How is BMT performed?
A5: Before transplantation is performed, unhealthy cells in the bone marrow are destroyed to make room for the healthy transplanted stem cells. The pretreatment also suppresses the patient’s immune system to allow the new marrow to grow. The transplant process itself is fairly straightforward. About one tablespoon of donor marrow is given by intravenous transfusion for every kilogram of patient’s body weight. The body should then start making its own new, healthy blood cells in about 2 to 4 weeks. In five to ten per cent of patients the new bone marrow does not grow.
