ACIBADEM GROUP: We Care for Blood Diseases
Acıbadem Group is dedicated to fighting blood cancer and blood disorders in both adults and children through its expert teams, advanced chemotherapy and radiotherapy units, bone marrow transplantation centers, and innovative procedures such as CAR T-cell therapy.
Advanced Treatment Options for Blood Diseases at Acıbadem
There are various types of blood diseases, which can be either benign or malignant. In some cases, blood cells may become cancerous; in others, the body may not produce enough blood cells, or the cells produced may be defective. The most common malignant blood diseases are leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, which are known as blood cancers. Common benign blood disorders include thalassemia, aplastic anemia, and myelodysplastic syndrome.
The treatment of blood disorders requires a comprehensive and personalized approach. Depending on the condition, treatment may involve medications, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery. When these options are not sufficient, bone marrow transplantation may offer a potential cure. At Acıbadem, we provide all of these treatment modalities under one roof, eliminating the need for patients to move from one hospital to another.
In Türkiye, Acıbadem has four fully equipped Bone Marrow Transplant Centers, addressing a significant demand from patients with various conditions, including blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, as well as benign hematologic disorders like thalassemia. One of these centers, located in İstanbul, stands out as the facility performing the highest number of bone marrow transplants in the country. Every year, hundreds of families from around the world apply to Acıbadem for the treatment of complex hematologic conditions.
Expanding Donor Pool with Haploidentical Transplant
The most critical step in bone marrow transplantation is finding a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matched donor for the patient. However, this can also be one of the biggest challenges. Without a fully HLA-matched donor, transplantation was traditionally not possible. Thanks to advancements in this field, even in the absence of a fully matched donor, half-matched (haploidentical) related donors can now be safely used in stem cell transplantation. This development has significantly expanded the donor pool. Potential donor matches are primarily sought among first-degree relatives, including siblings, children, or parents.
Over the past 10 years, advances in technology, the development of new medications, and increased clinical experience have significantly improved the outcomes of haploidentical stem cell transplantation. Today, this method is widely used and achieves high success rates. At Acıbadem, nearly 25% of all allogeneic bone marrow transplants are currently performed using haploidentical donors.
TÜRKÖK: A Beacon of Hope for Blood Disease Patients in Türkiye
Even though families are ready to donate bone marrow to save a loved one, a matching relative may not always be found. In this scenario, there is one final option: stem cells can be sourced from national or international bone marrow banks, which may have an unrelated fully matched donor. In such cases, Acıbadem focuses on identifying suitable donors through national and international registries and succeeds in finding matches for nearly half of the patients who apply. One key resource is TÜRKÖK, Türkiye’s national bone marrow bank, which is the sixth largest in the world. Thanks to TÜRKÖK, matched donors are found for a significant number of patients from around the globe receiving care at Acıbadem.
CAR T-Cell Therapy: Helping the Immune System Effectively Target and Treat Cancer
Despite today’s advanced chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and bone marrow transplantation methods, these treatments may not always lead to the desired outcome. In such cases, CAR T-cell therapy offers a promising and innovative option. This treatment involves enhancing the ability of T cells, which are found in the blood, to recognize and destroy cancer cells by genetically modifying them in the laboratory. Acıbadem is among the few hospitals worldwide that not only administer CAR T-cell therapy but also have the capability to produce CAR T-cells on site. This allows Acıbadem to create personalized CAR T-cells specifically for patients with lymphoma or leukemia when needed.