Blood and marrow transplantations have been used to treat a growing list of diseases, as well as non-malignant conditions, such as:
Leukemia
Leukemia develops when a blood cell undergoes a transformation into a malignant cell as the bone marrow produces a large number of abnormal white blood cells. Chronic lymphocytic leukemia and acute myelogenous leukemia and are the most common forms in adults. All types of leukemia are treatable, and most are potentially curable with transplantation.
Lymphoma
Lymphomas are divided into two general types – Hodgkin disease (also known as Hodgkin's lymphoma) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas – which can be found in the lymph system. Lymphoma may appear in the lymph nodes, bone marrow, spleen, thymus gland, tonsils and/or digestive tract.
Multiple Myeloma
Multiple myeloma is a type of cancer formed by malignant plasma (blood) cells that develop in the bone marrow. If there is only one tumor, it is called a plasmacytoma. Usually, the plasma cell tumors are spread throughout the bone marrow and then they are referred to as myeloma or multiple myeloma.
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS)
Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of conditions caused by abnormal blood-forming cells of the bone marrow. Although MDS has not been considered cancer in the past, most hematologists now consider it a form of cancer due to the large population of abnormal cells and, in about 30% of MDS cases, the abnormal cells eventually progress to acute myeloid leukemia.
Solid Tumors and Other Indications
In some cases, BMT can be used to treat solid tumors such as testicular cancer. Additional conditions evaluated for BMT may include breast and ovarian cancers, aplastic anemia, sarcoma and autoimmune diseases.