Major Advances in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Presented At Annual ASH Meeting

Major advances in transplant techniques, strategies, and technologies involving Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC) were presented at the 55th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans.

Stem cells are special cells in the body that can differentiate into a higher form of cells such as cell tissues and organs. There are different types of stem cells that are associated with a biological system such as heart stem cells. Pluripotent stem cells are cells that can differentiate into any type of cell regardless of origin.

Hematopoietic stem cells are stem cells that comes from the bone marrow and in infants, in the umbilical cord blood, in an embryo or in peripheral blood in the human body. These stem cells can differentiate into many different types of blood cells such as erythrocytes, basophils, neutrophils and B-lymphocytes. Hematopoietic stem cells can also stop proliferating when it is unneeded.

HSCs (Hematopoietic Stem Cells) are used in treating blood based diseases such as lymphoma and leukemia. HSCs are transplanted to a patient after radiation therapy or chemotherapy to help the patient in recovering from the treatment. These cells either come from a matching donor ,a bone marrow transplant or harvesting the cells from the patient before the treatment

The studies presented advances in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) has addressed risks involving the procedure such as donor blood rejection and regression.

Presentations during the annual meeting include:

• Encouraging Outcomes in Older Patients (Pts) Following Nonmyeloablative (NMA) Haploidentical Blood or Marrow Transplantation (haploBMT) With High-Dose Posttransplantation Cyclophosphamide (PT/Cy)
• Equality of Access to Transplant for Ethnic Minority Patients Through Use of Cord Blood and Haploidentical Transplants
• Full-Intensity Transplantation and Short Telomeres Increase the Risk of Cognitive Impairment After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) – Results of a Prospective Longitudinal Study
• Donor-Derived Anti-CD19 Chimeric-Antigen-Receptor-Expressing T Cells Cause Regression of Malignancy Persisting After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

These are summarized below. Links to the individual presentations can be found in the Related Links section.

Non-Chemotherapy Treatment of Lymphoma Through HDL Cholesterol Deprivation and Nanoparticles

Lymphatic System

Researchers have discovered a new treatment for lymphoma that does not include drugs or chemotherapy. Researchers at Northwestern Medicine® found that by depriving the lymphoma cell its source of food, which is HDL cholesterol, it will end up starving to death.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic or lymph system.

The lymphatic system, a major part of the immune system, is a network of organs, lymph nodes, lymph ducts, and lymph vessels in the body. It moves lymph from tissues to the bloodstream. It filters the blood and help form immunity in children.

Lymph is a clear watery fluid that carries oxygen and other nutrients to cellular tissues in the body. It also contains white blood cells that attack harmful bacteria and fight infections.

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects lymphocytes (a type of white blood cells). Lymphocytes become abnormal start behaving erratically. These affected lymphocytes may start to multiply faster or live longer than usual (lymphocytes die after an infection has been eradicated).

Because the lymph system circulates around the whole body, lymphoma happens in multiple locations in the body unlike other cancers where it is isolated in one location or organ.

Typically, lymphoma presents as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage of the disease

There are two major types of lymphoma; Hodgkin's and Non-Hodgkin's. These 2 types of lymphomas behave, spread, and respond to treatment differently.

Lymphoma Therapy Targeting CD19 Protein May Reduce Risk of Lymphoma

Lymphoma is a type of cancer that starts in white blood cells called lymphocites. Lymphocites are the main part of the immune system. These circulate in blood vessels, lymph nodes and other network of vessels in the body.

Lymphocites enter the blood and tissues to respond to bacteria and viruses that attack the body.

When these lymphocites grow and develop uncontrollably into tumors, lymphoma develops. These tumors start to crowd out healthy tissue and organs .

Lymphoma therapy could deliver a double punch

B cell lymphomas are a group of cancers of that originate in lymphoid tissue from B cells, the specialized immune cell type that produces antibodies. The development of B cell lymphoma is associated with several known genetic changes, including increased expression of MYC, a transcription factor that promotes cell growth and division.