Journal of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine
Open Access

Applications of Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT)

Jessica Ratermann^{* *}Correspondence: Jessica Ratermann, Department of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky HealthCare, Lexington, United States, Email:

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Description

Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT) is the standard of care in transplant-eligible patients with multiple myeloma and is associated with Progression-Free Survival (PFS), Complete Response rate (CR) and Overall Survival (OS) were significantly improved. Most patients eventually relapse, with a median PFS of approximately 36 months. Relapses are more difficult to treat and have a worse prognosis each time it reoccurs. Achieving and maintaining the "best response" to initial therapy is the ultimate goal of first-line therapy. ASCT is a procedure in which healthy stem cells (hematopoietic cells) are removed from a patient's blood or bone marrow before treatment, stored, and returned to the patient after treatment. Autologous stem cell transplantation replaces a patient's stem cells that have been destroyed by radiation therapy or high-dose chemotherapy. Autologous stem cell transplantation is most commonly used to treat blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma. ASCT replaces a patient's stem cells that have been destroyed by radiation therapy or high-dose chemotherapy. Autologous stem cell transplantation is most commonly used to treat blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma. There are usually no side effects, but occasionally patients may experience strange tastes in the mouth, chills, flushing, nausea and vomiting, headaches, changes in blood pressure and breathing. Urine may also be red in color. Graft failure is very rare in autologous stem cell transplantation. If bone marrow function is not restored, graft failure will occur. The graft cannot grow in the patient's body, and the lack of red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet production causes bone marrow failure. Stem cell treatments are expensive but many researchers are working on it as well. Patients should do their research and ask as many questions as possible before making a financial decision to continue treatment. This is a procedure in which healthy stem cells (hematopoietic cells) are removed from a patient's blood or bone marrow before treatment, stored, and returned to the patient after treatment. If bone marrow function is not restored, graft failure will occur. Once the stem cells have been collected and the transplant date is known, patient undergoes a process called a preparatory regimen. It is also sometimes called conditioning or cytotoxic therapy. During this stage, doctors use chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to kill cancer cells. Doctors will customize the treatment depending on patient condition and the treatment to which it is most likely to respond.

Preparatory regimens can be administered over several days. Patients usually receive the transplant 1-2 days after the last dose of chemotherapy or radiation. Doctors usually insert the harvested stem cells into the patient's bloodstream, much like a blood transfusion. Over the next few days to weeks, the transplanted stem cells migrate into the medullary cavity of the bone. There, they gradually start making new blood cells. Two to three weeks after the transplant, doctors usually find newly formed blood cells in the patient's blood. Over time, a successful transplant produces red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. A lot of medical support and care is needed in the first few days after the transplant. Irradiated blood products, such as platelets and red blood cells, can be transfused. Patients can get antibiotics to prevent and treat bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. These infections are most likely to occur within the first three months after transplantation. People who have had a stem cell transplant may have complications from chemotherapy or radiation given before the transplant. Such complications may require further treatment. The graft cannot grow in the patient's body, and the lack of red blood cell, white blood cell, and platelet production can cause bone marrow failure. Using your own cells during stem cell transplantation has several advantages over stem cells from a donor. For example, with an autologous stem cell transplant, you don't have to worry about mismatches between the donor's cells and your own. If your body is making enough healthy bone marrow cells, an autologous stem cell transplant may be an option. These cells can be collected, frozen, and stored for later use. This type of transplant is commonly used to treat blood cancers such as Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and myeloma. The purpose of autologous stem cell transplantation is to restore the body's ability to produce normal blood cells after high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Such intensive treatments are usually better at killing cancer cells than standard treatments, but these high-dose treatments are toxic and also destroy hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow. It is previously removed, treated outside the body, and re-injected after treatment to form new blood cells in the bone marrow. This is called "transplantation". Transplantation is faster with autologous than with allograft because the frozen cells are the patient's own stem cells. As such, graft failure (when transplanted cells do not grow and divide normally in the bone marrow) is rare, and Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) is never a problem. A successful transplant can help many people get rid of cancer or slow its progression. The success rate of autologous stem cell transplantation depends on many factors, including diagnosis and severity of the condition. Other variables include any additional medical problems you may have and how well you can tolerate chemotherapy. There may still be options, including new treatments such as CAR-T therapy.