Peripheral stem cell transplantation with high dose chemotherapy became standard treatment for certain stages of lymphoma and a promising developmental treatment for advanced breast cancer.
Stem cells are a vital part of blood cell development and the immune system.
For this treatment, the patient's stem cells are collected, frozen and then injected back into the patient after delivering high dose chemotherapy. The stem cells then rejuvenate an immune system almost wiped out by the intensive chemotherapy. Stem cell transplantation is a promising developmental treatment for patients with breast cancer. It involves high dose chemotherapy followed by re-infusion of the patient's own stem cells collected prior to treatment. One of the side-effects of chemotherapy is that it kills blood cells.