Researchers have for the first time performed a successful bone marrow transplant to cure sickle cell disease in adults, according to the Los Angeles Times. The team reported it has developed a much-less-toxic transplant procedure and used it to cure nine of the first 10 patients studied.

The hereditary disorder primarily effects  those of African descent and with the findings of this study there could be a notable increase in the demand for African American donors. See the statistical breakdown of donor ethnicity here.

Those suffering from Sickle Cell Anemia produce C-shaped or “sickle” red blood cells—rather than the normal doughnut shape—that clump when moving through blood vessels. The disorder is defined by a lower-than-normal number of red blood cells(RBCs) because the mishapen cells don’t last very long, dying after 10 to 20 days. Normal RBCs live approximately 120 days.  The bone marrow cannot produce new red blood cells fast enough to replace dying ones.

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