BMT Facts
Bone-Marrow Transplant for Children
When you hear the term “bone-marrow transplant,” the actual cells that are being transplanted are hematopoietic stem cells that are made in the bone marrow.
Stem cells are immature blood cells that grow into red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, or plasma cells. Stem cells are an essential part of a person’s immune system.
The first bone-marrow transplants originated more than 40 years ago at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, an SCCA parent institution. Dr. E. Donnall Thomas received a Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work in this field. Read the full story about Dr. Thomas’ research and recognition.
The purpose of transplantation is to cure otherwise fatal diseases by destroying the damaged immune system and replacing it with healthy stem cells that will in turn create a new immune system in the body.
Types of Transplants
There are five types of transplants:
- Autologous -- uses the patient's own stem cells
- Allogeneic -- uses a related or unrelated donor's cells
- Cord blood -- donated umbilical cord cells
- Syngeneic -- uses the cell's from the patients identical twin
- Mixed chimerism ("mini") -- uses cells from a related or unrelated donor
The type of transplant you receive depends on your situation.
The newest type of transplant is the mini, or mixed chimerism transplant, and can come from a related or unrelated donor. This is like a conventional transplant except that less chemotherapy and radiation is used before transplanting stem cells to set up a mixed immune system. This type of transplant is effective in some cases, without all the side effects of a conventional transplant.
Read more about Transplant Types.
Transplantation has been used to treat many conditions, including:
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
- Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
- Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL)
- Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Aplastic anemia
- Sickle cell disease
- Other hereditary blood and autoimmune disorders.
As a result of our doctors’ expertise as pioneers in the field:
- Our transplant results are exceptional.
- We treat high-risk patients.
- We offer the latest therapies.
- We have a unique long-term follow-up program.
Our Patients are Survivors
Survival rates for children 100 days after their transplant was 97.8 percent in 2006, improved from 95 percent in 2005, which was up from 85 percent in 2004.
After one year, survival rates for children transplant patients was equally encouraging, going from 75 percent in 2004 up to 82 percent in 2005.
Experience and research are improving transplant survival rates steadily year after year.
Specific Program Information
You want the best for your child, and so do we. At SCCA, your child will receive excellent, world-class medical care in an environment designed to support your child and your entire family.
Definitions
A list of common terms you might hear during the bone-marrow treatement process.