Quote:
Originally Posted by katyseagull
This is really interesting, Merek. I didn't realize that donor marrow was not used as much any more. I thought that all marrow transplants were from donors! That's really cool that you can harvest your own stem cells.
What kind of drug are they giving you to make your stem cells leave the marrow?
So remind me how this works. These are blood stem cells that eventually hook up with a bone that they like and then they start producing blood? How do the blood stem cells get back into the bone? Or maybe they don't need to get back in the bone? I'm confused Sorry to ask such dumb questions . I just don't understand stem cells very well.
Stem Cells - are very cool. They live in the bone marrow and can become any kind of blood cell. As my Plasma Cells are now causing more trouble than Hobby and Dom at a wiffle-bat convention...they have to go. It seems a bit over the top, but the only way to deal with the trouble makers is poison everyone in the family. BUT if we save some of the Magical stem cells(which are not blood cells yet) they can eventually be put back and replace all the blood cells. Hopefully with fewwer "super breeding plasma cells".
So to actually answer Katys' question... By using a medication called a Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) (e.g. Neupogen®) the bone marrow is stimulated to increase the number of stem cells in the blood. A process called pheresis is then used to collect the stem cells from the blood. Pheresis is a fancy way of saying "everyday for a week we strap the paitent to a table for 2-5 hours, stick a large needle in his arm, suck his blood, filter out the tasty bits(stem cells) and put the rest back. When they have enough....they put them in the freezer... I think they treat them too, but not sure on that. Apparently stem cells keep better in the freezer than leftovers. They do collect enough for several transplants as often people need another, years later, and the Chemo makes a second collection difficult or immpossible(not sure on this)
I believe the same drug is used to make the Stem Cells collect in the bones and start working. The Colony Stimulating stuff.
Bone Marrow Transplants from youself vs others- two big issues seem to be "graft vs Host" and "effectiveness"
With your own stem cells there may be a slightly higher rate of "reinfection" but very low rate of rejection(Graft vs Host)
With other peoples stem cells....mortality rates go way up on transplants and so do complications. Your body will reject the cells as not your own and attack.
For reasons I have not be able to find, a few people can't use their stem cells.... hopefully not me. I think I have already had 5 people ofter bone marrow, even though they think it involves large needles, health risks and hosptiall stays.... I have good friends. What i really need is friends to drink Sangria with in Spain, Wine in Italy, Ozuo in Greece and margaritas anywhere...... but that is next year.
While I am trying to become a expert....expect errors
Quote:
Originally Posted by katyseagull
So for a couple of weeks you will be anemic and feeling run down?.
I wish.
Quote:
Originally Posted by katyseagull
How far away is the cancer center from where you live?
While I only live a 100 miles from Vancouver, it takes 4-6hrs due to big inlets surronded by high mountains The trip is drive 20 minutes, take a ferry for 50 minutes past waterfalls, mountains, whales and forest covered islands, drive for a hr+ on a narrow twisting road 2 lane road, another ferrry for 40 minuties and then 30-50 minutes to the hospital depending on traffic. With waiting, 4 1/2 hours on a good day, 6 hrs on a bad one. Or a 25 minute flight.