A stem cell transplant is often the best option to treat blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome, as well as bone marrow failure syndromes like aplastic anemia.

To understand the different types of stem cell transplants and how they work, we spoke with Amin Alousi, M.D. Here’s what he had to say.

Stem cells are the “seeds” that...

When I was first diagnosed with Philadelphia-positive chronic myeloid leukemia in 1989, there weren’t that many treatment options available. The 5-year survival rate was only about 20%, too, which meant that just one out of every five people diagnosed with the disease would still be alive five years later. 

Remarkably, I am still here, 33 years after my own diagnosis. And my leukemia remains in complete remission. For that...