The bone marrow is the tissue that forms the blood, located inside some of the bones (broad bones), it being the diseased tissue in the case of leukemias and the most affected by chemotherapy.
The stem cell from which normal blood cells will develop is called a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC). Hematopoietic stem cells are what the bone marrow needs to make blood cells. Hematopoietic stem cells are what are actually transplanted when we talk about bone marrow transplantation.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a therapeutic procedure in which stem cells are administered to a patient with the intention of partially or completely replacing the blood-producing system.
In oncology, bone marrow or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is indicated in several types of tumors that cannot be cured by cytostatic therapy or that have relapsed.
The technique consists of administering high doses of cytostatics, which destroy the patient’s bone marrow, which is later replaced by another bone marrow from a compatible donor.