Five questions about stem cell donation – Radboudumc

Thousands of lights, applause and a huge banner: last Saturday we saw the support of an entire football stadium for Thijs Slegers, spokesperson for PSV. Thijs has acute leukemia and is not getting better. Every year, thousands of other people in the Netherlands are also told that they have a form of blood cancer. These patients are very sick, and if a stem cell transplant is not given, they are very likely to die. A last possible chance for treatment are healthy stem cells from someone else. And for this stem cell donors are needed. These stem cells from donors must match those of the patient.

There are many uncertainties about stem cell donation. The Hematology team at Radboudumc answers the most frequently asked questions.

1. What is stem cell donation?

Stem cell donation is the donation of stem cells for the treatment of patients with a blood disorder. Stem cells are cells that make new blood cells. They are found in the bone marrow cavities of our bones. A patient cannot receive stem cells from everyone. To do this, a donor must be found with the same tissue characteristics. The chance of two random people matching each other is very small. That is why it is important that as many people as possible register as a stem cell donor. For people with a malignant blood disorder (such as leukaemia) or a disease of the immune system, a stem cell transplant can be life-saving.

2. Who can become a stem cell donor?

Anyone who meets the health requirements, lives in the Netherlands and is in the age group 18 to 55 years can register as a stem cell donor. If you are interested in becoming a donor, please visit the website for more information Matchis.

3. How does the stem cell donation work?

Stem cells can be donated in two ways: via the blood or via the bone marrow. Which procedure is chosen depends, among other things, on the clinical picture and the treatment of the patient. Collection only takes place in the LUMC (Leiden) or the Radboudumc (Nijmegen) and the donation is entirely voluntary and anonymous. In the majority of cases, the stem cells are taken from the blood. In preparation for the collection, the donor injects himself with a drug (growth factor) for 5 days. As a result, more stem cells are produced and enter the bloodstream. On the day of donation, the stem cells are removed from the blood using an apheresis device. This device filters the stem cells from the blood and returns the blood to the donor via an IV. Over the course of a few hours, enough stem cells are collected in this way. At the end of the afternoon, the donor can go home. The stem cells are brought to the patient (somewhere in the world) and administered within 72 hours. The collection of stem cells from the bone marrow is done under general anesthesia in the operating room. The stem cells are taken directly from the pelvis.

4. How can I register as a stem cell donor?

Donors can register via www.matchis.nl. After completing the form, the donor will receive a confirmation email from Matchis. After this, a registration set is sent home to take a buccal mucosa. Once the donor has returned the registration set, the laboratory will complete the registration and the donor will be registered as a stem cell donor.

5. What are the risks of stem cell donation for the donor?

Prior to the donation, an informational interview and an extensive medical examination take place to assess whether the donor is healthy.

Once in preparation for donation, administering the growth factor can cause side effects: mild to moderate bone and muscle pains, which can be treated well with paracetamol. Sometimes a flu-like feeling occurs with fatigue and possibly a mild fever and headache. No adverse effect is known to date in the long term.

With bone marrow donation, the standard risks of anesthesia are the greatest risk with this form of stem cell donation. During the first few days, the donor may suffer from a sore, painful feeling at the place where the pelvis was punctured. When the bone marrow is removed, blood is also aspirated in addition to stem cells, which can lead to mild anemia. This can cause fatigue symptoms. The body will quickly produce the blood again and after a few weeks the anemia will have disappeared.

For more information about stem cell donation see matchis.nl.