Stem Cells: Transforming Cancer Research

Stem cells possess the extraordinary potential to renew the human body. These tiny but mighty cells can replenish damaged tissue. Recently, stem cells have been used to replace bone marrow after certain kinds of cancer treatment. This advancement of cancer treatment, along with the generosity of stem cell donors, have significantly improved the recovery process for patients undergoing leukemia and lymphoma.

Stem cell treatments have vastly improved recovery from chemotherapy and radiotherapy by restoring  damaged bone marrow cells. Today, there are three distinct types of stem cell recovery therapies: autologous, allogeneic, and syngeneic.  In autologous treatment, the stem cells are derived from the patients themselves; this is relevant if the patient's stem cells were harvested at any time prior to the patient’s initial diagnosis. Autologous transplants are eligible for patients whose cancer has been stabilized and can treat multiple myeloma and leukemia; two types of blood related cancers. On the other hand, allogeneic treatments include stem cells that come from either a blood relative or a donor whose cells are a close enough match. For some types of blood cancer, allogeneic stem cell transplants actually destroy cancer cells. This is known as the “graft-versus- tumor” effect, which simultaneously kills cancer cells quicker while replenishing damaged cells. For this specific method, donor cells tend to be more effective than a patient’s own cells. Lastly, syngeneic treatments are unique transplants that involve harvesting stem cells from an identical twin donor. This specific transplant has a significantly lower risk of complications because transplanted cells are nearly identical to the recipient’s cells. To conclude, these three stem cell transplants; autologous, allogeneic, and syngeneic therapies, have been recognised as a highly beneficial approach to combating cancer, particularly because of their role in restoring damaged blood cells. 

The process stem cells use for post cancer treatment therapy must be collected from a donor.  The process is lengthy, however, it results positively in the end because donors are able to help cancer patients recover from the adverse effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Stem cells are commonly harvested from the soft, spongy tissue located inside bones, which is referred to as bone marrow or blood. Bone marrow in particular is rich in blood stem cells, making it an ideal location for their extraction. This process requires two and a half hours, which can be preserved for up to several years. Stem cells may also be harvested directly from the bloodstream- a catheter- (a long, thin tube) that is connected to a machine collects the blood directly from a large vein in the arm, isolates the stem cells from the blood, and returns the extracted blood back to the donor’s body. Finally, in the last method stem cells are collected from the umbilical cord. After childbirth, the umbilical cord is cut, and blood from both the placenta and the cord are collected and stored in cord blood banks. Despite the lengthy process, collecting stem cells from various sources such as bone marrow, the bloodstream, and umbilical cord blood is important as donors are able to provide hope for patients undergoing the effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.