Transplants for leukemia beneficial, finds study

The study carried out at Charite Medicine University found that leukemia patients undergoing peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT), have just about a similar survival rate to their counterparts undergoing bone marrow transplant, depending on variety of patients.

“But patients with acute forms of blood cancer appear to do better if they have bone marrow as opposed to blood stem cell transplants,” said the study authors.

They also suggested that, “For some the benefit of the complex treatment is greater in the long run.”

Details of the study
The research team analyzed medical records of 329 patients from 42 transplant centres from 13 European countries along with Israel and Australia.

These patients had either undergone PBSCT, in which stem cells are collected from blood or bone marrow transplant where they are collected from the bone marrow.

The research team found that the survival rates of both the procedures did not differ much. The team established that patients undergoing PBSCT were 49.1 percent more likely to live 10 years longer.

And for those undergoing bone marrow transplantation, there was 56.5 percent chances to have a life expectancy of the similar period.

Yet, the research team found ‘notable differences in survival in patients with acute leukemia’s’. Scientists found that patients having acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were 28.3 percent more likely to live for a decade after bone marrow transplant, than after PBSCT where the percentage was mere 13.

On the other hand, patients having acute myeloid leukemia (AML) had 62.3 percent probability to live longer after a bone marrow transplant, in contrast to patients having PBSCT who had a probability of 47.1 percent.

The scientists, thus, concluded that varied patients had diverse possibilities of accruing benefits from the bone marrow transplant.

Details of the study appear in the Lancet Oncology Medical Journal.

Leukemia-- signs and symptoms
Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal production and multiplication of, mainly the white blood cells also called leukocytes.

The white blood cells responsible for combating pathogens-- germs and infections may become dysfunctional in this case, resulting in failure of the body’s immune system.

Owing to this, some patients frequently suffer with contagions like infectious tonsils, mouth sores, diarrhea or even pneumonia.

If the leukemic cells invade the central nervous system, it can also lead to chronic headaches.