Continued

4. Donation
There are two potential sources of stem cells that may be requested by a patient's transplant center. The decision is up to the patient's physician, and is dependent upon the type of transplant protocol being used.

Bone Marrow: Marrow is found in the hollow cavities of the body's large bones. Donation involves withdrawing 2-3 percent of the donor's total marrow from the iliac crest of the hip, located in the posterior aspect of the donor's pelvic bone. There is no cutting, no stitching. The procedure involves a needle aspiration, performed using an anesthetic. Typically, the donor enters a medical center’s outpatient facility in the morning and goes home in the afternoon with the knowledge that he or she has helped to save a life!

Blood Stem Cells: It is now possible to collect stem cells from the circulating peripheral blood rather than the bone marrow. Peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) transplantation is a new, innovative and promising therapy. In order to collect a sufficient quantity of stem cells, injections of a medication called filgrastim must be administered. This mobilizes stem cells to travel from the bone marrow into the circulating peripheral blood. The stem cells are collected through a procedure called apheresis, which is similar to the process used in platelet donation. A cell separating machine filters out the stem cells, which can then be infused in the recipient.