The steps involved in a BMT may differ slightly from one treatment center to another. Highly trained medical staff from centers specializing in bone marrow transplant handle the procedure. There are several types of BMTs. They are categorized according to the source of the stem cells. Autologous transplant means the stem cells come from the patient.
Allogeneic transplant means the stem cells come from a donor.
Syngeneic transplant means the stem cells come from an identical twin. The principles used in a bone marrow transplant have been adapted for use with breast cancer patients. Currently most transplants done for breast cancer are autologous, except for a few centers where allogeneic transplants are being done as an experimental procedure. A stem cell transplant is the same as a bone marrow transplant except that stem cells are collected from the circulating blood instead of the bone marrow. They can then be collected using an intravenous catheter similar to those used for collecting blood.