If you have serious kidney problems such as polycystic kidney disease and are over 40 years old, or chronic glomerulonephritis (any age), you will not be able to donate. If you have had a kidney removed due to disease, you may not be able to donate.
A brother or sister is most likely to be a match. There is a 1 in 4 chance of your cells matching. This is called a matched related donor (MRD) transplant. Anyone else in the family is unlikely to match.
The HLA test looks at genetic markers on your white blood cells. If these markers are similar to those on the patient's cells, you may be eligible to serve as a donor. You do not need to have the same blood type as the patient in order to be a donor.
A patient's likelihood of finding a matching bone marrow donor or cord blood unit on the Be The Match Registry® ranges from 29% to 79% depending on ethnic background.
The human leucocyte antigen (HLA) of bone marrow donor and recipient must match before the transplant. This test costs up to Rs39,000 per family as HLA samples need to be matched with patient's siblings and parents.
There are rarely any long-term side effects from donating either PBSC or marrow. The donor's immune system stays strong, and their blood stem cells replenish themselves in 4 to 6 weeks. Because only 1 to 5% or less of your marrow is needed to save the patient's life, your immune system stays strong.
Recovery from bone marrow and PBSC donationMarrow and PBSC donors should expect to return to work, school and most other activities within 1 to 7 days. Your marrow will return to normal levels within a few weeks.
How HLA testing is done. A sample of blood is taken by inserting a needle into a vein in your arm. Sometimes a swab of cells is taken from inside of your cheek (called a buccal swab) for testing. No special preparation is needed for either method.
The lab will test your bone marrow during this time. Waiting for the results can take one to three weeks. Once your results come in, your doctor may call or schedule a follow-up appointment to discuss the findings.
Of course, donors never pay a fee to donate. This is similar to donating blood plasma for money. You can donate twice every seven consecutive days and can earn up to $400 per month for just a few hours a week.
Possible risks from bone marrow test
- Bleeding. It's not unusual to have a small amount of bleeding from the area where the needle went in.
- Bruising. Sometimes blood leaks out of the vein and collects under your skin.
- Infection. There is a small risk of getting an infection in the wound.
- Pain.
- Tingling in your leg.
A biopsy would be considered medically necessary when ordered by a doctor and would almost always be covered by health insurance. For patients covered by health insurance, typical out-of-pocket costs would include either a copay or coinsurance, usually ranging from 10 to 40 percent of the total cost.
Anyone between 18 and 60 years old can register to be a donor. People between 18 and 44 tend to produce more and higher quality cells than older individuals. Doctors choose donors in the 18 to 44 age group more than 95 percent of the time, according to Be The Match, a national marrow donor program.
Brothers and sisters have a one-in-four chance of matching their siblings due to the genetic material they inherit from each parent. For another relative, including a child, to match is extremely rare. “We don't know how frequently a child is found to be a perfect match for their parent, but it is highly unlikely.
Some 62% of BMT patients survived at least 365 days, and of those surviving 365 days, 89% survived at least another 365 days. Of the patients who survived 6 years post-BMT, 98.5% survived at least another year.
During the procedure:A small incision is made, through which a wide bore needle is inserted into the bone marrow and stem cells are collected in syringes. The donor may experience pain after the anesthesia wears off. Painkillers may be needed for next few days.
Marrow Donation:Marrow is taken through a needle placed into the donor's pelvic (hip) bone while the patient is under anesthesia. The procedure is performed in a hospital operating room and takes 1 to 2 hours. Donors typically give about 2 to 3 percent of their marrow, which grows back within a few weeks.
The risks of this type of stem cell donation are minimal. Before the donation, you'll get injections of a medicine that increases the number of stem cells in your blood. This medicine can cause side effects, such as bone pain, muscle aches, headache, fatigue, nausea and vomiting.
The Be The Match Registry® is operated by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), a nonprofit organization that's dedicated to creating an opportunity for all patients to receive the marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant they need, when they need it.
Be The Match is operated under Federal contracts by the National Marrow Donor Program. That means they have access to listings of potential marrow donors and donated cord blood units. If you are uncertain whether you have previously joined the registry, you should contact Be The Match by calling 1-800-627-7692.
How to Become an Organ Donor
- Sign Up on Your State's Organ Donor Registry.
- Use Your Driver's License to Show You Are an Organ Donor.
- Include Organ Donation in Your Health Care Power of Attorney.
- Tell Others That You Are an Organ Donor.
