FAQs About Bone Marrow Transplantation

Q: What is a bone marrow transplant?
A: Unlike organ transplants, bone marrow transplants (BMTs) do not typically require open surgery. Instead, healthy bone marrow cells (either the patient’s, previously stored, or a donor’s) are introduced into the patient’s marrow, with the intention of replacing unhealthy marrow. This is done to send a blood cancer into remission. It can also be used to treat certain hereditary blood diseases.

Q: Are their risks associated with donating marrow?
A: As only a small amount of marrow is removed from the donor, there is only minimal risk associated with donating bone marrow. In fact, studies show that serious complications occur in less than 1.5 percent of bone marrow harvest procedures.

Q: Are there ethical issues around the use of stem cells in bone marrow transplantation?
A: Not in this case. Ethical issues regarding stem cells arise from the use of embryonic stem cells. The stem cells that are transplanted in a BMT procedure are not embryonic stem cells, but instead are cells harvested either from a willing donor or from the patient in question.

Q: Why should I undergo BMT at the Hematology Center?
A: Treating and studying hematologic disease is what we do. In fact, we’re affiliated with the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, one of only six National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in California. Our physicians are faculty members of the renowned Keck School of Medicine, and many have been recognized as some of the Best Doctors in America.

Frequently Asked Questions About Leukemia

Q: What is leukemia?
A: Like other cancers, leukemia is a condition where abnormal cells grow out of control and are unable to function normally. In this case, the cells that grow out of control are leukocytes, or white blood cells.

Q: What causes leukemia?
A: It is thought that the different types of leukemia are caused by a variety of environmental factors, including exposure to radiation, benzene, tobacco smoke or genetic factors, such as the presence of the Ph chromosome in the case of chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Q: What are my chances of surviving leukemia?
A: The successful treatment of leukemia depends on many things, including whether or not your leukemia is acute or chronic, how early you were diagnosed, how well you respond to chemotherapy and whether or not you are a candidate for stem cell transplantation. In general, the survival of patients with leukemia has risen dramatically over the past forty years. Today, approximately 73 percent of people who have CLL live for five years or more. The survival numbers have risen dramatically for those with ALL in the past several decades, largely due to advances in therapies for children.

Q: What are the common treatments for leukemia?
A: Treatment for leukemia depends on what type of the disease you have. Common treatments include autologous stem cell transplantation, allogeneic stem cell transplantation, chemotherapy and donor lymphocyte infusion.