- A stem cell or bone marrow transplant can be a mode of treatment for conditions in which the bone marrow is damaged and no longer able to produce healthy blood cells, such as leukaemia and lymphoma.Transplants can also be carried out to replace blood cells that are damaged or destroyed as a result of intensive cancer treatment.What does the procedure involve?
A stem cell transplant can involve taking healthy stem cells from the blood or bone marrow of one person – ideally a close family member with the same or similar tissue type – and transferring them to another person (known as an allogeneic transplant).
It’s also possible to remove stem cells from your own body and transplant them later after any damaged or diseased cells have been removed (known as an autologous transplant).
A stem cell transplant has five main stages. These are:
- Tests and examinations – to assess your general level of health.
- Harvesting – the process of collecting the stem cells to be used in the transplant, either from you or a donor.
- Conditioning – treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to prepare your body for the transplant.
- Transplanting the stem cells.
- Recovery – you’ll need to stay in the hospital for at least a few weeks until the transplant starts to take effect.
Patients usually need to stay in the hospital for at least a few weeks until the transplant starts to take effect, and it can take up to a year or longer to fully recover.
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