Paediatric Bone Marrow (Stem Cell) Transplantation
The paediatric stem cell transplantation service (often referred to as bone marrow transplantation), was designated at Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow in 2005.
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.
Bone marrow transplantation can be autologous (using the patients own cells) or allogeneic (using cells from another source). Sources of allogeneic donor cells include; suitably HLA-matched siblings, Haplo-identical family members, volunteer unrelated donors (VUD) and umbilical cord blood donors (UCB).
Lead clinician:
Dr Brenda Gibson (Consultant and Service Director)
Service contact address:
Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow
Dalnair Street
Glasgow
G3 8SJ
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
