Your care journey
Treatment takes months from referral to infusion, and follow-up continues for years. Here is what each stage involves.
The five stages
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Referral
Your specialist refers you to a qualified treatment centre. Bring your records and treatment history.
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Assessment
Tests confirm your diagnosis and check your general health and organ function. This is the time to raise fertility questions.
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Preparation
Your stem cells are collected, sometimes over more than one session, then edited and quality-checked in a laboratory. This can take several months.
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Treatment
High-dose chemotherapy makes room in your bone marrow, then the edited cells are infused. You stay in hospital while your blood counts recover.
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Follow-up
Regular checks monitor your blood counts, your symptoms and long-term safety, for many years.
What to expect
- Time in hospital
- Several weeks around the infusion, while your blood counts recover. Plan ahead for work, school and visitors.
- Recovery
- Energy and immune function can take months to return fully. Your team will explain infection precautions.
- Follow-up visits
- Frequent at first, then less often. Long-term monitoring continues for many years.
- Fertility
- The chemotherapy used before the infusion can affect fertility. Ask about fertility preservation before treatment starts.
- Costs and coverage
- Prices and reimbursement differ by country and insurer. Ask your centre for a written estimate and check coverage early.