Stem Cell Transplantation

Stem cell transplantation is used in the treatment of patients with a wide variety of blood disorders and cancers, including different kinds of leukemia as well as sickle cell anemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin’s disease, myelodysplastic syndromes and bone marrow failure syndromes. In an autologous transplant – commonly called an AUTO transplant – stem cells are retrieved from the patient’s own body and frozen prior to the patient being treated with chemotherapy. The cells are later thawed and reintroduced to the patient’s blood via IV. Upon reaching the patient’s bone marrow (after about 24 hours), the cells will begin to expand and multiply, thereby helping in the production of healthy new blood cells. Allogeneic transplantation is a similar procedure that uses stem cells from a donor which usually are not previously frozen. Cord blood (from a baby’s umbilical cord) is also sometimes used in this type of transplantation.