The Basics of Cell Treatment
Cell treatment is an exciting new way of using immune cells to fight cancer and
other diseases thejournalistreport. It works by combining immune cells with genetic modifications to
make them more powerful and resistant to the signals that cancer cells use to resist
the immune system.
The most common form of cell treatment is stem cell transplantation, where blood-
forming stem cells are injected into the body. It’s a relatively safe and effective way
of treating certain types of cancer, but it can be very expensive.
You may need to have several tests to check your general health before you can get
a stem cell transplant. These tests will show whether you have any problems with
your immune system, and will also check for signs that your cancer is in remission.
It’s a good idea to have a bone marrow biopsy to look for any signs of cancer cells
before you have the procedure.
If your doctor thinks you’re a candidate for stem cell transplantation, he or she will
need to remove blood-forming stem cells from your hip region (iliac crest). The bone
marrow is removed by inserting a needle into the bone and letting it drain.
After the bone marrow has been gathered, it is spun in a machine for about 10 to 15
minutes. It is then separated into a concentrated cell sample and given to a lab for
further processing.
Stem cells can be used to treat many different kinds of disease, including cancer,
bone, heart and brain disorders. The cells can also be used to heal damaged tissues
in the body.
There are many different types of stem cells, so you’ll need to decide what type is
right for you and your condition. The cells can be collected from your own blood or
bone marrow, but they can also be taken from another person.
The stem cells can be used to help the immune system kill cancer cells or stimulate
the growth of normal tissue. They can also be injected into the affected area and
used to repair and rebuild damaged tissues.
If you’re a patient who is interested in getting stem cells transplanted, ask your
doctor if it would be a good idea to take part in a clinical trial. These are well-
controlled studies that are supervised by the FDA to find out if the treatment is safe
and effective for people with your condition.
You should also ask your doctor if you can take part in an allogeneic transplant,
where the stem cells are from someone else. This is less likely to cause graft-versus-
host disease, but it can still occur. If the donor’s cells do attack your own, you might
need to use steroids to stop them.
Usually, doctors will give you drugs to suppress your immune system before and
after the stem cells are transplanted. These drugs can reduce the risk of graft-
versus-host disease and other complications.
The main risk of receiving allogeneic stem cells is that the blood-forming stem cells
might develop a strong and sometimes damaging immune response to your own
cells, which can lead to problems called graft-versus-host disease.
This can include ahigh risk of infection and can damage your skin, liver and other organs.
