Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is a relatively new medical procedure being used to treat diseases once thought incurable.

Since its first successful use in 1968, BMT have been use to treat patients who diagnosed with leukemia, aplastic anemia, lymphomas such as Hodgkin’s disease, multiple myeloma, immune deficiency disorders and some solid tumors.

WHAT IS BONE MARROW?
Bone marrow is a spongy tissue found inside bones. The bone marrow in the breast bone, skull, hips, ribs and spine contains stem cells that produce the body’s blood cells. These blood cells include white blood cells (leukocytes), which fight infection; red blood cells (erythrocytes), which carry oxygen to as well as remove waste products from organs and tissues; and platelets, which enables the blood to clot.

WHY TRANSPLANT?
In patients with leukemia, aplastic anemia and some immune deficiency diseases, the stem cells in the bone marrow malfunction, producing an excessive number of defective or immature blood cells (in the case of leukemia) or low blood cells counts (in the case of  aplastic anemia).
The immature or defective blood cells interfere with the production of normal blood cells, accumulate in the bloodstream and may invade other tissues. Large doses of chemotherapy and/ or radiation are required to destroy the abnormal stem cells and abnormal blood cells.
These therapies, however, not only kill the abnormal cells but can destroy normal cells found in the bone marrow as well. Similarly, aggressive chemotherapy used to treat some lymphomas and other cancers can destroy healthy bone marrow. A bone marrow transplant enables physicians to treat these diseased or damaged bone marrow after the chemotherapy / radiation treatment.Then,normal bone marrow cells from a donor are infused into the patients. These cells will produce normal blood cells and the patients can be cured.

TYPES OF TRANSPLANTS
Allogeneic Transplant – stem cells are donated from a genetically matched family member (usually a brother or sister). Genetic matching, called HLA matching, is done from blood samples.
Matched Unrelated Transplant – another type of allogeneic transplant, but the stem cells are donated by someone other then a family member. This donor is found in one of the worldwide donor registries.
Autologous Transplant – the patient donates his or her own stem cells prior to treatment for infusion later.

Your doctor will discuss what type of transplant is available for you.

Disease Types

Malignant dieases

o    Acute Leukemias including  acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML)

o    Non – Hodgkin Lymphoma

o    Hodgkins Disease

o    Solid Tumors

o    Neuroblastoma

o    Ewings Sarcoma

o    Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET)

o    Malignant Germ Cell Tumors

o    Chronic Leukemia

o    CCML

o    JCML

o    Malignant Brain Tumors

Non – Malignant
 

o    Immunodeficiencies

o    Metabolic and genetic disorders (including Hurlers syndrome)

o    Metabolic Bone Disease (including osteopetrosis)

o    Hematopoietic Diseases

o  Myelodysplasia

o   Aplastic Anemia

o   Fanconi’s Anemia

o   Sickle Cell Anemia

o   Diamond Blackfan Anemia

o   Schwachman Diamond

o   Thalassemia

Autoimmune Disease

o   SLE

o    Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis

o    Systemic Sclerosis

A successful bone marrow transplant requires an expert medical team : doctors, nurses and other support staffs who are experienced in bone marrow transplants, promptly recognize problems and emerging side effects, as well as know how to react swiftly and properly if problems do arise. A good bone marrow transplant program will also recognize the importance of providing patient and their families with emotional and psychological support before, during and after the transplant. The program is available personal and other support systems readily to families for this purpose.

About Us
The Bone Marrow Transplant Program at Samitivej Srinakarin has been in operation since 2005. The program provides both Autologous and Allogeneic related and unrelated bone marrow / stem cell transplant for lymphoma, leukemia, Thallassemia with patients ranging in age from infancy through adolescence to adult

Meet Our Staff
The Bone Marrow Transplant team include 10+ member of Physicians and nurses. Each physician is board certified in International Medicine and Hematology. Physicians are also board certified in medical oncology. Each nurse is trained for taking care BMT patients and has more than 5 years of experience in caring for bone marrow transplant patients.

Physicians

1.    Professor Emeritus Lt. General Thip  Sriphaisal, M.D.

Diplomate Thai Board of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology
Diplomate Thai Board of Family Medicine

2.    Clinical Professor Sanay  Chearskul, M.D.

Diplomate Thai Board of Pediatrics
Diplomate Thai Board of Family Medicine
Certificate in Microbial Study Course, Japan

3.    Assistant Professor Suradej  Hongeng, M.D.

Diplomate America Board of Pediatrics
Diplomate America Board of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology
Certificate in Pediatric Neuro-Oncology, U.S.A.
Diplomate Thai Board of Pediatrics

4.     Samart  Pakakasama, M.D.
 

Diplomate Thai Board of Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology
Diplomate Thai Board of Pediatrics
Certificate in Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology, U.S.A.
Certificate in Pediatric Bone Marrow Transplantation, U.S.A

5.    Touch  Ativittavas, M.D.
 

Diplomate Thai Board of Internal Medicine
Diplomate Thai Board of Hematology Medicine/Oncology
Certificate in  Bone Marrow Transplantation, U.S.A

6.    Pimjai  Niparuck, M.D.

Diplomate Thai Board of Internal Medicine
Diplomate Thai Board of Hematology Medicine

7.    Prapon  Ditrungroj, M.D.

Diplomate Thai Board of Internal Medicine
Diplomate Thai Board of Cardiology

8.    Kraisorn  Juthacharoenwong, M.D.

Diplomate Thai Board of Pediatrics
Diplomate Thai Sub-Board of Pediatric Cardiology

9.   Anupan  Tantachun , M.D.     

Diplomate Thai Board of Pediatrics
Diplomate Thai Board of Pediatric Pulmonology     

10.   Weera  Assavisaraporn, M.D.

Diplomate Thai Board of Internal Medicine
Diplomate Thai Board of Nephrology

11.  Teerasak  Kawamatawong, M.D.

Diplomate Thai Board of Internal Medicine
Diplomate Thai Board of Pulmonology  

Facilities

: Private room on 9th floor at Samitivej Srinakarin hospital : All are Hepafilters with positive pressure.
: Bone – Marrow Harvesting facilities are provided in the operating room at Samitivej Srinakarin hospital.
: OPD clinic at 9th floor for adult and children.
: Separate family conference and consultation rooms at  9th floor

Requirements for transplant candidates

1.     Please forward on updated complete history physician records, and include records of initial and recent bone marrow biopsies and pathogenic data

2.     Pre-transplant testing includes infections disease blood tests, liver and renal function blood test and confirmatory HLA tissue typing and blood typing

For more information please contact:
Miss Jiraporn Chanapai 
(Bone Marrow Transplant Coordinator)

jchanapa@samitivej.co.th

Hematology and Oncology Center (Bone Marrow Transplantation)