What is an allogeneic transplant?

An allogeneic transplant uses healthy blood-forming cells donated by someone else to replace your diseased cells.  The donor can be a family member or someone unrelated to you who is genetically similar to you. Sometimes, people can receive donated blood stem cells from umbilical cord blood. This is the blood collected from the umbilical cord and placenta after a baby is born and made available through the NMDP Registry^SM.

Your doctor will test your blood to find out your human leukocyte antigens (HLA) type. Your immune system uses these markers to recognize which cells belong in your body and which do not.

Your doctor will look for a donor or cord blood unit that’s the best match for your HLA. HLA matching is important for the best outcomes (results) and to lower the risk for problems after transplant.

Your doctor will look for a donor by testing your family members (brothers, sisters and parents) and searching the NMDP Registry for an unrelated donor or cord blood unit. They’ll use the search results to select the best match for you. For some people a transplant from a half-matched donor, or a haploidentical transplant, is a treatment option.

Finding a donor can take time, so your doctor should start a donor search as soon as possible. Your doctor can look for a donor even if you don’t need a transplant right away.

Ask your doctor any questions you have about an allogeneic transplant. Here are some questions to get you started:

• Which family members will you test as possible donors?
• If a family member is my donor, what will they have to do?
• What happens if I don’t have a match in my family?
• Is a reduced-intensity transplant an option? Why or why not?
• Is a haploidentical (half-matched) transplant an option for me?

Access additional questions to ask your doctor about your treatment.

If an allogeneic transplant is a treatment option, contact your health insurance company as soon as possible so you know what will or will not be covered. Ask questions like:

Does my policy pay for:

• Reimbursement for lodging and transportation?
• Treatment that involves clinical trials?
• Lost wages while recovering from transplant?

Access additional questions to ask your health insurance company.

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