Types of Transplant
Autologous
Your own stem cells are collected, stored and returned after high-dose chemotherapy — common for myeloma and lymphoma.
Allogeneic
Stem cells from a matched donor (sibling, unrelated, haploidentical or cord blood) provide a new immune system that can fight leukemia.
The Transplant Journey
- Evaluation and donor search
- Stem cell collection (apheresis or bone marrow harvest)
- Conditioning with chemotherapy ± radiation
- Infusion of stem cells (Day 0)
- Engraftment in 2–4 weeks with infection protection
- Recovery and monitoring for graft-versus-host disease
Becoming a Donor
Most patients who need an allogeneic transplant don't have a matched sibling. Joining the NMDP (Be The Match) registry with a simple cheek swab could save a life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is bone marrow donation painful?
Most donations today are peripheral blood stem cell collections, similar to giving plasma. Bone marrow harvest is done under anesthesia with soreness for a few days.
How long is recovery?
Blood counts typically recover within weeks, but full immune recovery takes 6–12 months after autologous and longer after allogeneic transplant.
Medically reviewed content for education only — not a substitute for advice from your oncology team.