Can somebody please tell me in layman's terms the different types of allogeneic stem cell transplants available and why one may be used as opposed to another?
So:
- Full allo
- Mini allo
- Haploid allo
- (Are there others?)
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Types of allogeneic (donor) stem cell transplants?
Dear Everyone,
Can somebody please tell me in layman's terms the different types of allogeneic stem cell transplants available and why one may be used as opposed to another?
So:
Can somebody please tell me in layman's terms the different types of allogeneic stem cell transplants available and why one may be used as opposed to another?
So:
-
vicstir - Name: Vic
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 39
Re: Types of allogeneic (donor) stem cell transplants?
Hi vicstir,
A full allo is myeloablative, meaning that you have chemo before the transplant that destroys your entire immune system (like the melphalan we get for an auto transplant).
A mini allo (what I just had in April) means that it is non myeloablative, so you have a mild chemo which suppresses – but doesn't kill – your immune system, and a short dose of full body radiation (also intended to suppress your immune system).
A haploid allo is when the donor cells are from a sibling or family donor who is a half match based on what is known as "HLA typing." My brother is my donor and he is a 90% match, which is highly uncommon.
I hope this helps!
Cindy
A full allo is myeloablative, meaning that you have chemo before the transplant that destroys your entire immune system (like the melphalan we get for an auto transplant).
A mini allo (what I just had in April) means that it is non myeloablative, so you have a mild chemo which suppresses – but doesn't kill – your immune system, and a short dose of full body radiation (also intended to suppress your immune system).
A haploid allo is when the donor cells are from a sibling or family donor who is a half match based on what is known as "HLA typing." My brother is my donor and he is a 90% match, which is highly uncommon.
I hope this helps!
Cindy
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CindyBrown - Name: Cindy Brown
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 4/26/14
- Age at diagnosis: 48
Re: Types of allogeneic (donor) stem cell transplants?
Thanks Cindy,
May I ask why was it that you had a "mini" as opposed to a "Full"?
Is the radiation blasting safer then the high dose mephalan?
Your brother not being a full match, does that make your transplant a Haploid?
The reason i ask is that it looks like an "allo" will be my next course of action and I am trying to gather information that I can understand. The links and medical papers are all very good. But I am no scholar and they tend to confuse me more then inform me. I am a big fan of the K.I.S.S approach.
I am fortunate that I have a sibling whom is a 100% match. Which is why this is now a option for me.
Another question if someone has an answer. What is potentially a better result the Mini or the Full Allo? If you are deemed suitable for either.
As usual the more info that's out there the more question.
Thanks again Vic
May I ask why was it that you had a "mini" as opposed to a "Full"?
Is the radiation blasting safer then the high dose mephalan?
Your brother not being a full match, does that make your transplant a Haploid?
The reason i ask is that it looks like an "allo" will be my next course of action and I am trying to gather information that I can understand. The links and medical papers are all very good. But I am no scholar and they tend to confuse me more then inform me. I am a big fan of the K.I.S.S approach.
I am fortunate that I have a sibling whom is a 100% match. Which is why this is now a option for me.
Another question if someone has an answer. What is potentially a better result the Mini or the Full Allo? If you are deemed suitable for either.
As usual the more info that's out there the more question.
Thanks again Vic
-
vicstir - Name: Vic
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 39
Re: Types of allogeneic (donor) stem cell transplants?
Hi Vic,
I will answer as best as I can. I had a mini allo because it was only 8 weeks after my auto transplant and the disease level was low enough that they were trying to improve my immune system by adding my brother's cells rather than starting from scratch again. I assume, but am not positive, that if you are having an allo as salvage therapy, then you would need a full allo. My treatment is part of a clinical trial that is specifically for non-matched (not specifically haplo) donors. The trial is more about the drugs used after the transplant to prevent GVHD.
There are a handful of people on this site that have had allos and I think all have been minis. What treatment center are you using? I would encourage this be done at a major research facility because they have much more experience with multiple myeloma and allo transplants. I am being treated at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and just got home. I am day 107 post transplant now.
I will answer as best as I can. I had a mini allo because it was only 8 weeks after my auto transplant and the disease level was low enough that they were trying to improve my immune system by adding my brother's cells rather than starting from scratch again. I assume, but am not positive, that if you are having an allo as salvage therapy, then you would need a full allo. My treatment is part of a clinical trial that is specifically for non-matched (not specifically haplo) donors. The trial is more about the drugs used after the transplant to prevent GVHD.
There are a handful of people on this site that have had allos and I think all have been minis. What treatment center are you using? I would encourage this be done at a major research facility because they have much more experience with multiple myeloma and allo transplants. I am being treated at Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and just got home. I am day 107 post transplant now.
-
CindyBrown - Name: Cindy Brown
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: 4/26/14
- Age at diagnosis: 48
Re: Types of allogeneic (donor) stem cell transplants?
Hi Cindy,
Thanks again for your reply. You must be so relieved to be home. I have followed you journey with much interest and will continue to.
I am in Sydney Australia, so we don't have specialist as such for myeloma. That is why I seek so much information on this site. If this site didn't exist, I would be a little lost I think. My doctor at the moment, whilst not a specialist, it is considered her specialty. I consider myself lucky to have her on my side. At least she is open to discussing treatment options not just going with routine. Because I am young for myeloma, she is prepared to plead my case for outside the norm treatment plans.
I see her again next week. So I will possibly have more questions then. Lol
Vic
Thanks again for your reply. You must be so relieved to be home. I have followed you journey with much interest and will continue to.
I am in Sydney Australia, so we don't have specialist as such for myeloma. That is why I seek so much information on this site. If this site didn't exist, I would be a little lost I think. My doctor at the moment, whilst not a specialist, it is considered her specialty. I consider myself lucky to have her on my side. At least she is open to discussing treatment options not just going with routine. Because I am young for myeloma, she is prepared to plead my case for outside the norm treatment plans.
I see her again next week. So I will possibly have more questions then. Lol
Vic
-
vicstir - Name: Vic
- Who do you know with myeloma?: Myself
- When were you/they diagnosed?: October 2013
- Age at diagnosis: 39
Re: Types of allogeneic (donor) stem cell transplants?
Hi Vic,
Three haematologists at the Royal Prince Albert in Sydney are members of the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), and you generally have to be a myeloma specialist to be a member of the IMWG. They are: John Gibson, Douglas Joshua, and Joy Ho.
If you've not been seen by one of these three specialists yet, perhaps you want to see if you can schedule a consultation.
Cheers!
Three haematologists at the Royal Prince Albert in Sydney are members of the International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG), and you generally have to be a myeloma specialist to be a member of the IMWG. They are: John Gibson, Douglas Joshua, and Joy Ho.
If you've not been seen by one of these three specialists yet, perhaps you want to see if you can schedule a consultation.
Cheers!
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