Are any special measures taken when the cancer patient is also the donor (autologous transplant)?
The bone marrow used for autologous transplantation must be relatively free of cancer cells. The harvested marrow is often treated before transplantation with anticancer drugs in a process known as “purging” to get rid of cancer cells. This minimizes the chance of cancer coming back due to transplanting bone marrow that contains undetected cancer cells. Because purging may damage some healthy marrow cells, more marrow is obtained from the patient before the transplant so that enough marrow will remain after purging has been completed. Return to top of page. • What happens after the bone marrow or stem cells have been transplanted to the patient? After entering the bloodstream, the transplanted cells travel to the bone marrow, where they begin to produce new white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets in a process known as “engraftment.” Engraftment usually occurs within about 2 to 4 weeks after transplantation, and is monitored by checking blood counts on a frequent basis. Comple
