Bone Marrow Research Paper

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Definition Bone Marrow Transplantation is a procedure that is used in cancer therapy (Knight, Jackson-Grusby, and White-Ryan, 163). Each year in the United States there are over 20,000 people, ages 0 to 74, which are diagnosed with an illness in which a bone marrow transplant is their best option to save their lives (The Need for Marrow Donors, para. 1). Although the procedure’s main objective is to help the patient, it also comes with many possible side effects. The purpose of the procedure is to provide the patient with stem cells that they have lost due to disease, chemotherapy, or radiation (Irons-Georges, and Salem Press, 134). The stem cells may be obtained from many different sources, such as the patient themselves, …show more content…

There are two different types of bone marrow, one is red, and the other is yellow in color. The red bone marrow forms the majority of the blood cells in the body and contributes to the destruction of the old red blood cells in the body, whereas the yellow bone marrow serves as a storage area for fats. Yellow bone marrow may be able to be converted to red bone marrow under specific conditions.
Until about the age of seven, all of the bone marrow in the body is red; it is being used for the production of blood cells. This is because childhood is a primary growing stage so the need for new blood formation is very high. Soon after, the red marrow will gradually begin to turn into fat tissue, becoming yellow in color. In adults, the red marrow is found only in the vertebrae, hips, breastbone, ribs, skull and at the ends of the long bones of the arm and leg. The yellow marrow is found in the cancellous, or spongy, bones and in the central cavities of the long bones (Encyclopedia Britannica, Bone Marrow, para. …show more content…

11). It is often advised that the patient consult a mental health counselor to discuss the emotional stress of the BMT procedure. Doctors also recommend that family consult a counselor to discuss their stress, and so that the family will be able to be exposed to what will be occurring in the future regarding the patient’s well-being (para. 13). Patients are also advised to make plans before the any treatment begins. These are put in place so that the patient will have a plan already in place for when the procedure is finished and when they return home (para.

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