Hematopoietic (Bone Marrow) Stem Cell Transplantation

By MediBridge Medical Team | Updated June 2025

What Are Hematopoietic Stem Cells?

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are blood-forming stem cells found in the bone marrow, bloodstream, and umbilical cord. They possess two key properties:

• Self-renewal: They continuously replenish the stem cell pool.
• Multipotency: They generate all blood cell types—red cells, white cells, and platelets—forming the foundation of your immune and blood systems.

How HSC Transplants Work

1. Types of Transplants

• Autologous: Your own stem cells are collected before treatment and re-infused afterward. This avoids donor compatibility issues.
• Allogeneic: Stem cells come from a healthy donor. This offers potential for graft-versus-tumor effects, but carries a risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) .

2. Collection Methods

• Bone marrow aspiration (directly from bones)
• Peripheral blood mobilization, where medication (e.g. G-CSF) moves HSCs into the blood for non-invasive collection.
• Cord blood—collected and preserved at birth for later use.

3. Conditioning Regimen

Before transplant, patients undergo chemotherapy and/or radiation to eliminate diseased cells and make room for new ones. Side effects may include nausea, fatigue, hair loss, and infection risk.

4. Stem Cell Infusion & Engraftment

The transplant is delivered via a central IV line—a process similar to a standard blood transfusion. Over several weeks, new stem cells migrate to the bone marrow and begin producing healthy blood cells, a process monitored closely.

What HSC Transplants Treat

HSC transplantation is used to treat both cancerous and non-cancerous conditions:

• Blood cancers: Leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma
• Bone marrow failure syndromes: Aplastic anemia, myelodysplasia
• Genetic and immune disorders: SCID, sickle cell disease, hemoglobinopathies
• Metabolic disorders: Adrenoleukodystrophy, mucopolysaccharidoses.

Risks & Post‑Transplant Care

Potential complications include:

• Graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in donor transplants
• Infections, due to weakened immunity from conditioning
• Organ damage, infertility, cataracts, or secondary cancer.

Patients often stay in or near the hospital for weeks to months. Recovery time can range from 2 months (autologous) to over a year (allogeneic).

Why Choose MediBridge?

At MediBridge, we partner with MOH-licensed and HSA-verified transplant centres. You’ll receive:

• Expert evaluation of suitability (age, health, donor compatibility)
• Customized care: stem-cell collection, conditioning, infusion, recovery support
• Long-term follow-up to monitor engraftment and manage post-transplant health

Summary

HSC transplantation is a powerful, potentially curative therapy for serious blood and immune disorders. With decades of scientific validation, it remains the leading treatment when conventional therapies fail. MediBridge connects you with state-of-the-art facilities and expert support for safe, successful outcomes.