KFSHRC DEVELOPS STEM CELL COLLECTION PROTOCOL TO IMPROVE DONOR SAFETY

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 (Bernama) -- King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre (KFSHRC) in Jeddah has developed and implemented what it describes as the world's first protocol using an algorithm to accurately estimate the expected stem cell yield from each donor.

According to a statement, the protocol enabled stem cell collection to be completed in the first session for 100 per cent of male donors and 94.9 per cent of all donors, while eliminating the need for third and fourth collection sessions.

KFSHRC Jeddah Chair of the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and the study’s principal investigator, Professor Ashraf Dada said sparing healthy donors from repeated stem cell collection sessions is both a clinical and an ethical priority.

He said the algorithm, developed over three years and tested on 138 donors, enabled the medical team to plan the initial collection session with close to 92 per cent accuracy in predicting stem cell yield.

According to Professor Ashraf, the protocol improves donor safety and experience, supports advance planning of the collection process and speeds treatment for patients awaiting a transplant.

The protocol is designed to reduce repeat collection sessions and the associated risks to donor safety. Figures from the United States National Marrow Donor Program show that repeat sessions increase a donor's likelihood of hospitalisation for recovery sixfold.

The hospital said the protocol sets a new global benchmark by reducing the need for repeat procedures while balancing donor safety with treatment efficiency.

For patients, survival reached 91.2 per cent at 100 days after transplantation, exceeding the global average and marking improved early recovery. The findings were published in Blood Global Hematology, a journal of the American Society of Hematology.

The breakthrough reflects KFSHRC's broader efforts to use data and scientific analysis to advance specialised care while reinforcing its position as a pioneer in advanced medical solutions.

-- BERNAMA