If non-Hodgkin lymphoma returns (relapses) or does not respond to initial treatment (refractory disease), you may need a stem cell transplant. This is when diseased blood cells are destroyed by high-dose chemotherapy and replaced with blood stem cells.
Stem cells are an early form of blood cells. For non-Hodgkin lymphoma, stem cells are usually collected from the blood (peripheral blood stem cell transplant). Rarely, stem cells are collected from the bone marrow (bone marrow transplant).
Learn more about:
Types of stem cell transplants
There are two main types of stem cell transplants.
| Autologous transplant | This is when your stem cells are removed from your blood, processed and later put back (reinfused) into your body. This is the most common type of transplant used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma. An autologous transplant is done in several steps. |
| Allogeneic transplant | This is when the stem cells are collected from another person (a donor). This type of transplant is less commonly used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma. |
A stem cell transplant is a demanding treatment and is not suitable for everyone. The high-dose chemotherapy given before the transplant can have a lot of side effects.
To work out whether a stem cell transplant is suitable for you, your haematologist will consider your general health, age, the type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma you have, how fast it is growing and how it responds to treatment. The risks and benefits will be discussed with you.
→ READ MORE: Steps in an autologous stem cell transplant
Key resource
Download a PDF booklet on this topic.
More resources
Dr Puja Bhattacharyya, Haematology Staff Specialist, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown Hospital; A/Prof Christina Brown, Haematologist, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and The University of Sydney; Dr Susan Carroll, Senior Staff Specialist, Radiation Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital and The University of Sydney; Jo Cryer, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Haematology, St George Hospital; Marie Marr, Consumer; Katelin Mayer, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Cancer Outreach Team, Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Sydney; Vanessa Saunders, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Elise Toyer, Haematology Clinical Nurse Consultant, Blacktown Hospital.
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