Allogeneic bone marrow transplants involve using bone marrow or stem cells from a donor. The donor is usually related; a sibling being most likely to be a good match. However, if there are no matching relatives, a match may be found on a donor registry.

1. Bone Marrow Transplant
Bone marrow transplants are increasingly seen as
the only cure for a range of bone marrow
disorders. However, they are not always available
under on insurance either because it is not
considered essential for the condition, or because
it is not included within the policy. For this reason
many individuals choose to become medical
tourists. That’s why many patients and their
families opt to receive their bone marrow
transplant in Mexico.
There are a range of conditions that damage bone marrow and affect blood cell
production, leading to the need for a bone marrow transplant. These include inherited
conditions, such as sickle cell anemia and aplastic anemia, bone marrow cancers, such as
leukemia and multiple myeloma, and solid cancers, where an autologous bone marrow
transplant enables higher doses of chemotherapy to be administered, increasing the
chances of eliminating all cancer cells.
Types of Bone Marrow Transplant
There are three types of bone marrow transplant, or peripheral blood stem cell
transplant:
Allogeneic bone marrow transplants involve using bone marrow or stem cells from a
donor. The donor is usually related; a sibling being most likely to be a good match.
However, if there are no matching relatives, a match may be found on a donor registry.
Autologous bone marrow transplants involve storing a patient’s own stem cells before
they undergo intensive chemotherapy treatment for cancer, such as breast cancer or
testicular cancer. As chemotherapy damages bone marrow, harvesting cells before
cancer treatment enables higher levels of chemotherapy to be administered. After the
treatment the stem cells are introduced back into the body via bone marrow transplant,
where they will engraft and, in time, function healthily again.
Umbilical cord blood transplants are done using blood donated from a baby’s umbilical
cord, which has been donated by the mother immediately after birth. The stem cells are
removed and stored until they are needed. Because umbilical cord stem cells are
immature the chances of the recipient’s body rejecting them are lower. This means that
UCB transplants are a good option for patients who need an immediate bone marrow
transplant and can’t wait to find a match, or for those patients who can’t find a good
match.
The type of bone marrow transplant that is best for an individual will depend on the age
and health of the individual, on whether they have a related donor, on the urgency of the
transplant and on the condition that is being treated. Whether an individual has their
bone marrow transplant in Mexico, America, or anywhere else, it is important that they
learn all of the necessary facts about their condition and their potential bone marrow
transplant center in order to ensure the best possible outcome.