CCW Logo
© 1996-2003

Home
Site Map
Cancer Types
Treatments
Locations
Support & Information
Research
Health Professionals
About

Disclaimer
Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants
CancerIndex CCW Home Menu> Treatments> Transplantation

Yossi's picture of BMT In memory of Yossi who had a BMT at age 9yrs for leukaemia. This is his picture depicting the transplant. Picture reproduced by kind permission.

Overview

There are many different types of blood cell, but they all develop from stem cells. Most of these stem cells are found in the bone marrow (the soft inside part of the bone), although some are found in the blood (peripheral blood stem cells).

Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy damages normal cells as well as cancer cells. At high doses the bone marrow may be damaged or destroyed, and the patient may not be able to produce the necessary blood cells. In a Bone marrow transplant (BMT), marrow containing healthy stem cells is infused to replace those damaged by the high dose therapy, so that the patient can produce blood cells again.

Alternatively a peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) may be given. While blood is not as rich in stem cells as bone marrow advances in transplantation mean that PBSCT ("stem cell rescue") is increasingly being used in the treatment of certain cancers.

There are 3 types of transplant:
(1) Allogenic transplants are where marrow is donated by another person;
(2) Autologous transplants involve cells being taken from the patient, stored, and then reinfused following high-dose therapy; and
(3) Syngenic transplants are where the donor is an identical twin.

BMT may be given for certain types of cancer, and only under specific circumstances. BMT has been widely used to treat specific cancers in children such as leukaemia, lymphoma, and neuroblastoma. It is still being evaluated for the treatment of some other types of cancer. There are various potential side effects associated with transplantation, these will largely depend on how well matched the donor's cells are to the patient's cells.

Please note: some of the links below contain general information about BMT which were judged to be relevant, though not specifically related to transplantation in children.

Menu: Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplants

Childhood Specific Information and Experiences
General Information and Guides about BMT
Registries and Transplantation Programs
BMT Newsletters / Discussion Lists
Cord Blood
Information for Health Professionals

Childhood Specific Information and Experiences (7 links)

  • Chicago Community Cord Blood Bank (USA) The CCCBB is dedicated to facilitating bone marrow transplants for children with a variety of genetic and malignant diseases.The site includes information for potential donors, and health professionals, and details of this non-profit service.
  • I'm Having a Bone Marrow Transplant (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, USA) a coloring book designed to help children up to 15 years of age express themselves throughout the stressful process of having a bone marrow transplant.
  • Icla da Silva Foundation non profit organization providing assistance to families with children suffering from leukemia, also a bone marrow donor recruitment group for the National Marrow Donor Program.
  • In Memory of Yossi Chaim In memory of Yossi, who was diagnosed with leukaemia (ALL) in 1997. This site has been set up by his parents and includes detailed updates of Yossi's experience of chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant.
  • Josh Eaton's Home Page A 7 year old who has had a bone marrow transplant for Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Sadly Josh passed away but the web pages remainon-line to provide information about BMT for others.
  • Lowder Stem Cell Transplant Unit A specialist unit located at The Children's Hopspital in Birmingham, Alabama. The Web site includes details of the Unit, clinical team and has information about the different types of stem cell transplant.
  • University of Minnesota - Pediatrics: Division of BMT

Back to the Menu

General Information and Guides about BMT (13 links)

Back to the Menu

Registries and Transplantation Programs (16 links)

National and International registries keep details of bone marrow / blood donors, including their HL-A type (Human Leukocyte Associated antigens). These antigens are found on white blood cells, these are unique for each person (except for identical twins). The more similar the donor's HL-A antigens are to the recipient's the less likely the transplant will rejected. Registries use computerised matching systems to find the donors with the best match for the potential transplant patient.

See also Return to the Transplant Menu
See also Cord Blood

Back to the Menu

BMT Newsletters / Discussion Lists (1 links)

See also Return to the Transplant Menu
  • BMT-TALK (ACOR) Moderated Mailing list for the discussion of Bone Marrow Transplants. Started in June of 1994, and is a moderated discussion on all aspects of BMT

Back to the Menu

Cord Blood (10 links)

The umbilical cord connects the baby to the placenta supplying blood and nutrients. After birth it is usually discarded. However, stem cells from the cord blood are now being used as an alternative to bone marrow for treating some types of cancers and blood disorders. Expectant parents can (a) donate the cord to a public bank (see also the above section on blood/marrow registries); or (b) pay a commercial company to save the cord blood for potential use in the future (knowing the cord blood will be a good match for the child should they ever need a transplant). Using cord blood for transplants is a new technique, research is on-going. One problem can be that the number of cells is limited; on the other hand cord blood stem cells are thought to be more proliferative than other stem cells.
See also Return to the Transplant Menu
See also Registeries and Transplantation programs
  • BioBank - Cord Blood Storage $ information about stem cells and cord blood with a free telephone line for the consumer and free written information on request.
  • Chicago Community Cord Blood Bank (USA) The CCCBB is dedicated to facilitating bone marrow transplants for children with a variety of genetic and malignant diseases.The site includes information for potential donors, and health professionals, and details of this non-profit service.
  • CorCell $ A company providing cord blood storage facilities - detailed FAQ.
  • Cord Blood Donor Foundation (USA) a not-for-profit public benefit organisation dedicated to promoting education and awareness of the merits of umbilical cord blood banking for use in transplantation, maintaining a ethnically-balanced stem cell donor bank, research etc.
  • Cord Blood Registry. $ "Cord Blood Registry is the largest private cord blood bank in the world. We offer expectant parents the opportunity to collect and cryogenically store their newborn's cord blood in case of future medical need."
  • Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, USA) on-line Fact Sheet
  • International Bone Marrow and Cord Blood Donor Search (The Caitlin Raymond International Registry, USA)
  • Lifebank (Canada) A Vancouver based commercial company providing cord blood storage; FAQ and details of services
  • UK Cord Blood Bank (UK) A private bank for the storage of umbilical cord blood stem cells which is a subsidiary of the New England Cryogenic Center, Inc (USA). The Web site includes details of the potential benefits of banking, FAQs, scientific updates, services and prices
  • United States Center for Cord Blood $ A Florida based company that provides services for storing cord blood, the site includes a FAQ and details of cord blood services.

Back to the Menu

Information for Health Professionals (11 links)

See also Return to the Transplant Menu
See also Registeries and Transplantation programs

Back to the Menu

 
 © 1996-2003
This page last updated: Sat 11 Jan 2003 Home