More about Standard BMTs
There are three types of bone marrow transplants. If the patient's own bone marrow is first removed (for example to allow high dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer of the breast or other organ) and then given back to the same patient, it is called an "autologous" BMT. If the bone marrow infused is from an identical twin, it is called a "syngeneic" BMT. If the marrow is from someone else, the transplant is called an "allogeneic" BMT. In an allogeneic BMT, the new bone marrow must match the genetic makeup of the patient's own marrow as perfectly as possible. Special blood tests are conducted to determine whether or not the donor's marrow matches the patient. If the donor's bone marrow is not a good genetic match, it will see the patient's body as foreign and attack it. This condition is called graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and can be life-threatening. The patient's own immune system could also recognize the donor's bone marrow as foreign, and destroy it; this is called failure to engraft, or graft rejection.
Getting Ready for the BMT (Conditioning)
Patients admitted to the bone marrow transplant unit will first go through several days of chemotherapy and/or radiation. This destroys the diseased bone marrow, and makes room for the new, healthy marrow. This is called the "conditioning regimen", because it conditions the body to receive the new bone marrow.
The Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)
The BMT is performed a day or two after the conditioning regimen. The bone marrow is infused into the patient intravenously, and is not a surgical procedure. This takes only minutes, and is done in the patient's room. Patients are checked frequently for signs of fever, chills, hives and chest pains during this time.
After the BMT
After the BMT is completed, the waiting and watching begins. The conditioning regimen cripples the immune system, so patients may get infections, or have bleeding problems. Until the transplanted bone marrow begins to produce enough healthy cells, the patient will be given medications and transfusions to prevent these complications. Other medications will be given to prevent and control graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). Blood samples will be taken regularly to determine whether or not engraftment has occurred and to monitor how well organs like the kidney and liver are functioning. The patient will return to the hospital or clinic for regular monitoring and administration of drugs/blood products several times during the recovery period.More information about:
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