Which of the following is a treatment for thalassemia that involves replacing bone marrow with donor cells?

• A. Blood transfusion
• B. Bone marrow transplant
• C. D-dimer test
• D. Chorionic villus sampling

Answer: (B)

The treatment in focus is a hematopoietic stem cell transplant, also known as a bone marrow transplant. In thalassemia, this approach replaces the patient’s diseased marrow with healthy donor cells that can produce normal red blood cells. If the donor cells engraft successfully, the new hematopoietic system can sustain normal hemoglobin production and potentially cure the condition, reducing or eliminating the need for ongoing transfusions. This procedure is considered when a matched donor is available and the patient is a suitable candidate, but it carries risks such as graft-versus-host disease and infection.

A blood transfusion, while helpful for immediate anemia, does not fix the underlying marrow defect. The D-dimer test is used to assess clotting disorders, not to treat thalassemia. Chorionic villus sampling is a prenatal test used to detect fetal genetic material, not a therapy for thalassemia.