Every year about 200 thousand people in the world are diagnosed with blood cancer, 70% of them are children. Unfortunately, resultant leukemia treatment is not available in all countries. Nowadays medicine abroad is safer and more effective, thanks to experienced doctors and modern equipment.
The leading country in the treatment of leukemia is Turkey. Today, bone marrow transplantation in Turkey is available in a number of medical centers. Cost of medical treatment in Turkey is lower than in most European countries, and this is an additional advantage.
What is it?
The bone marrow is the tissue inside the bone. All types of blood cells are produced by stem cells of the bone marrow. Injection of stem cells into the human body aimed at replacing damaged blood cells are called marrow bone transplant.
This procedure is used as a treatment option for blood oncology and other blood diseases, such as severe forms of anemia, immune system disorders, genetic and autoimmune diseases. More than 50,000 bone marrow transplantations are performed in the world every year.
There are several sources of the donor material for bone marrow transplant:
- Umbilical cord blood.
- Bone marrow.
- Blood.
Types of bone marrow transplantation
There are several types of bone marrow transplants in Turkey. The type of surgery on bone marrow is selected individually, depending on the patient’s health state and diagnosis.
Allogeneic transplantation uses donor blood cells. To be more effective and cause less complications, donor cells and your ones must have a similar genetic structure. Close relatives can usually give material for this procedure. The effectiveness of the operation depends on the compatibility of your and the donor cells.
This type of transplantation is mainly performed if your bone marrow has been damaged by disease or external factors (e.g. irradiation). The procedure has a relatively high risk of autoimmune complications. The disadvantage of the procedure is that you need to take medication to suppresses your immune system. In some cases, it can lead to bacterial and viral diseases.
Autologous transplantation uses a patient’s own stem cells. The main task of the procedure is to collect healthy cells from the patients before chemotherapy or irradiation. After the treatment, healthy cells are returned to the patient’s body, which helps him to recover faster. This type of transplantation is not always available. It can be used only when a patient has healthy bone marrow.
The cost of treatment, as well as possible complications and peculiarities of the procedure, depending on the type of operation.
Indications for bone marrow transplantation
Allogeneic and autologous transplantations have different indications. The choice of method depends on the type of bone marrow lesion. If a patient’s own bone marrow is severely damaged, it will not be possible to transplant it.
Indications for allogeneic transplantation include:
- Acute leukemia.
- Malignant lymphoma.
- Myelofibrosis.
- Aplastic anemia.
Indications for autologous transplantation include:
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
- Multiple myeloma.
- Autoimmune diseases.
- Acute leukemia.
- Neuroblastoma
- Solid tumors.
Possible complications
Transplantation of bone marrow is a surgery, which can have various effects on the health state. The most common side effects after the transplantation are the following ones:
- Infections.
- Headache.
- Fever.
- Shortness of breath.
The most severe complication of bone marrow transplantation is GVHD. It develops as a result of the body’s immune response to allogeneic blood cells transplanted from a donor. The patient’s own immune system starts to attack donor blood cells that circulate throughout the body. As a result, the whole organism is exposed to autoimmune aggression, which can lead to serious consequences, up to the death of the patient. Often, this complication can be avoided by taking immunosuppressive medications.
The work of experienced surgeons can reduce the risk of complications. Therefore, it is recommended to choose progressive countries for treatment. One of the best options is bone marrow transplantation in Turkey. International class medicine allows performing thousands of surgeries a year without complications. And a properly selected medical center with a view of the sea will facilitate recovery after the surgery.
How to undergo treatment abroad?
All you need to do to undergo treatment in Turkey is contact medical tourism operator Booking Health. The company’s specialists will choose the best clinic for you and offer the best cost of medical treatment in Turkey. In addition, the company will take responsibility for solving all your problems, and will also provide the following services:
- Booking hotels and air tickets.
- Selection of a suitable hospital.
- Establishing communication directly with your doctor.
- Interpreting services.
