A Guide To Bone Marrow Transplantation May 2026

Using your own cells. They are collected and frozen before high-dose chemotherapy, then returned to help your marrow recover.

Before the new cells enter, the old system must be cleared. Patients undergo "conditioning"—intense chemotherapy or radiation. A Guide to Bone Marrow Transplantation

At its simplest, a bone marrow transplant replaces a damaged or diseased immune system with healthy stem cells. These cells are the "architects" of your blood, responsible for creating red cells (oxygen), white cells (immunity), and platelets (clotting). The Two Primary Types Using your own cells

(caregivers, newly diagnosed patients, or medical students) responsible for creating red cells (oxygen)

You essentially become a newborn. You will likely need to repeat all childhood vaccinations.

is defined as "engraftment"—when the donor cells begin producing new white blood cells. Life After Transplant: The "New Normal"