Why do you need bone marrow?
It is the blood cell ‘factory’. Healthy bone marrow releases blood cells into the bloodstream when they are mature and when required. Without bone marrow, our bodies could not produce the white cells we need to fight infection, the red blood cells we need to carry oxygen, and the platelets we need to stop bleeding.
What is the criteria for a bone marrow match?
To see if you are a potential bone marrow match, you will be tested to find out what type of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) you have. HLA is a protein found on most cells in your body — including those in your immune system. The closer the HLA match, the better chance that a bone marrow transplant will succeed.
Does a bone marrow donor have to be the same blood type?
The HLA test looks at genetic markers on your white blood cells. If these markers are similar to those on the patient’s cells, you may be eligible to serve as a donor. You do not need to have the same blood type as the patient in order to be a donor.
What does a BMT nurse do?
Bone Marrow Transplant Nurses are specialized Oncology Nurses who work in hospitals alongside Bone Marrow Transplant Physicians, assisting them by providing pre- and post-transplant care to patients whose bone marrow has been damaged by diseases such as leukemia (that is, blood cancer), anemia, juvenile osteoporosis.
Who would need a stem cell transplant?
A stem cell transplant is used for treatment when: Your body cannot make the blood cells it needs because your bone marrow or stem cells have failed. Your bone marrow or blood cells have become diseased. In this case you need healthy stem cells to replace the diseased bone marrow/stem cells.
Do you need chemo before stem cell transplant?
Before you get your cells on transplant day, you will get chemotherapy (with or without radiation) to prepare your body to receive them. This is called the preparative regimen, or conditioning regimen. The preparative regimen includes chemotherapy (chemo) given to you through your central line.
At what stage bone marrow transplant is needed?
When the doses of chemotherapy or radiation needed to cure a cancer are so high that a person’s bone marrow stem cells will be permanently damaged or destroyed by the treatment, a bone marrow transplant may be needed. Bone marrow transplants may also be needed if the bone marrow has been destroyed by a disease.