Bone Marrow Transplantation for Breast Cancer (cont.)
Where Does The Transplanted Bone Marrow Come From?
Bone marrow given during a transplant either comes from you or from a donor whose bone marrow "matches" yours.
The matching process is called human leukocyte antigen testing (HLA testing). A series of blood tests evaluate the compatibility or closeness of tissue between the donor and recipient. These test results are used to help the tissue-typing lab match a bone marrow transplant donor to you.
What Happens Before The Transplant?
A number of tests are performed before the bone marrow transplant procedure to make sure you are physically able to undergo a transplant. These tests also help the transplant team identify and treat any potential problems before the transplant.
Your heart, lungs and kidney function will be tested. Your doctor may also order blood tests, a CAT scan, and a bone marrow biopsy. A complete dental examination is required before the procedure to minimize your risk of infection, and other precautions will be taken as necessary to minimize the risk of infection.
The tests required before the bone marrow transplant are usually done on an outpatient basis. Your transplant coordinator will help arrange these tests for you.
Central Venous Catheter Placement
Before the bone marrow transplant can be performed, a central venous catheter is inserted through a vein in your chest during a simple surgical procedure. A central venous catheter is a slender, hollow, flexible tube that allows fluids, nutrition solutions, antibiotics, chemotherapy, or blood products to be delivered directly into your bloodstream without repeatedly having to insert a needle into your vein. The catheter can also be used to collect blood samples.
Stimulating Your White Blood Cells
"Colony-stimulating factors," which are hormone-like drugs, are given before your bone marrow transplant to help your white blood cells recover from chemotherapy so that they can help fight the risk of infection. They also increase the number of stem cells in your blood.
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