Aplastic anemia

Aplastic anemia is a condition where the bone marrow does not produce enough, or any, new cells to replenish the blood cells. One known cause is an autoimmune disorder, where the white blood cells attack the bone marrow. In many cases, the etiology is impossible to determine, but aplastic anemia is sometimes associated with exposure to substances such as benzene or to the use of certain drugs, including chloramphenicol and phenylbutazone.

Treatment

Treating aplastic anemia involves suppression of the immune system, an effect achieved by daily medicine intake, or, in more severe cases, a bone marrow transplant, a curing but risky procedure. An interesting property of bone marrow transplants is the production of new white blood cells, an effect that removes the possibility of rejection. However, newly created white blood cells might reject the whole body instead ("graft-versus-host disease").

Related Topics:
Immune system - Medicine - Graft-versus-host disease

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Steroids are generally ineffective, and many patients eventually receive ciclosporin or mild chemotherapy to silence the immune system. This usually happens with the agents cyclophosphamide and vincristine. Antibodies (anti-thymocyte globulin and anti-lymphocyte globulin) may be used in combination with them.

Related Topics:
Steroid - Ciclosporin - Chemotherapy - Immune system - Cyclophosphamide - Vincristine - Antibodies - Anti-thymocyte globulin - Anti-lymphocyte globulin

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