my friend says the doctor diagnosed him with some blood cancer.. his heart stop producing new blood and he has to change his blood every 25-27 days or else hell die... doctor said its severe.. what is this sickness, is it hemophilia? I read a therapy called replacing genes.. how does it works? is there any hope for him?
Hi, Thanks for writing in to us. Sorry to hear about the cancer your friend is fighting. Blood cancer might occur in many types and the patient symptoms vary. The new blood cells are produced in bone marrow. It is possible that the bone marrow in your friend is producing immature cells and this prevents formation of normal blood cells. In this way there is no new blood cells that are normal and all the cells released from the bone marrow are immature. For this reason he requires blood transfusion regularly. It is unlikely to be hemophilia which is a disease in which blood does not clot, and the patient has blood loss. Gene therapy and stem cell research is still going on with research trials in selected countries. This information of the availability of any trials and if your friend can participate will be known only if you contact any cancer research center in you place and give them detailed information about his illness and blood counts. Immune modulator therapy and bone marrow transplant might work and this needs detailed discussion with his doctor. Please do not worry.