Side effects of bone marrow transplant

By: Dr Anitha Anchan | | Updated: April 29, 2015 3:29 pm

Immature stem cells in the bone marrow (soft, fatty tissue inside your bones) give rise to blood cells. These blood cells mature and enter the bloodstream. In bone marrow transplant, damaged and destroyed bone marrow is replaced with healthy bone marrow stem cells removed from you or from a donor. It is used to Also Read - Small delays in cancer treatment can up death risk by 10%, says study

Restore stem cells that have been destroyed by high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy
Treat certain blood cancers like multiple myeloma, leukemia, lymphoma, etc.
Treat blood disorders like sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, aplastic anemia, etc.

There are three different types of bone marrow transplants: Also Read - Chemotherapy and sex: Is sexual activity safe during cancer treatment?

Autologous your own bone marrow is used for transplant
Allogenic – bone marrow from a donor
Syngeneic – bone marrow from your identical twin sibling

You may experience varying degrees of complications of the transplant depending on your age, overall health, the disease you are being treated for, type of transplant you received and/or how well-matched your donor was. Also Read - Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Why chemotherapy causes weight gain?

Short term side effects can include:

Treatment failure – The transplanted cells fail to produce stem cells.
Graft versus host disease (GVHD) – There is a risk of GVHD, an immune reaction, if you have had a transplant from a donor. The transplanted bone marrow contains cells from the donor’s immune system which attack your own tissues such as the skin, liver, etc. The symptoms can be diarrhoea, jaundice, sore eyes, skin rashes, etc.
Risk of infection – Due to a low white blood cell count after the treatment life-threatening bacterial, viral and fungal infections may occur as a side effect.
Anaemia – Your red blood cell (RBC) count falls after your treatment. Decreased levels of RBC can make you feel very tired, breathless and lacking in energy.
Risk of bleeding – After the treatment, your platelet (which help the blood to clot) levels will also decrease, thus increasing your risk of bleeding in the lungs, intestines, brain or other parts of the body.
Diarrhoea Youmay develop diarrhoea as a reaction to the radiotherapy or chemotherapy, due to an infection or due to graft versus host disease (GVHD).
Sore mouth – Ulcer and soreness in the mouth, throat and esophagus is very common after a transplant which is due to a reaction to chemotherapy or radiotherapy or due to a mouth infection.
Difficulty eating and drinking – You may lose your appetite just after your transplant due to sickness, diarrhoea and a sore mouth.

Longer term side effects are:

Infertility – Because of the high doses of chemotherapy involved, bone marrow transplants nearly always cause infertility.
Early menopause -In women, chemotherapy involved withcan cause an early menopause.
Cataract Risk of developing cataract is increased due to radiation exposure.
Delayed growth in children
Secondary cancers risk factors for developing secondary cancers could be mutation due to irradiation and chemotherapy, genetic tendency, prolonged suppression of immunity with medicines, etc.

Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of cancer.

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Published : December 10, 2012 10:13 pm | Updated:April 29, 2015 3:29 pm

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