Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT) Services

The Rush Approach to Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)

Bone marrow or stem cell transplant might be a lifesaving option if you have a blood cancer like leukemia or lymphoma that hasn't responded to standard treatment. It is also an option for a bone marrow disease such as amyloidosis or aplastic anemia, or another blood condition like sickle cell disease.

A bone marrow transplant uses stem cells collected from your own bone marrow (autologous transplant) or a donor's bone marrow (allogeneic transplant). A stem cell transplant uses cells from donor blood or your own blood.

Rush also offers cord blood transplants if you need a donor transplant but don’t have a match. To use donor cells, you and your donor have to be a close match — but cord blood doesn't require as close a match. Our use of cord blood means that no patient goes without a donor.

Rush University Medical Center was one of the first centers in Chicago to offer chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR T-cell therapy) for patients with certain types of leukemia and lymphoma. CAR T-cell therapy modifies your own T-cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells, enabling you to respond to chemotherapy and qualify for a bone marrow transplant.

Rush Excellence in Bone Marrow Transplant

• National accreditation: Rush's BMT team provides the highest level of care in the safest way possible. We're fully accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) in recognition of our transplant program's quality and safety.
• Fast-track clinic: Our fast-track BMT clinic is open 365 days a year. This clinic helps you transition from inpatient to outpatient care by providing post-transplant care, chemotherapy and CAR T-cell therapy infusions. Housed in the inpatient BMT unit at Rush University Medical Center, the clinic is here for you if you experience any issues or side effects. This may allow you to have a shorter inpatient stay, and avoid the emergency room later.
• Inpatient physical therapy gym: Research shows that when patients who undergo bone marrow transplant participate in structured physical activity and exercise, they have better outcomes, less fatigue, improved endurance and overall improved quality of life. That's why Rush opened a dedicated physical therapy gym for our BMT patients to use when they are getting their inpatient treatment. Physical therapists create personalized exercise plans that help patients stay strong and positive throughout treatment.
• Expert, collaborative team: Our team includes experienced transplant physicians, fellowship-trained BMT specialists and advanced practice providers who work only with BMT patients, providing you with focused, personal attention and ensuring seamless care.
• Quality of life: Making sure you have good quality of life as a transplant patient is our top priority. We don't focus only on your physical treatment — we also focus on the mental, emotional and social aspects.
• Research that's redefining the field: Our BMT specialists conduct clinical and translational research, including research on transplantation immunology that helps us continue to improve treatment options and long-term outcomes.