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Not really about MDS but an interesting look at drug trials: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johanna-smith/an-animal-advocate-explai_b_171844.html
Stem-cell transplants for HIV-AIDS?
Hi all-
I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what exactly happens in a stem cell transplant. You can read all about it here but here are the important details.
I’m having an Allogenic Transplant which means my new stem cells are coming from my brother, rather than from myself (Autologous transplant).
I will check into the hospital for a week of high-intensity chemotherapy to destroy my immune system.
Then I will get my new stem cells via IV.
THEN the hard part starts.
“Over the following days and weeks, the transplanted stem cells in the graft migrate to the marrow space in the patient’s bones, where they gradually begin to produce blood and immune system cells.
Between two and three weeks after the transplant, physicians should begin to detect cells of the donor’s type in the patient’s bloodstream. As time passes, a successful graft is able to produce the full range of blood components including red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes, including polys or neutrophils), and platelets.
During the days just after transplantation, patients need a great deal of medical support including transfusions of irradiated blood products like platelets and red cells. Patients also receive antibiotics to prevent and treat infections. These include bacterial, viral, and fungal infections, which are most likely to occur in the first three months after transplantation. Patients are also vulnerable to complications of the preparative regimen, which may require specific treatment.
Patients generally remain in the hospital for several weeks after the transplant. During this time precautionary measures protect the patient from infection by requiring people who enter the room to wear protective gloves and masks, and to wash their hands with antiseptic soap. Sometimes people entering the room need to cover their clothing with clean, disposable gowns. Fresh fruit, flowers, plants, or cut flowers are barred from the patient’s room, as these can carry disease-causing molds and bacteria.”
Once the graft takes and my immune system begins to recover I will move home to NJ to recover. I have to avoid crowds during that time but visitors are more than welcome:)
If you have any questions just let me know.
