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autologous transplant
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autologous bone marrow transplant
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autologous transplant

bone marrow transplantation
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Quick Summary

autologous bone marrow transplant
autologous bone marrow transplant In an autologous bone marrow transplant, hematopoietic stem cells are harvested from the blood or bone marrow of a patient before the patient undergoes treatment for cancer. In order to remove tumour cells that may have been collected with the stem cells, the sample is incubated with antibodies that bind only to stem cells. The stem cells are then isolated and stored for later use, when they are reinfused into the patient.

An autologous bone marrow transplant involves collecting a patient's own bone marrow stem cells, storing them, and then reinfusing them after high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy to destroy cancer cells. This process helps speed the recovery of the patient's bone marrow.1

This type of transplant is primarily used for cancer patients. If a patient's bone marrow is diseased, such as in cases of leukemia, an allogeneic transplant may be performed, where a donor with a matching tissue type provides stem cells.1

Risks include increased susceptibility to infection, graft failure, and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), where the donor cells attack the recipient's body. Autologous transplants are preferred to avoid GVHD.12

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2 Britannica Sources
  1. bone marrow transplant
  2. therapeutics - Bone marrow transplantation

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