Hematology is the branch of medicine concerned with the study of the blood, blood forming organs and prevention of blood diseases. It involves both the study of the number of these cellular components of the blood and the blood forming organs like the bone marrow. Latest research methods are being possible and important discovery for curing blood disorders. Hemophilia sufferers live in a never ending state of stress and anxiety and they have lack the ability to make the clotting factor.
Hemophilia is mainly caused by mutations in the genes of factors VIII and IX. These changes can decrease the amount of clotting factor. Hemophilia A is caused by the deficiency of factor VIII and hemophilia B is caused by the deficiency of factor IX. Researchers are working on a method to insert factor VIII or factor IX genes into the cells of hemophilia patients so that their blood will be clot more effectively. People with hemophilia may develop chronic joint disease from repeated bleeding into their joints and the joint disease results in decreased mobility of joints. People also can lose mobility without hemophilia in their joints with aging. Being able to cure hemophilia with stem cell transplants would be significant. The current treatment for severe cases is done by giving regular injections for clotting factor. However, a majority of patients in the world with the disorder don’t’ have access to this treatment, which costs $400,000 per year. So far the researchers found highest costs for hemophilia stem from the large amount of clotting factor used in replacement therapy and from patients who develop inhibitors to the factor itself. Recently researchers have invented gene therapy method to insert clotting factor genes into the liver cells of hemophilia patients. The gene cells begin to reproduce and become a natural part of the patient’s body. If it works, gene therapy will help hemophilia patients to produce their own clotting factor and thus reducing or eliminating the need for weekly infusions.