1. Conditioning: Patients undergo high-dose chemotherapy or radiation therapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells and to suppress the immune system to prevent it from attacking the new stem cells. 2. Stem Cell Collection: For autologous transplants, the patient’s own stem cells are collected and stored. For allogeneic transplants, stem cells are collected from a donor. 3. Infusion: The collected stem cells are infused into the patient’s bloodstream through an intravenous (IV) line. This process is similar to a blood transfusion. 4. Engraftment: The new stem cells travel to the bone marrow, where they begin to produce new blood cells. This period can take several weeks, during which the patient is closely monitored for complications.
