Bone marrow transplants are a common treatment for diseases like sickle cell disease, cancer, beta-thalassemia, etc. However, the basis of this procedure is the presence of stem cells. Stem cells are different from every other cell within the human body. Stem cells have the ability to divide and renew themselves over a long period of time, are completely unspecialized (there is no specific task that they are designed to do within the body), and have the potential to become specialized (they can turn into specific types of cells – blood cells, brain cells, etc).
In the case of a bone marrow transplant, the cells that are being transferred to the patient aren’t specialized cells – they’re stem cells. This is because, within the human body, the bone marrow contains a substantial amount of stem cells. Once these stem cells have entered the patient’s body, the target goal is for these stem cells to generate the specialized cells necessary, depending on the patient. However, stem cell transplants also have substantial risks. A common side effect of the treatment is the development of graft-versus-host disease. Essentially, when the stem cells enter the patient’s body, the patient’s body recognizes the new stem cells as a threat and begins attacking them. This may counter the effectiveness of the stem cell transplant. All in all, surgery is a good option when considering stem cell transplants, but risks are always present.
References
“Bone Marrow Transplant.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 28 Mar. 2024, www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-marrow-transplant/about/pac-20384854.
Written by Ivory Chen from MEDILOQUY