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An apheresis machine is used to collect your stem cells.
Stem cells are the blood-forming cells that reside in the bone marrow. Collecting the bone marrow stem cells is the first step of the transplant process. For an autologous transplant, you will donate your own stem cells (a stem cell collection), which will be given back to you after you have completed chemotherapy.
The most common way to collect the stem cells is to use medication that causes the stem cells to leave the bone marrow and circulate in your bloodstream. This process is called stem cell mobilization. From your bloodstream, we collect your stem cells through an IV.
The medication most commonly used for stem cell mobilization is called Filgrastim, or GCSF, for Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor. It is given as an injection under the skin once daily. By the fifth day of fligrastim treatment, most patients will have enough stem cells in their blood stream to begin the collection procedure.
Another way to mobilize your bone marrow stem cells is to give you chemotherapy first and then GCSF injections. You may need to stay in the hospital for the chemotherapy. You can usually get the GCSF injections and stem cell collection at the UNM Cancer Center outpatient clinic. The transplant physician will determine the best mobilization regimen for you.
Stem cells are collected by connecting an IV to an apheresis machine. The apheresis machine separates your bone marrow stem cells from the other cells in your blood and then returns the remaining blood back to your body. We will place a central venous catheter into a large vein in your body. This catheter can be used for both the collection and the transplant.
Your Transplant Nurse Navigator will give you a schedule that lists your procedures and appointments.
A nurse connects the stem cell harvest machine to your catheter. The central venous catheter is placed into a large vein in your body before the day of your stem cell harvest.
If we don’t collect enough bone marrow stem cells from you, we will need you to repeat the collection process each day, for the next one to four days.
Once the stem cells are collected, they are processed and frozen in the laboratory and stored until it is time for your transplant.