Stem Cell Transplant ~ During my Chemotherapy the doctors give a lot more chemo to kill the cancer than they give with regular (standard) chemotherapy. The medicine is so strong that it also kills the healthy blood-making cells in the bone marrow. Since the medicine kills the bad cancer and the good stem cells, the doctors will need to give me new stem cells.
Stem cells are found in the bone marrow, in cord blood, and, in smaller numbers, in the circulating (peripheral) blood. Stem cells produce:
- White cells (leukocytes) that fight infection
- Red cells (erythrocytes) that carry oxygen
- Platelets that are clotting agents
Without stem cells and the disease-fighting blood cells it produces, my immune system would be severely impaired. I would have little defense against even the most common infections.
What are Stem Cells ~ The red stuff in the middle of bones is called the bone marrow. This is where blood is made. Then the blood goes out of the bone marrow and travels in the veins and arteries to the rest of the body. The marrow is like a car factory; only instead of making cars, it makes blood cells.
Autologous Transplant ~ The new stem cells will be taken from me. Then they will give me high dose chemo to get rid of any remaining cancer in my body. They will return the stem cells to my body. They do this by dripping the new stem cells into my blood through an IV. After a while, the new cells find their new home in the empty bone marrow and begin to make new, healthy blood.
