Stem cell and bone marrow transplants

What is a stem cell or bone marrow transplant?

You might have a stem cell or bone marrow transplant as part of your cancer treatment.

It is a treatment for some people with:

lymphoma - cancer of the lymphatic system
leukaemia - cancer that develops in the white blood cells of the immune system
myeloma - cancer that develops in white blood cells called plasma cells
myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) - a group of blood cancers where the bone marrow doesn’t work properly and makes abnormal blood cells.

It is also a treatment for other blood conditions.

A transplant allows you to have high doses of chemotherapy and other treatments. The stem cells are collected from the bloodstream or the bone marrow.

Types of transplant

Depending on your situation, you might have a transplant using:

your own stem cells (autologous stem cell transplant)
or stem cells from another person (allogeneic stem cell transplant)

Go to information about the different types of transplant

Last reviewed: 09 Nov 2022

Next review due: 10 Nov 2025

A transplant using your own cells

This transplant uses your own stem cells to replace blood cells destroyed by high doses of chemotherapy and other treatments.

A transplant using a donor's stem cells

When you have a stem cell transplant using another person’s stem cells, it is called an allogeneic transplant.

Side effects of a stem cell or bone marrow transplant

The side effects of a stem cell or bone marrow transplant include infection, bleeding, sickness and diarrhoea.

Your cancer type

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Transplant main page

Stem cell or bone marrow transplants are treatments for some types of cancer including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma. You have them with high dose chemotherapy and sometimes radiotherapy.