Dr Satyendra Kateva, Consultant – Pediatric Hematology Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant HCMCT Manipal Hospitals highlights that the success rate of haploidentical bone marrow transplant varies depending on the underlying condition and the severity of the disease. In some cases, it has been found to have outcomes comparable to those of traditional bone marrow transplant
A bone marrow transplant is a treatment that can save the lives of children with blood disorders like leukemia, thalassemia, and primary immunodeficiency disorders. Unfortunately, many children don’t have a donor with a close enough match in their family or in the international donor registry. However, a novel procedure known as a haploidentical bone marrow transplant can be helpful.
Normally, the donor needs to be a very close match to the patient’s human leukocyte antigens (HLA) to reduce the risk of problems like rejection or graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). According to a study published in 1NCBI, haploidentical bone marrow transplant, the donor is usually a parent or sibling who is a 50 per cent match with the patient. This expands the number of possible donors and greatly increases the chances of finding a match.
While haploidentical bone marrow transplant is a newer technique, it is being used successfully in many countries, including the western world and China. At first, the results weren’t as good as with traditional bone marrow transplant, but with research and many studies have found that over the course of time the outcomes have improved and become better.
For example, a five-year-old boy has blood cancer and needs a bone marrow transplant, but there’s no donor with a matching HLA in his family. Similarly, a six-month-old girl has a severe primary immunodeficiency disorder and needs a transplant, but her brother is not a perfect match. Even a three-year-old boy with thalassemia major has the same problem, as he’s the only child in the family and there’s no suitable donor in the international bone marrow registries. These unfortunate patients earlier didn’t have a chance but now with Haploidentical option, life is smiling back at them.
A haploidentical bone marrow transplant is a ray of hope for children with blood disorders who need a transplant but don’t have a fully matched donor. With a dedicated family donor who is a 50 per cent match, any child can receive a transplant and have a chance at a cure.
It’s important to remember that there are risks involved in haploidentical bone marrow transplant, and both the donor and patient need to be carefully evaluated to make sure the transplant is safe and effective. The procedure is also more complex than a traditional bone marrow transplant and requires a highly skilled medical team.
The success rate of haploidentical bone marrow transplant varies depending on the underlying condition and the severity of the disease. In some cases, it has been found to have outcomes comparable to those of traditional bone marrow transplant. According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, haploidentical bone marrow transplant have a survival rate of up to 70 per cent in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who do not have a fully matched donor available.
Overall, haploidentical bone marrow transplant is a promising technique that offers hope for children with blood disorders who don’t have a fully matched donor. With the help of skilled doctors and medical advances, children in India can now access this life-saving treatment option. It’s important to spread awareness about this technique so that more families can benefit from it and more lives can be saved.
Reference:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3657706/