Blood and marrow transplantation is a treatment for many diseases in both adults and children. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue found inside your large bones and is responsible for making blood cells. These blood cells include your platelets, white blood cells and red blood cells. The bone marrow is also home to the immune system. All of these cells are very important, so a change in marrow function can have serious side effects.
The term blood and marrow transplant, or BMT, has been used for many years. You are, however, likely to hear some different terms. All of these fall into the category commonly described as blood and marrow transplant. Some of these terms are:
Peripheral blood stem cell transplant
Blood stem cell transplant
Blood progenitor cell transplant
Blood stem cell and bone marrow reinfusion
The difference in these terms has to do with what is actually transplanted and where the cells come from. Read more about this in Transplant Basics.
For simplicity, blood and marrow transplant, or BMT, will be the term used on this site for all types of blood and marrow transplant. As well, the terms bone marrow and stem cells will be used interchangeably.
