Kazakhstan plans to increase the number of bone marrow transplants to 180 per year. At the National Research Oncology Center (NROC), 60 such procedures were performed in the first six months of this year alone. Another 45 patients with blood disorders are preparing for the procedure. In total, about 1,500 people received treatment at the center in the first half of the year. Over 14 years of operation, the facility’s specialists have introduced all types of bone marrow transplantation, performing around 800 surgeries. The institution has established a full cycle of care - from diagnosis and chemotherapy to transplantation and subsequent follow-up.
«It has been four years since I received treatment at this center. I was admitted here back in January 2021 with a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia. I underwent chemotherapy, and on August 10 I received a bone marrow transplant. After 60 days of treatment, I returned home. The specialists at this center are truly excellent,» shared patient Daulet Sabdenov.
Modern technologies make it possible to safely collect stem cells from the blood through apheresis, without the need for surgery. Thanks to the constant expansion of the donor database and an effective search system, more and more patients are getting a chance for successful treatment. The search for a donor begins with the patient’s closest relatives, but if no match is found, the national registry is used. It currently includes more than 13,000 people. If necessary, international resources are also engaged, comprising over 43 million potential donors. According to specialists, the likelihood of a match is, on average, one in 10,000.
«On average, about 5–6 donors are activated from the international database. The main requirements for donors are, first, age between 18 and 45 years, as younger donors have more active cells; and second, a body weight over 50 kilograms, which indicates that the donor is in good overall health,» said Anar Baismakova, specialist of the bone marrow donor registry department at the Blood Center.
Over the years, the National
Research Oncology Center has performed 19 unrelated transplants, including four
for foreign patients.
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