Your doctor will give you detailed information about the possible complications and side effects of a bone marrow transplant. As well as the side effects caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy such as nausea, vomiting, hair loss, diarrhoea and poor appetite, several serious complications may result from the transplant including:
- rejection
- graft versus host disease (GvHD): If the new bone marrow is not a good match, it will recognise the patient’s body as foreign material to be attacked and destroyed.
- infection
- relapse
For more information about the complications of bone marrow transplant, talk to your treatment team. You can also visit:
- Leukaemia Foundation: Stem cell transplants
- Bone Marrow Transplant Network NSW: A patient’s guide
- CanTeen: Bone Marrow Transplant