A bone marrow transplant, also called a hematopoietic cell transplant, replaces a patient’s blood-forming cells. It includes high doses of chemotherapy with or without radiation to suppress the patient’s immune system and destroy their blood-forming cells. The patient then receives an infusion of cells (from a donor or previously collected patient cells) to replace the blood-forming cells.
Healthy blood-forming cells are usually collected from the bloodstream during a procedure called apheresis. A bone marrow harvest may also be performed to collect blood-forming cells directly from the bone marrow through a needle. The new blood-forming cells are given to the patient through a vein in a process similar to a blood transfusion.
After entering the patient’s bloodstream, the healthy cells travel to the bone marrow on their own. They begin to divide and become healthy white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in a process called engraftment.
If the transplant is successful, it may cure certain cancers and other disorders. For certain types of cancer a donor’s blood-forming cells are needed. There can also be serious side effects. Not all patients can tolerate the processes that occur inside the body after the transplant.
