You will receive a high-dose chemotherapy schedule to eradicate cancer cells in your body after an adequate amount of blood and marrow stem cells have been obtained from the autologous patient or allogeneic donor and before the blood and marrow stem cell infusion. The chemotherapy will destroy your bone marrow (where blood cells are produced) and will make ‘space’ for the healthy normal blood and bone marrow cells collected from the bone marrow harvest or stem cell collection to grow into healthy blood cells.

For several days following the infusion of stem cells, high-dose chemotherapy lowers blood counts. This period of time is referred to as the ‘neutropenic’ period. Because of your high susceptibility to infections, you need to be watched carefully. A special diet will be required of you. Please refer to Food Safety Diet Guidelines for Immunosuppressed Patients and Diet Guidelines for Immunosuppressed Patients during this time and for the length of time you are under our care. Please also refer to A Patient Guide.