Question 1

what is a bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

See below: A bone marrow transplant is the replacement of blood forming elements. The transplant is actually done with peripheral blood stem cells, and infused like a blood transfusion. The need for a transplant is because the treatment for certain diseases requires high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy that will destroy one's marrow completely. This then requires replacement with another's marrow.

Question 2

can you die from a bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Yes, but unlikely: The bone marrow transplant procedure requires that your own diseased bone marrow be totally wiped out. Then when implanted bone marrow cells enter the body they will find a clean space to take up residence. Between removing old marrow and getting tranplant to grow a patient is at risk for severe, possibly fatal infections. This happens rarely.

Question 3

what is involved in a bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Transplant: Now a days it is actually called stem cell transplant. It involves stem cell collection, followed by high dose chemotherapy to wipe bone marrow and then infusion of collected stem cells and then recovery of bone marrow.

Question 4

could i have a second bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Maybe: This depends on the disease that required transplant, the prior chemo regents, current health issues, evaluation for being able to tolerate another transplant.

Question 5

what happens during a bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Replace bone marrow: A bmt or stem cell transplant replaces a patient's bone marrow with that of someone else.  There has to be treatment to supress the patient's own bone marrow and immune system to allow the new cells to take hold.  The stem cells are given IV like a blood transfusion.  The first 90 days are high risk, with low blood counts, infections & graft vs host disease the big issues.

Question 6

what is it like to experience a bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Side effects: There are many effects which can be unpleasant like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea amd mouth sores.  Depending on how the transplant is done the mouth sores can be severe and painful.  There can be abdominal pain or bone pain in some patients.  Hair loss can occur and blood and platelet transfusions are typically needed.  There are differences depending on whether a donor is used.

Question 7

what is it like going through a bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Intense regimen...: Typically bone marrow transplants completely destroy (ablate) your marrow, usually using a combination of intense chemo and radiation. The new marrow is infused by iv, and you must wait in hospital for these cells to repopulate your marrow (engraftment). Possible complications include infection and graft versus host disease (gvhd). You will spend alot of time in hospital and have close follow-up.

Question 8

is it possible for you die from a bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Yes: Early transplant related deaths do occur. The incidence varies with the type of transplant, underlying disease and age of the patient.

Question 9

are you fertile after a bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes: It depends on the treatment, but most women with bone marrow transplants lose their menstrual cycles.  Men often have some detectable sperm after treatment, but fertility rates are likely relatively low.  Fertility preservation is important to consider before treatment.

Question 10

what are the benefits of a blood and bone marrow transplant?

Accepted Answer

Treatment: The point of a bone marrow transplant (there is no "blood" transplant) is to allow your bone marrow to produce red and white blood cells.  This is typically done for a disease of the bone marrow that has resulted in marrow failure or a hematologic malignancy that requires treatment that essentially wipes out the bone marrow.  Your hematologist should be able to tell you more.

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