Exploring stem cell therapy's role in treating sickle cell disease, advancing research and clinical care to cure, improve patient outcomes, and enhance quality of life.
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In the world of medical science, one of the most trending topics is stem cell therapy. And it should be because it's letting the doctors explore cures to treatments which have been out of hand for years. Currently, SCT is also used for a rare disease known as Sickle Cell Disease or SCD and is also found effective to an extent. In this article, you can learn about SCD and the use of stem cell therapy for the management of SCD.
Sickle cell disease is a genetic mutation which is caused by an abnormal haemoglobin called haemoglobin S. Due to this haemoglobin, the red blood cells take a rigid and crescent-like shape.
The disease occurs in humans only if both parents carry the faulty haemoglobin. If only one parent has haemoglobin S, the child becomes a carrier without exhibiting symptoms.
Moreover, this disease causes many underlying conditions including:
Anaemia: A result of rapid destruction of abnormal red blood cells, leading to fatigue and weakness.
Pain Crises: Sudden and severe episodes of pain caused by blocked blood flow due to the sickle-shaped cells.
Swelling: Particularly in hands and feet, caused by blood vessel blockages.
Frequent Infections: Impaired spleen function makes patients more vulnerable to infections.
Delayed Growth and Puberty: A lack of sufficient oxygen can delay physical development.
Additionally, there can be severe complications such as:
Stroke: Blockages in blood flow to the brain, leading to potentially life-threatening events.
Acute Chest Syndrome: A condition similar to pneumonia, caused by sickle cells blocking blood flow in the lungs.
Organ Damage: Chronic deprivation of oxygen can harm vital organs, including the heart, liver, and kidneys.
The main reason behind these problems is the inefficiency of the red blood cells in carrying oxygen due to haemoglobin S.
When seeking treatment for this disease, one of the best treatments is stem cell therapy. It's commonly known as bone marrow transplant as the stem cells are usually extracted from the donor’s bone marrow, and it works by eliminating the present stem cells from the patient's body and adding new ones.
Scientific studies highlight that stem cell therapy is currently the only curative treatment for sickle cell disease, with disease-free survival rates reaching up to 95% in young candidates. However, stem cell therapy requires a compatible donor with the same HLA or Human Leukocyte Antigen, which is mostly found in the siblings of the patient.
Here's how this treatment is done to eliminate sickle cells from the patient's body:
Preparation
Firstly, the patient goes through chemotherapy, which is to ensure that there are no remaining stem cells in the patient's body.
After that, the doctor takes stem cells from the donor who is found compatible. Mostly, the stem cells are extracted from the bone marrow, which is why the procedure is also known as bone marrow transplant.
Transplantation and Observation
Lastly, the doctor injects the new stem cells into the patient's blood and observes if the stem cells are working or not. It takes a few weeks before the results, and during this time, the patient is also monitored for any infection or stem cell rejection, which are some complications of the therapy.
Conclusion
To sum up, stem cell therapy has transformed the management of SCD by providing better results than other treatments. The advancements in genetic testing, donor matching, and supportive care have further enhanced the success rate of this revolutionary therapy. However, still, the results aren't 100% effective, but researchers suggest multiple positive outcomes ranging from complete treatment to partial management.
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