Bone Marrow & Stem Cell Transplant
Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT): Life-Saving Cure for Blood Cancer & Thalassemia
Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) is a curative treatment for leukemia, lymphoma, thalassemia, and blood disorders. Available at Top class Hospitals with most experienced transplant team. Access to matched donors. High success rates. Life-changing outcomes.
BMT — Replacing Diseased Blood-Forming Cells with Healthy Ones
Bone Marrow Transplant is a curative procedure that replaces diseased or damaged bone marrow with healthy stem cells from a matched donor (allogeneic) or from the patient’s own cells (autologous). This allows new, healthy blood cells to grow and eliminates disease.
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Types of Bone marrow transplant
Allogeneic BMT (From Matched Donor)
Autologous BMT (From Patient’s Own Cells)
How it works?
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Conditioning (Chemotherapy/Radiation): Patient receives high-dose chemotherapy and/or radiation to destroy diseased bone marrow and cancer cells
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Donor Collection: Healthy stem cells collected from matched donor (bone marrow aspiration or peripheral blood stem cells) or patient’s own cells
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3.
Transplant Infusion: Healthy stem cells infused into patient’s bloodstream (like a blood transfusion)
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Engraftment: Donor stem cells migrate to bone marrow and begin producing healthy blood cells
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Recovery: Over weeks to months, new immune system and blood cells develop
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Result: Diseased bone marrow replaced. Disease cured or significantly prolonged survival.
BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT PROCESS: WHAT TO EXPECT
Typical Treatment phases are below
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Donor matching and testing (HLA typing, infectious disease screening)
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Patient conditioning protocol selected (high-dose chemotherapy ± radiation) treatment arrangement based on budget
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Central line (PICC or Hickman catheter) placed for cell infusion
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Patient counseled on expectations, side effects, infection prevention
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Patient admitted to hospital
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New bone marrow begins producing blood cells
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Engraftment confirmed when white blood cells, platelets recover to safe levels
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Typical engraftment: 14–28 days
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Intensive monitoring (blood tests daily)
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Isolation continues until immune recovery
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Infection risk highest during this phase; managed with antibiotics, antiviral, antifungal prophylaxis
CONDITIONS TREATED BY BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT
Blood Cancers
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Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) — Most common indication; BMT curative in 40–60% of cases
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Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) — Especially in adults; BMT improves long-term survival to 50–70%
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Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) — Curable with BMT; 80%+ survival at 5 years
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Lymphoma — Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma; especially relapsed/refractory disease
Blood Disorders
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Thalassemia Major — Severe hereditary blood disorder prevalent in Bangladesh; BMT curative in 80–90% of children with matched siblings
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Sickle Cell Disease — Severe hemolytic anemia; BMT curative especially in children
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Aplastic Anemia — Bone marrow failure; BMT curative in 80%+ of cases with matched donor
World-Class BMT Specialists, India
India is home to many world-class haemato-oncologists and Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) specialists across leading hospitals. Only a select few of the most renowned experts are featured here. Numerous highly experienced BMT specialists throughout the country are available to provide advanced, personalized care for even the most complex blood disorders and cancers.
Dr. Dharma Choudhary
Chairman
Bone Marrow Transplant, Haematology, Hematology Oncology. BLK Max Hospital
Dr. Rahul Bhargava.
Principal Director & Chief – Hematology, Hemato Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant | FMRI Gurgaon
Dr. Suresh Advani
Consultant – Medical Oncology
Medical Oncology, Cancer Care / Oncology. 46, Years of experience
Dr. Satyaranjan Das
Senior Director – Haemato-Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant, Max Hospital
Dr. Vikas Dua
Principal Director & Head – Pediatric Hematology, Hemato Oncology & Bone Marrow Transplant | FMRI Gurgaon
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
For many conditions, BMT is a true cure. In leukemia, if patient achieves complete remission post-BMT and remains disease-free at 5 years, cure is likely (95%+ never-relapse rate). For thalassemia and aplastic anemia, successful BMT is effectively permanent cure — patient needs no further treatment. However, relapse is possible in some cases, requiring surveillance.
Main risks: (1) Graft Failure — donor cells don’t engraft (5–10% risk); (2) Graft-Versus-Host Disease (GVHD) — donor immune cells attack patient’s tissue (30–50% risk, manageable); (3) Infection — during low immune phase (10–20% risk with good prophylaxis); (4) Organ Toxicity — from high-dose chemo (5–10% risk). Overall mortality from BMT: 5–15% in experienced centers (low for curative disease, higher for advanced disease). This must be weighed against the disease itself (which may be fatal without BMT).
Strict isolation typically lasts 2–4 weeks (until white blood cells recover). After discharge, infection precautions continue but less restrictive (avoid crowds, outdoor exposure, sick contacts). By 2–3 months, most restrictions can be lifted.
Typically 4–6 weeks hospitalization from conditioning start to discharge. Total 2–4 months from initial consultation to full recovery and return home. Timeline varies by disease, donor availability, complications.
You must stay near hospital during early recovery (first 4–8 weeks post-transplant). This is critical period for infection/GVHD monitoring. After discharge from hospital (typically 4–6 weeks), you can transition to outpatient care at hospital or nearby accommodation. Return to Bangladesh typically occurs 2–3 months post-transplant, with follow-up via video consultation.
Yes. Unrelated donor matching (from national/international registries) or haploidentical (half-matched parent/sibling) donors can be used. Hospital has access to large donor registries. Haploidentical BMT has good success rates (70–80% with modern techniques) and expands access for patients without sibling matches.
GVHD (Graft-Versus-Host Disease) means donor immune cells attack patient’s tissue. Most cases are manageable with immunosuppressive medications. Acute GVHD (first 3 months) usually responds to steroids. Chronic GVHD (after 3 months) may persist but is often manageable. Severe GVHD is rare in experienced hospitals that Shohoj is assisting with.
Yes, typically. High-dose conditioning chemotherapy causes hair loss (temporary; grows back in 3–6 months) and mouth sores (painful but manageable with medication). These are temporary side effects; most patients tolerate well with supportive care.
Return to work depends on job type and recovery. Light desk work: possible by 2–3 months post-transplant. Strenuous/outdoor work: wait 6–12 months (until immune system fully recovers). Most patients gradually resume work by 6–12 months.
Blood Cancer or Thalassemia? Bone Marrow Transplant Offers Life-Saving Cure.
Bone Marrow Transplant is the only cure for many blood cancers and thalassemia. At KIMS Hospitals, experienced transplant team performs 100+ BMTs annually with 90%+ engraftment success and high long-term survival. Access to sibling, unrelated, and haploidentical donors. Send us your blood work, biopsy results, and hematology diagnosis. KIMS hematologists will assess BMT suitability and donor matching within 3–5 days. Most patients undergo BMT and return to normal life within 4–6 months.