What are Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants?
Both bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplants (known as BMT or PBSCT) involve the collecting of stem cells either directly from the bone marrow or from the peripheral blood, through the use of a central catheter. The decision to use either bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells for the transplant depends on the disease and other individual factors. When is Transplant Used? Stem cell transplants (BMT/PBSCT) are used to treat certain cancers, including: leukemia, Hodgkins’ Disease, non-Hodgkins’ lymphoma, multiple myeloma, amyloidosis, and testicular cancer, among other non-cancerous illnesses. How is Transplant Different from My Other Treatments? BMT/PBSCT gives a much higher dose of chemotherapy or radiation than the other treatments; it is able to do this because the stem cells are given as a “rescue” to re-start your bone marrow following the chemotherapy or radiation. The high dose therapy is used to kill any cancer cells that may be in your body, but also kills th
