What is Bone Marrow Transplant? 

A Cell Transplant or Bone Marrow Transplant serves three primary purposes:

• It replaces damaged blood cells caused by high-dose chemotherapy or radiation used to eliminate cancer cells. Following cancer treatment, the transplant replenishes the affected cells with healthy ones.
• In the course of chemotherapy, not only are cancer cells targeted, but some healthy blood cells are also harmed. In this procedure, doctors use cell transplants to substitute the damaged cells with fresh, healthy ones.
• It provides new cells that can directly attack and eliminate cancer cells.

What are different types of bone marrow transplants?

There are three types of bone marrow transplantation procedures available:

• Autologous transplant: In this procedure, a patient’s own blood cells are collected before chemotherapy, stored, and later returned to the patient’s body after chemotherapy or radiation, which is known as a “rescue transplant.” These cells can be preserved for an extended period, and doctors store them until needed for transplantation.
• Allogeneic transplant: Here, doctors obtain cells or blood cells from a donor, who can be a family member or an unrelated individual. It’s crucial to find a donor whose bone marrow matches the patient’s. This type of transplant relies on donor compatibility.
• Umbilical cord blood transplant: Similar to allogeneic transplant, this procedure involves collecting cells or bone marrow from a newborn’s umbilical cord immediately after birth. These cells are frozen and stored until required for transplantation. After chemotherapy or radiation, the cells are infused back into the patient’s bloodstream through a central venous catheter, akin to a blood transfusion, and they travel from the blood to the bone marrow without the need for surgery.

Why Is Bone Marrow Transplant For Leukemia Expensive?

Research published in Journal of Blood Medicine, says that patients with leukemia spend 70% of treatment expenses for ‘inpatient hospitalisation’.^[6]

Other imperative cost drivers for bone marrow transplant for leukemia are:

1. Getting a donor: If the patient does not match well with a relative, patient might need to get a donor from global registry, which can be very expensive.
2. Preparation: Before transplant, patients require medication and chemotherapy to kill the abnormal WBC Chemotherapy can be an added cost for the patient.
3. Transplant procedure: This requires specialised equipment and medical care. If there is a relapse or the cancer progresses, extra consultations and treatment could shoot up cost.
4. Aftercare: Patients need medicines to prevent rejection and follow-up visits to make sure the transplant is effective.