Bone marrow transplant to be started at BSMMU Super Specialised Hospital

Staff Reporter :
Bone marrow transplant is going to be started soon in the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Super Specialized Hospital.
BSMMU Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Md Sharfuddin Ahmed informed this while speaking at a seminar organized by the Hematology Department of BSMMU on the occasion of ‘World MDS Day’.
Dr Salahuddin Shah, Chairman of Hematology Department, expressed the hope that all necessary testing facilities for the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome will be readily available and world-class treatment of this disease will be ensured in the country.
Like previous years, World MDS Awareness Day is being celebrated on Tuesday. MDS is a blood disorder in which one or more of the blood components are reduced. Over time the blood cancer from MDS can transform into acute myeloid leukemia.
In myelodysplastic syndromes, or MDS, genetic changes impair the blood-making process and cause a decrease in the amount and function of any one or more of hemoglobin, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood. The prevalence of this disease is seen with age.
A study showed that up to 75 out of 100,000 people above the age of 65 may be suffering from this disease. The average life expectancy of people is increasing all over the world through various means including the improvement of medical science and development of the socio-economic system.
As a result, the number of patients suffering from this disease is increasing day by day. So it is important for everyone to be aware of this disease. Patients with this disease may have anemia which may require frequent blood transfusions. Recurrent infections can occur when white blood cells are low or ineffective. Bleeding may occur if the platelets are reduced or less effective.
A CBC test can usually show evidence of a decrease in blood components. Later, the disease can be confirmed through bone marrow examination and genetic testing. Genetic testing is important for the treatment of this disease. Genetic testing can help determine the risk of developing a disease, especially leukemia, and help determine risk-adjusted treatment.
Ten percent of low-risk patients and 25-30 percent of high-risk MDS patients are likely to transform into leukemia.
Initially, blood transfusion and other supportive treatment are given as appropriate. If the risk is low, in many cases only supportive treatment is given. Depending on the risk and genetic test results, drugs and chemotherapy and, if applicable, an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell or bone marrow transplant may be performed.