Sickle Cell Anemia Cured, But Marrow Treatment Risky

Bone marrow transplants have been found to cure sickle cell anemia, a disease that afflicts 80,000 Americans, most of them black. But the risky treatment will probably be reserved for only the worst cases.

A study published today found that while three-quarters of victims are cured, 10 percent die from the treatment itself.

The approach is radical. Doctors use chemotherapy drugs to destroy the victim’s own blood-producing bone marrow, then substitute marrow taken from a genetically similar brother or sister.

However, two major shortcomings remain: Only an estimated 18 percent of sickle cell patients have a suitable marrow donor. And even when a donor is available, doctors will be reluctant to risk the procedure unless they are certain patients will have severe forms of the disease.