Procedure, Side Effects & More

In other words, a person getting an autologous hematopoietic cell transplant is both the donor and the recipient of the stem cells. In other words, a person getting an autologous hematopoietic cells come from the person who will be receiving the cell transplant.

Hematopoietic stem cells are the young versions of the cells that will grow to be blood cells. Your body uses these cells to produce red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.

The stem cells exist primarily in your bone marrow. That’s why stem cell transplants are sometimes referred to as bone marrow transplants..

Autologous hematopoeitic stem cell transplants are most often used to treat blood cancers such as lymphomas and multiple myeloma..

While autologous hematopoeitic stem cell transplants aren’t typically used to treat solid organ cancers, they do play a role in the treatment of testicular cancer and neuroblastoma..

They’re also currently used for the treatment of some autoimmune neurologic conditions, like multiple sclerosis..

When you have a blood cancer such as multiple myeloma, the cancer cells multiply and overwhelm your healthy blood cells. Over time, this makes it difficult for your blood cells to do typical tasks that keep your body healthy and functional.

That’s why an autologous stem cell transplant can be an effective treatment for people with multiple myeloma and other blood cancers.

An autologous stem cell transplant allows you to receive much higher doses of chemotherapy than your stem cells would typically be able to recover from.

After the chemotherapy treatment kills all of the cancer cells, you’ll receive your own stem cells back. Your body can then start producing healthy blood cells without cancer cells overwhelming them.

The stem cells used for autologous hematopoietic transplants are generally the stem cells circulating in your bloodstream. These cells are collected in a process that is similar to donating blood.

Before the collection procedure

A few days before your collection, a doctor will give you a prescription to increase the number of stem cells your body makes. You’ll take the prescription every day in the days leading up to your autologous cell collection.

You might have mild flu-like symptoms while you take it.

Some people will also need to take a medication that will increase the number of stem cells moving between their bone marrow and their bloodstream.

Your doctor will tell you which prescriptions you’ll need and how long you’ll need to take them.

During the collection procedure

The actual collection is done by withdrawing blood from your body through a vein, just like you would for a blood draw or blood donation.

Unlike a blood draw or donation, your blood will immediately run through a machine that will separate your stem cells from the rest of your blood. The remaining parts of your blood will then return to your body.

You’ll have two needles inserted during the procedure: one to remove your blood and one to bring your blood without stem cells back to you.

Another common method of stem cell collection is by placing a large central venous catheter, similar to a chemo portin the chest wall.

These catheters have two lines, which allow for collection and return through one line. They can also be used for subsequent chemotherapy administration.

A collection will usually take between 3 and 5 hours. You might need to have more than one collection done to get enough stem cells.

After the collection procedure

Typically, collections are done as outpatient procedures. You’ll be able to go home between collections if you need more than one. Most people are able to resume their daily activities after the autologous blood collection.

After your stem cells are collected, they’ll be kept frozen until they’re given back to you. Sometimes, your stem cells will be treated to kill any cancers that might have accidentally been collected with them. This procedure is called purging.

Before the transplant procedure

Your next step after collection is to receive the high-dose chemotherapy treatment needed to kill the cancer cells in your body. Radiation is sometimes given along with high-dose chemotherapy, but not always.

The chemotherapy treatment will take place over several days.

You’ll likely have your autologous transplant a day or two after receiving your final chemotherapy dose.

During the transplant procedure

You’ll receive your stem cells back into your bloodstream by intravenous (IV) infusion. This procedure is the same as a standard blood transfusion..

Your stem cells will slowly move from a medical bag through an IV line back into your body. The new stem cells will start to circulate in your body over the next few weeks. New blood cells generally start to form in about 1 to 3 weeks.

After the transplant procedure

You’ll likely stay in the hospital for 2 to 3 weeks following your transplant. Doctors will monitor you to:

• ensure the transplant was successful
• make sure you don’t develop any infections
• watch for complications from large doses of chemotherapy and radiation

They might give you antibiotics to help prevent infection. You may also receive blood or platelet transfusions while waiting for your bone marrow to recover.

Recovery period

It can take 2 to 4 weeks before you can return to work or school, and 1 to 3 months before you’re able to fully return to your previous level of activity after an autologous cell transplant.

However, this is different for everyone and depends on how well your body responds to the transplant and begins making new blood cells.

You might feel better right away or might need months of recovery time. No matter what your recovery timeline looks like, you’ll need to take extra care to avoid infections for at least a year.

There are very few side effects associated with autologous cell transplants. It’s common for people to not have any side effects at all.

However, there are a few side effects and risks that can occur. These include:

• headaches
• chills
• vomiting
• breathing changes
• low blood pressure
• an odd taste in your mouth
• blood in your urine
• infection
• a failed transplant that doesn’t produce new blood cells
• cancer cells being put back into your body

On rare occasions, a serious infection may occur while your immune system is recovering from the transplant.

Cancer treatment can be very expensive. The exact cost of an autologous cell transplant depends on factors such as:

• the type of cancer you have
• how many collections you need
• the exact chemotherapy combination used
• the length of your hospital stay following the transplant

Multiple studies that have investigated the cost of an autologous stem cell transplant from collection to hospital discharge have found the average total to be about $ 150,000. Your out-of-pocket costs will likely be much smaller, depending on your insurance.

Coverage for an autologous cell transplant depends on your insurance. If you have Medicare, autologous transplants are covered, but only when medically necessary for certain cancers.

Check with your transplant coordinator if you have any concerns about your out-of-pocket costs. They can work directly with your insurance company to determine your stem cell transplant coverage.

Keep in mind that the total cost includes more than medical bills. For many people, factoring in the time off of work or the cost of child care during recovery is an important consideration.

It’s a good idea to look at all costs, factors, and options before undergoing any procedure.

If you need help navigating the cost of cancer treatment, there are resources available. You can use this financial management toolkit from Triage Cancer to plan and budget.

For financial assistance, visit the Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition’s database of organizations that provide financial help to people with cancer.

An autologous hematopoietic cell transplant can treat blood cancers such as multiple myeloma and lymphoma. This type of stem cell transplant uses your own stem cells as donor cells.

Your cells are collected and stored before you undergo high-dose chemotherapy to kill the cancer cells in your body. You then get your stem cells back so that your body can make new blood cells.

Although recovery can take 1 to 3 months, most people recover with few long-term side effects.