Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Bone Marrow Transplantion and Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation

Children with leukemia or other cancers, as well as some severe inherited immunodeficiency diseases and blood disorders, may benefit from a transplant of hematopoietic stem cells. Commonly known as a bone marrow transplant, the term hematopoietic stem cell transplant acknowledges the fact that the stem cells necessary to regenerate blood and immune function can now be obtained from peripheral or umbilical cord blood, as well as from bone marrow.

Cord blood is the blood found in the placenta and umbilical cord after a baby is delivered. The blood contains valuable stem cells that can help restore bone marrow function and rebuild the immune system following a transplant. In addition to using bone marrow or stem cells from adult donors, the physicians at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital sometimes use umbilical cord blood either from siblings or from unrelated donors as a source of stem cells for transplantation.

Diseases that can be treated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation include:
Currently, most hematopoietic stem cells are transplanted into patients who have been treated with high doses of chemotherapy with or without radiation to kill diseased or cancerous cells. Because the procedure also kills normal cells in the bone marrow and immune system, the child is very susceptible to infection until the healthy stem cells begin to replace those killed by the treatment. The high doses of chemotherapy and radiation can cause temporary or permanent organ damage in some patients.

Our team of experts is uniquely qualified to perform a number of types of transplants depending on the need of each patient.