The procedure of collecting stem cells from a 14-year-old patient from Osh region, suffering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma and concomitant SLE, has started at the National Center for Maternal and Child Welfare. The press center of the Ministry of Health of Kyrgyzstan reported.
According to it, this stage is preparation for an autologous bone marrow transplant.
Autologous bone marrow transplant is a treatment method that uses the patient’s own stem cells. This minimizes the risk of immunological conflicts and significantly increases the effectiveness of therapy.
The patient, who has undergone five courses of chemotherapy, is preparing for this vital operation, which gives her a chance for a full recovery.
According to the director of the National Center, Shaiyrbek Sulaimanov, preparations for the transplant began on August 2, but the procedure had to be postponed due to the exacerbation of another disease in the patient. Today, her condition has stabilized, and doctors have begun collecting stem cells.
«Financing of diagnostics and treatment of cancer in children in Kyrgyzstan is improving from year to year. This makes it possible to introduce new treatment methods, such as autologous bone marrow transplantation. We are confident that these advanced technologies will open up new horizons in the treatment of children suffering from serious cancer diseases and significantly improve their chances of recovery,» the Health Minister Alymkadyr Beishenaliev said during a visit to the center.
The National Center for Maternal and Child Welfare is equipped with modern medical equipment, including a unique flow cytometry device, which helps determine the antigen structure of a tumor and the type of leukemia cells. The institution also has an apheresis device for collecting stem cells, which is an important part of the procedure. In the future, the center plans to introduce allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.
