Why is a bone marrow transplant done?
Bone marrow is the living tissue in the centre of our bones. Bone marrow contains blood stem cells, which constantly divide to provide a renewable supply of white cells, red cells and platelets. All of these different types of blood cell are crucial to human health. Without them, we become vulnerable to infections, anemia and bleeding which if not treated can be fatal. Bone marrow transplantation is performed when a patient’s marrow is so diseased or damaged that it no longer functions properly. The procedure was first introduced in the 1970s and still offers the best chance to patients with blood cancers, as well as malignancies which require treatment with high doses of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In addition bone marrow transplantation is sometimes used to treat certain inherited, immunodeficiency conditions.
