How To Treat And Diagnose Diamond-Blackfan Anemia

Blood Transfusions

A blood transfusion is a treatment method for countless conditions where a healthy individual's blood is given to someone who is ill, diseased, or injured. Blood transfusions are sometimes administered regularly to treat various disorders. The donor blood is administered through a catheter installed in a vein or a more permanent intravenous port device on the patient's body. For chronic diseases and conditions, blood transfusions are administered at intervals between four and six weeks in a hospital, physician's office, or outpatient treatment center.

Since Diamond-Blackfan anemia patients have bone marrow that cannot make enough red blood cells for their body, blood transfusions can provide their body with more red blood cells to take the place of what is missing. Blood transfusions are utilized in Diamond-Blackfan anemia patients when other treatment types have not been effective, side effects of different treatments are not well tolerated, and their anemia is particularly severe and causes life-threatening complications.

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Stem Cell Transplant

Stem cell transplant is a treatment method where hemopoietic or blood-forming stem cells are taken from a donor and transplanted into an ill individual to help cure or treat their condition. Only a close biological relative or a specially matched donor can donate stem cells to a patient in need. Stem cell transplants are used for numerous different conditions that can cause bone marrow not to function. Donor stem cells integrate into the bone and form new bone marrow to replace diseased and dead bone marrow that can no longer produce enough blood cells for the individual's body. Diamond-Blackfan anemia patients can benefit from stem cell transplants because it is the only known potential cure for the disease.

However, few patients affected by bone marrow failure diseases like Diamond-Blackfan anemia are eligible to undergo stem cell transplants because the procedure has harsh side effects. An individual experiencing a stem cell transplant must have chemotherapy before the procedure to effectively clear the diseased or malfunctioning bone marrow from the bones before the transplant. If the patient is unable to tolerate chemotherapy, they cannot undergo a stem cell transplant.

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