Breast Cancer: Bone Marrow Transplantation

• What is bone marrow?
• Who is a candidate for a bone marrow transplant?
• Where does the transplanted bone marrow come from?
• What happens before the transplant?
• Central Venous catheter placement
• Stimulating your white blood cells
• Bone marrow harvesting
• Chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy
• What happens during the transplant?
• Will my insurance provider cover my bone marrow transplant?

A bone marrow transplant may be used to treat patients with certain forms of cancer, such as leukemia, lymphoma, or breast cancer. The goal of such a transplant in women with breast cancer is to allow them to undergo high-dose chemotherapy -- which aggressively attacks the cancer cells, but also damages normal blood cells - and then replace the damaged cells with healthy ones.

What Is Bone Marrow?

Who Is A Candidate For A Bone Marrow Transplant?

The decision to prescribe a bone marrow transplant is always made on an individual basis. Your doctor will consider your age, general physical condition, diagnosis, and stage of disease. Your doctor will also make sure you understand the potential benefits and risks of the transplant procedure.

Suggested Reading by Our Doctors

• Breast Cancer - Get the facts on breast cancer symptoms, stages, types, research, risk factors, diagnosis, reconstruction information and treatment options: mastectomy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy.
• Breast Cancer and Lymphedema - Lymphedema is a common chronic, debilitating condition in which excess fluid called lymph collects in tissues and causes swelling in them.
• Breast Cancer Questions To Ask The Doctor - Learn what questions to ask your doctor after a breast cancer diagnosis, including the breast cancer type, treatments, continuing HRT, lymph node removal and reconstruction.

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