Treatment of Aplastic Anemia
Aplastic anemia is treated in two main ways: stem cell transplantation and immunosuppression therapy. Stem cell transplantation is when cells are taken from a donor and transplanted into the affected individual. Immunosuppression therapy is a drug treatment that reduces the efficacy of the human immune system.
When a matched donor is not available for transplantation, or when the patient is over age 40, immunosuppression therapy is the best treatment option. The best immunosuppressive therapy has been found to be antithymocyte globulin (ATG) in combination with cyclosporine (CsA).
When a matched donor is not available for transplantation, or when the patient is over age 40, immunosuppression therapy is the best treatment option. The best immunosuppressive therapy has been found to be antithymocyte globulin (ATG) in combination with cyclosporine (CsA).
Transplantation
Stem cell transplantation is when cells are taken from a donor and transplanted into the affected individual. Transplantation is most effective when stem cells are taken from the bone marrow rather than from the blood. If the patient is over the age of 40, transplantation is the best treatment option.
Siblings can be tested to determine if they are appropriate donors. Best donors will have a match at 2 out of 3 antigen sites. If a sibling is not available, a donor’s stem cells can be used if they match at 2 out of the 3 sites. Unmatched donors should not be used.
During transplantation, stem cells are removed from a large bone in the donor’s body under anesthesia. To reduce complications, patients will also undergo pretreatment with immune system-suppressing drugs such as Fludarabine and Cyclosporine (CsA).
Stem cell transplantation is when cells are taken from a donor and transplanted into the affected individual. Transplantation is most effective when stem cells are taken from the bone marrow rather than from the blood. If the patient is over the age of 40, transplantation is the best treatment option.
Siblings can be tested to determine if they are appropriate donors. Best donors will have a match at 2 out of 3 antigen sites. If a sibling is not available, a donor’s stem cells can be used if they match at 2 out of the 3 sites. Unmatched donors should not be used.
During transplantation, stem cells are removed from a large bone in the donor’s body under anesthesia. To reduce complications, patients will also undergo pretreatment with immune system-suppressing drugs such as Fludarabine and Cyclosporine (CsA).
Immunosuppression
Immunosuppression is a treatment regimen that relies on medication to increase red blood cell, platelet, and white blood cell counts. There are two types of immunosuppressants that research shows to work most effectively: antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine (CsA)1.
1 - http://asheducationbook.hematologylibrary.org/content/2010/1/36.full
Immunosuppression is a treatment regimen that relies on medication to increase red blood cell, platelet, and white blood cell counts. There are two types of immunosuppressants that research shows to work most effectively: antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine (CsA)1.
1 - http://asheducationbook.hematologylibrary.org/content/2010/1/36.full
ATG
reduced with Medrol (prednisone) |
CsA
generating an immune response
testing is needed |