The doctor will check the patient’s blood counts every day to see if the patient’s bone marrow has begun producing new blood cells. These stem cells begin to divide and make new blood cells in the bone marrow, a process called 'engraftment.' Engraftment usually happens within the first 30 days after transplantation, but sometimes it can take longer. The doctor should also discuss other possible treatment options, including taking part in a clinical trial.Īfter the stem cells are infused, they will travel in the bloodstream to the bone marrow. Therefore, it is important for patients to discuss all the risks and benefits of SCT with their doctors. This is called 'conditioning treatment.' The conditioning treatment can be very hard on a patient’s body and can lead to severe side effects and complications. Stem cell transplantation (SCT), sometimes referred to as bone marrow transplant (BMT), is a procedure in which a patient receives healthy stem cells to replace damaged stem cells.īefore SCT, the patient receives high doses of chemotherapy, and sometimes radiation therapy, to prepare the body for transplantation. When cancer or cancer treatments destroy the stem cells, stem cell transplantation (SCT) may be the best treatment option. These problems may include infections, anemia or bleeding. If the stem cells cannot make enough new blood cells, many serious health problems can occur. They produce billions of new blood cells every day. Stem cells are constantly dividing and maturing into different types of blood cells, replacing older and worn-out blood cells in the body. The Trish Greene Back to School Programīlood stem cells are produced in the marrow of the bones and can become any kind of blood cell the body needs.

Pros of adult stem cells