National Services Division Commissioning for Scotland's Health
Home AboutServices Specialist Services (Scotland) Adult alternative donor stem cell transplant National Screening Programmes National Managed Clinical Networks Specialist Services (UK) Risk Share New Developments Publications News Contact Us
NSD >> Services >> Specialist Services (Scotland) >> Adult alternative donor stem cell transplantation

Adult alternative donor stem cell transplantation (Adult bone marrow transplantation)

This nationally designated service is for unrelated donor stem cell transplantation, and has been operating at Glasgow Royal Infirmary since 1988 and became a nationally designated service in 2006.

Bone marrow transplantation is a medical procedure in which the patient’s bone marrow cells (cells within the spongy, fatty tissue found on the inside of larger bones) are first destroyed using chemotherapy/ radiotherapy. As both diseased and healthy cells are removed in this process a ‘transplant’ of healthy cells is then required. The patient is supported and monitored carefully until the transplanted cells establish and the bone marrow is able to function adequately.

Most commonly bone marrow transplantation is used in the treatment of blood cancers. In these patients the transplant is performed as a component of a broader treatment programme and most patients will previously have received chemotherapy to get the disease into remission. Bone marrow transplant may also be used in other diseases, such an in other types of cancer or in genetic diseases. The aim of treatment may be curative or may be to prolong life.

The Adult Volunteer Unrelated Donor Bone Marrow Transplant Service is commissioned to provide specialist clinical interventions and laboratory activity from the time of referral to the service until 100 days post transplant. Activity within the service includes all patients who are being considered for bone marrow transplant (this include the specialist assessment of patients for whom transplantation may not be suitable); and those who undergo bone marrow transplantation.

Annual Report

The most recent annual report for the service is available below:

Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Annual Report 2009/10 [24 pages, 536Kb]

National Services Division contacts:

To contact members of NSD staff, please visit our staff contacts page.

James Steven, Programme Manager
Louise Wilson, Assistant Programme Manager
Jean Travers, Programme Support Officer