Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Stem Cell Transplantation
If lymphoma returns after treatment, you may receive stem cell transplantation. A transplant of your own blood-forming stem cells allows you to receive high doses of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both. The high doses destroy both lymphoma cells and healthy blood cells in the bone marrow.
Stem cell transplants take place in the hospital. After you receive high-dose treatment, healthy blood-forming stem cells are given to you through a flexible tube placed in a large vein in your neck or chest area. New blood cells develop from the transplanted stem cells.
The stem cells may come from your own body or from a donor:
- Autologous stem cell transplantation: This type of transplant uses your own stem cells. Your stem cells are removed before high-dose treatment. The cells may be treated to kill lymphoma cells that may be present. The stem cells are frozen and stored. After you receive high-dose treatment, the stored stem cells are thawed and returned to you.
- Allogeneic stem cell transplantation: Sometimes healthy stem cells from a donor are available. Your brother, sister, or parent may be the donor. Or the stem cells may come from an unrelated donor. Doctors use blood tests to be sure the donor's cells match your cells.
- Syngeneic stem cell transplantation: This type of transplant uses stem cells from a patient's healthy identical twin. You may find it helpful to read NCI's fact sheet Bone Marrow Transplantation and Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation: Questions and Answers.
You may want to ask the doctor these questions before having a stem cell transplant:
- What are the possible benefits and risks of different types of transplants?
- What kind of stem cell transplant will I have? If I need a donor, how will we find one?
- How long will I need to be in the hospital? Will I need special care? How will I be protected from germs?
- How will we know if the treatment is working?
- What can we do about side effects?
- How will treatment affect my normal activities?
- What is my chance of a full recovery?
