Stem Cell Transplant for Leukemia

A stem cell transplant may offer you the best chance for a cure.

From our experts: Planting the seeds of survival with stem cell transplant

A transplant of stem cells is a complex treatment used for some types of leukemia. This procedure used to be called bone marrow transplant because the stem cells were taken from the bone marrow. 

Today, this procedure most commonly uses stem cells collected from the blood circulating in the bloodstream. Stem cells are collected in a process similar to donating blood, and it’s easier on a donor than extracting the cells from bone marrow.

With blood cancers such as leukemia, something has gone wrong with how your blood cells are made, or your stem cells have been destroyed by high dose chemotherapy and/or radiation treatments that were used to eradicate your disease, leaving your body unable to produce the blood cells it needs.

A transplant gives you a fresh batch of stem cells that settle into your bone marrow so that your body can begin to produce healthy new blood cells.

Types of transplant

Timing is critical

Hear from our patient – Stem cell transplant: Heather's story

It is very important that you are evaluated for a stem cell transplant as soon as possible after your diagnosis is confirmed. About 15 percent of patients who come to Roswell Park for a transplant evaluation are referred too late. The longer you wait, the more time the disease has to move ahead, and that reduces the chance for a successful transplant.

Improved outcomes for transplant

We use the latest strategies and technologies for optimizing survival and cure rates and decreasing risk for complications. Some of these include: 

• Donor selection criteria. We prioritize donor age when considering various factors in addition to HLA matching to find the most suitable donor for you. Roswell Park has special expertise in transplant for patients with donors who are not fully matched.
• Treatment to prevent complications. We provide key preventive treatments as part of transplant process that significantly reduce risk for graft versus host disease and other side effects.
• Reduced inpatient stays. We make every effort to taper and limit the duration of immune suppression, which improves transplant success, and allows you to return home sooner, improving your quality of life.