New radiation technique may make stem cell transplants safer for sickle cell patients

This early study tests a new way to prepare the body for a stem cell transplant in people with sickle cell disease. Instead of full-body radiation, doctors use targeted radiation to the bone marrow and lymph nodes, plus a drug called alemtuzumab, to reduce damage to healthy organs and lower the risk of graft-versus-host disease. The goal is to see if this approach is safe and can help the new stem cells grow enough to reduce sickle cell symptoms.