A bone marrow transplant, also known as a stem cell transplant, is a medical procedure that replaces damaged or diseased bone marrow with healthy bone marrow. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue found inside bones and is responsible for producing blood cells (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets).
Bone marrow transplants are primarily used to treat blood cancers (Leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma), other blood disorders (aplastic anemia, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia) immune deficiencies (severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).
Types of Bone Marrow Transplants
This type of transplant uses your own healthy stem cells. Stem cells are collected from your bone marrow or blood before you receive high-dose chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The stem cells are stored in a freezer until they are needed. After high-dose chemotherapy or radiation treatments, your stem cells are put back in your body to make normal blood cells.
This type of transplant uses stem cells from a donor. The donor may be a relative, such as a brother or sister, or an unrelated person. The donor's stem cells must be a close match to your own stem cells.
This type of transplant uses stem cells from a newborn baby's umbilical cord. The umbilical cord blood is collected and stored in a freezer until it is needed. Umbilical cord blood cells are very immature, so there is less of a need for perfect matching.
How a Bone Marrow Transplant Works
A bone marrow transplant is a complex procedure that involves several steps:
Pre-transplant evaluation: You will have a series of tests to make sure you are healthy enough for a transplant.
Chemotherapy or radiation therapy: You will receive high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy to kill any cancer cells or diseased bone marrow cells.
Stem cell collection: If you are having an autologous transplant, your stem cells will be collected from your bone marrow or blood. If you are having an allogeneic transplant, your donor's stem cells will be collected from their bone marrow or blood. If you are having an umbilical cord blood transplant, the umbilical cord blood will be thawed.
Stem cell infusion: The stem cells will be infused into your bloodstream through a central line catheter.
Engraftment: The stem cells will travel to your bone marrow and begin to produce new blood cells.
Recovery from a Bone Marrow Transplant
Recovery from a bone marrow transplant can take several months or even years. You may need to stay in the hospital for several weeks or months after your transplant. You will also need to take medications to prevent infection and GVHD.
The long-term outlook for people who have a bone marrow transplant depends on the type of transplant, the underlying disease, and other factors. Some people are cured of their disease, while others may live for many years with their disease under control.
If you are considering a bone marrow transplant, it is important to talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of the procedure. You may also want to talk to a bone marrow transplant specialist.
