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Our Specialty Pharmacy offers pharmacy services to patients who need highly specialized drug therapy following blood or marrow stem cell transplantation. Our pharmacy staff can provide the medications for your condition after you return home from the clinic. Experienced pharmacy professionals work closely with your Mayo Clinic transplant team to develop a personalized medication management program at no additional cost. We coordinate all billing and claims, relieving you of up-front costs and the headaches of completing insurance forms and filing claims.
About Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplantation (BMT)
The Role of Medications after Blood or Marrow Stem Cell
Transplantation
Always Ask Your Pharmacist
Within the cavity of many bones is a red, spongy material called bone marrow. Bone marrow contains special cells (stem cells), which are precursors of other cells. In addition to a small number of stem cells that circulate in the blood, the stem cells of the bone marrow produce new blood cells — red cells, white cells and platelets — that eventually leave the bone marrow and enter your bloodstream. Stem cells also make more stem cells.
Your bone marrow needs to continually produce new blood cells of all types to replace old ones. When your bone marrow fails to produce adequate numbers of healthy blood cells, a blood or marrow stem cell transplant (BMT) may be recommended.
Certain diseases can cause bone marrow to stop working or to be replaced by nonfunctioning cells. For example, in aplastic anemia the bone marrow stops producing any cells. In leukemia, cancerous cells replace the normal marrow. BMT can be effective treatment in both these cases.
In other cases, disease treatment can damage the bone marrow. For example, the high doses of chemotherapy (anticancer drugs) and radiation therapy used to treat cancer of the lymph system (lymphoma) or solid tumors can affect the marrow’s ability to produce blood cells. BMT may be used to "rescue" a person from the effects of such treatments.
BMT has been used for:
During a blood or marrow stem cell transplant, healthy stem cells are introduced
into your body to replace bone marrow that does not function properly or has
been destroyed. The healthy stem cells can be thought of as "seeds"
that grow new bone marrow capable of producing healthy blood cells. The transplanted
stem cells (graft) are called a bone marrow transplant if the stem cells
come from the bone marrow. If the graft comes from the peripheral blood, it
may be called a blood stem cell transplant or a peripheral blood stem cell transplant.
Transplant treatments make you more susceptible to infection, especially in the first few months after the transplant. Be alert for signs of infection and report them immediately to a member of your health care team. Signs of infection include but are not limited to: feeling generally sick, decreased appetite, nausea, vomiting, fever (over 101.3 Fahrenheit), diarrhea, runny nose, sore throat or cough.
In the hospital, you will be asked to follow instructions and guidelines to avoid infections. You also will receive many medications during the transplant process, including but not limited to medications for:
If you experience problems with your transplant treatment, your pharmacist is a reliable source of information about transplantation and can help you monitor your condition, maximize the benefits of your medications, limit side effects and identify drug-drug or drug-disease interactions. Your pharmacist will work closely with your Mayo Clinic care team to create a safe and appropriate care plan.
Optimal management of your health after blood or marrow stem cell transplantation requires the coordinated care of your Mayo Clinic transplant team. Doctors, nurses and other caregivers must work closely with pharmacists and others to ensure therapy is safe and effective. Incomplete management of your medical condition may lead to major complications.
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