALLO transplant are also the same as the side effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy. This means that there is a high chance of infections. It’s also possible that you will have side effects from getting someone else’s stem cells, such as a higher risk of infection and a higher risk of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD).
Graft against cancer cell effect: Many people have GVHD and “graft against cancer cell effect.” These stem cells can see and kill cancer cells still in the body, so this is why. Many people who have leukemia can be cure with ALLO transplants because this is how they work.
Immediate Side-Effects
- Infection
- Vomiting and nausea
- Fatigue
- Mouth sores
- Diarrhea
- Anemia
- Low levels of platelets
Long-term complications
- Graft-versus-host disease
- Early menopause
- Sexual side effects
- Infertility
- Another cancer
- Bone or lung damage
- Cataracts (cloudy vision)
The less intense the chemotherapy you had before your transplant, the fewer long-term side effects you may suffer from. People who get less powerful chemotherapy are more likely to have fewer long-term effects than people who get more powerful chemotherapy.
Talk to your doctor about the possible side effects of having a stem cell transplant, and make sure you know what to expect. They can help you answer your questions and develop a plan to deal with the side effects that come with taking medicine.
So, if you are looking to talk to an expert about the treatment and bone marrow transplant cost in India, Lyfboat can help you to consult an expert medical officer. Visit the website and book a consultation today!
As per the studies in 2016 over 6,000 adults with AML, people who had an autologous bone marrow transplant had a 5-year survival rate of 65%. It was 62% for those who had an allogeneic bone marrow transplant.
Even though bone marrow transplants can help people live longer, they can also have serious side effects.
A source that you can trust. A doctor will talk to a person about the possible risks and benefits of a transplant when deciding on the best way to treat them.
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