Diseases requiring Stem Cell Transplantation
Risk Factors in AML
Leukemia
A type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of white blood cells. Leukemias can be acute (AML, ALL) or chronic (CML, CLL).
Acute leukemias proceed fast and they lead to death in weeks or months if left untreated. Bone marrow transplantation is frequently needed during treatment of acute leukemias.
Chronic leukemias will progress in months or years and survival can be as long as 3 to 10 years with treatment.
Munker R, Lazarus HM, Atkinson K: BMT data book, 2nd edition, 2009
Outcome with conventional chemotherapy in AML
Main symptoms are fever and bleeding, associated with weakness related to coexisting anemia. White cell count generally increases, while the red cells (Hct) and platelets (PLT) are decreased.
Diagnosis requires evaluation of peripheral blood smear and/or bone marrow aspirate by a hematologist, as well as cytogenetic tests to define the type of leukemia.
Diagnosis requires evaluation of peripheral blood smear and/or bone marrow aspirate by a hematologist, as well as cytogenetic tests to define the type of leukemia.
Munker R, Lazarus HM, Atkinson K: BMT data book, 2nd edition, 2009
Lymphoma
A cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment may involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage of the disease.
These malignant cells often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node (a tumor). It can also affect other organs in which case it is referred to as extranodal lymphoma. Extranodal sites include the skin, brain, bowels and bone.
Lymphomas are closely related to lymphoid leukemias, which also originate in lymphocytes but typically involve only circulating blood and the bone marrow (where blood cells are generated in a process termed haematopoesis) and do not usually form static tumors.
There are many types of lymphomas, and in turn, lymphomas are a part of the broad group of diseases called hematological neoplasms. They are subclassified as Hodgkin’s (HL) or Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphome (NHL), NHLs are further classified as low-grade or high-Grade. Computerized tomography (CT), Positron emission tomography (PET) and bone marrow biopsy is needed to stage this disease.
Multiple myeloma
Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for the production of antibodies. Collections of abnormal cells accumulate in bones, where they cause bone lesions, and in the bone marrow where they interfere with the production of normal blood cells.
Most cases of myeloma also feature the production of a paraprotein, an abnormal antibody that can cause kidney problems and interferes with the production of normal antibodies leading to immunodeficiency. Due to bone destruction, hypercalcemia (high calcium level) is often encountered.
Myeloma is a chronic disease leading to death generally within 3-5 years, if left untreated. It is seen after age of 40, generally in 60s, presenting with back pain, kidney failure and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Diagnosis requires bone marrow aspiration, MRI or PET to define plasmacytomas in the body, and serum immune electrophoresis (SIE) to define the abnormal immunglobulin (monoclonal band) produced by the abnormal plasma cells. Treatment of myeloma consists of biotherapy, chemotherapy, autologous and allogeneic transplantation.
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS, formerly known as "preleukemia") is a diverse collection of hematological conditions united by ineffective production (or dysplasia) of myeloid blood cells, and risk of transformation to acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). An anemia not responding to iron therapy requiring chronic blood transfusion is frequently present. This is called refractory anemia (RA). MDS is generally seen after age 50, due to exposure of chemical agents and radiation that is toxic to bone marrow, leading to breaks in DNA of blood forming cells.
Myelodysplastic syndromes are bone marrow stem cell disorders resulting in disorderly and ineffective blood production, manifested by irreversible quantitative and qualitative defects in blood-forming cells. In most cases, the course of disease is chronic with gradually worsening low blood counts (cytopenias) due to progressive bone marrow failure.
Around one-third of patients with MDS progress to AML within months to a few years. Bleeding and infections are other causes of death in this disease. Cure for MDS can only be achieved by an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (see treatment).
Aplastic anemia
Aplastic anemia (AA), is a condition where bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to form mature blood cells. The condition, per its name, involves both lack of blood forming cells (aplasia) and decreased red blood cells (anemia). Aplastic anemia patients have lower counts of all three blood cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which is called as “pancytopenia”.
Patients experience weakness and fatigue, fevers due to recurrent infections and bleeding due to low platelet counts. The cause of aplastic anemia is an autoimmune reaction to the stem cells residing in bone marrow, caused by T-cells in the body in most patients. Chemicals and radiation may also play a role in the etiology of AA. Severe AA is an urgent life threatening condition which requires allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Therapy of AA is summarized in the treatment section.
Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anemia
These are inherited genetic blood diseases affecting hemoglobin synthesis in the red blood cells. Reduced hemoglobin production leads to anemia, the characteristic presenting symptom. Thalassemia is generally seen in Africa and Mediterranean region.
Thalassemia major, the most severe form of thalassemias, cause severe anemia and enlargement of spleen requiring blood transfusions in the early ages of life, leading to deaths after age of 15, because of iron accumulation in liver and heart, as well as other organs.
Sickle cell anemia also requires frequent blood transfusions, patients have painful crises affecting bone, spleen and lungs. Reason for these painful crises requiring morphine treatment is inability of abnormally shaped red cells (sickle cells) to pass small vessels (capillaries) of the body and cause blood flow obstructions in these organs, leading to tissue death. For rational management of these diseases, see treatment section.
Testicular cancer
This is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system. It has two distinct types called seminomatous and non-seminomatous. Seminomas have better outcome with treatment and non-seminomatous tumors tend to recur more frequently anf produce blood tumor markers beta-HCG and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).
Exact cause of testicular tumors is unknown and it is generally seen in young males. Diagnosis is made by removal of the affected testis (orchiectomy), and staging is done by computerized tomography (CT) or PET scan.
This page is for information only, it contains scientific information consistent with current medical literature.
For diagnosis and treatment, please refer to your medical professional.
Medical information may change by time. Last updated on 10.3.2021
A cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment may involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage of the disease.
These malignant cells often originate in lymph nodes, presenting as an enlargement of the node (a tumor). It can also affect other organs in which case it is referred to as extranodal lymphoma. Extranodal sites include the skin, brain, bowels and bone.
Lymphomas are closely related to lymphoid leukemias, which also originate in lymphocytes but typically involve only circulating blood and the bone marrow (where blood cells are generated in a process termed haematopoesis) and do not usually form static tumors.
There are many types of lymphomas, and in turn, lymphomas are a part of the broad group of diseases called hematological neoplasms. They are subclassified as Hodgkin’s (HL) or Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphome (NHL), NHLs are further classified as low-grade or high-Grade. Computerized tomography (CT), Positron emission tomography (PET) and bone marrow biopsy is needed to stage this disease.
Multiple myeloma
Myeloma is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell normally responsible for the production of antibodies. Collections of abnormal cells accumulate in bones, where they cause bone lesions, and in the bone marrow where they interfere with the production of normal blood cells.
Most cases of myeloma also feature the production of a paraprotein, an abnormal antibody that can cause kidney problems and interferes with the production of normal antibodies leading to immunodeficiency. Due to bone destruction, hypercalcemia (high calcium level) is often encountered.
Myeloma is a chronic disease leading to death generally within 3-5 years, if left untreated. It is seen after age of 40, generally in 60s, presenting with back pain, kidney failure and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Diagnosis requires bone marrow aspiration, MRI or PET to define plasmacytomas in the body, and serum immune electrophoresis (SIE) to define the abnormal immunglobulin (monoclonal band) produced by the abnormal plasma cells. Treatment of myeloma consists of biotherapy, chemotherapy, autologous and allogeneic transplantation.
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS, formerly known as "preleukemia") is a diverse collection of hematological conditions united by ineffective production (or dysplasia) of myeloid blood cells, and risk of transformation to acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). An anemia not responding to iron therapy requiring chronic blood transfusion is frequently present. This is called refractory anemia (RA). MDS is generally seen after age 50, due to exposure of chemical agents and radiation that is toxic to bone marrow, leading to breaks in DNA of blood forming cells.
Myelodysplastic syndromes are bone marrow stem cell disorders resulting in disorderly and ineffective blood production, manifested by irreversible quantitative and qualitative defects in blood-forming cells. In most cases, the course of disease is chronic with gradually worsening low blood counts (cytopenias) due to progressive bone marrow failure.
Around one-third of patients with MDS progress to AML within months to a few years. Bleeding and infections are other causes of death in this disease. Cure for MDS can only be achieved by an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (see treatment).
Aplastic anemia
Aplastic anemia (AA), is a condition where bone marrow does not produce sufficient new cells to form mature blood cells. The condition, per its name, involves both lack of blood forming cells (aplasia) and decreased red blood cells (anemia). Aplastic anemia patients have lower counts of all three blood cell types: red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, which is called as “pancytopenia”.
Patients experience weakness and fatigue, fevers due to recurrent infections and bleeding due to low platelet counts. The cause of aplastic anemia is an autoimmune reaction to the stem cells residing in bone marrow, caused by T-cells in the body in most patients. Chemicals and radiation may also play a role in the etiology of AA. Severe AA is an urgent life threatening condition which requires allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Therapy of AA is summarized in the treatment section.
Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anemia
These are inherited genetic blood diseases affecting hemoglobin synthesis in the red blood cells. Reduced hemoglobin production leads to anemia, the characteristic presenting symptom. Thalassemia is generally seen in Africa and Mediterranean region.
Thalassemia major, the most severe form of thalassemias, cause severe anemia and enlargement of spleen requiring blood transfusions in the early ages of life, leading to deaths after age of 15, because of iron accumulation in liver and heart, as well as other organs.
Sickle cell anemia also requires frequent blood transfusions, patients have painful crises affecting bone, spleen and lungs. Reason for these painful crises requiring morphine treatment is inability of abnormally shaped red cells (sickle cells) to pass small vessels (capillaries) of the body and cause blood flow obstructions in these organs, leading to tissue death. For rational management of these diseases, see treatment section.
Testicular cancer
This is cancer that develops in the testicles, a part of the male reproductive system. It has two distinct types called seminomatous and non-seminomatous. Seminomas have better outcome with treatment and non-seminomatous tumors tend to recur more frequently anf produce blood tumor markers beta-HCG and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).
Exact cause of testicular tumors is unknown and it is generally seen in young males. Diagnosis is made by removal of the affected testis (orchiectomy), and staging is done by computerized tomography (CT) or PET scan.
This page is for information only, it contains scientific information consistent with current medical literature.
For diagnosis and treatment, please refer to your medical professional.
Medical information may change by time. Last updated on 10.3.2021
