ENA bone marrow transplant in Germany usually means haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT): healthy blood-forming stem cells, own or donated, replace a damaged or destroyed blood-forming system. Haematopoietic means blood-forming: these cells live in the bone marrow and make red cells, white cells and platelets.
This page is for families of patients with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma or severe bone marrow failure whose doctors at home have raised the question of a transplant. It covers transplant types, the decision, donor search, treatment stages and transplant units. Commercial «stem cell treatments» for other conditions are a different matter: see stem cell therapy: what is proven.
Autologous and allogeneic transplant: what is the difference
The difference is whose cells the patient receives. In an autologous transplant, the patient’s own stem cells are collected, frozen and returned after high-dose chemotherapy to restore blood formation. Typical settings, according to a European review of HSCT indications, are multiple myeloma and some relapsed lymphomas; see also lymphoma treatment.
An allogeneic transplant uses cells from a donor: a matched sibling, an unrelated donor or sometimes a half-matched relative. Typical settings are acute leukaemias, myelodysplastic syndromes, where the marrow makes faulty cells, and severe aplastic anaemia, where it makes too few. The donor’s immune cells can also attack remaining leukaemia cells. More on blood cancer treatment.
Usually cells are collected from peripheral blood: a growth factor given for several days mobilises stem cells into the blood, where a machine collects them. Less often, marrow is taken from the pelvic bone under general anaesthetic. Cord blood is used less and less in Germany.
When a transplant is considered
A transplant is considered when it may offer more than other treatment; a haematology tumour board decides. It weighs the disease, its stage, response to previous treatment, age, and heart, lung and kidney function. German centres follow the DGHO Onkopedia recommendations, under which the indication is agreed with a transplant centre.
A transplant is not always the right step: the procedure carries serious risks. The board may therefore weigh modern drugs or CAR-T cell therapy instead, in which the patient’s immune cells are reprogrammed in a laboratory to target the tumour. See also haematology in Germany.
Finding a donor
A donor is matched by HLA typing, a test of tissue characteristics. HLA markers on cells let the immune system recognise what is foreign, so donor and patient must match as closely as possible. Brothers and sisters are tested first.
Without a family donor, the German centre searches national and international registries. How long this takes depends on the tissue type and cannot be predicted. Families can prepare any HLA results obtained at home and contact details of siblings willing to be tested.
How a bone marrow transplant in Germany goes: from preparation to engraftment
A bone marrow transplant in Germany starts with assessing the disease and the organs. For an autologous transplant, the cells are then collected and frozen. Conditioning follows: chemotherapy, sometimes with whole-body radiotherapy, which reduces tumour cells, clears the marrow and, before a donor transplant, suppresses the immune system so donor cells are not rejected.
The transplant itself is an infusion into a large vein, much like a drip. Then comes aplasia, a phase with almost no blood cells of one’s own. Protective isolation, especially after a donor transplant and sometimes in a room with air filters, infection prevention and transfusions support the patient until the new cells «engraft» and start producing blood.
After discharge come regular check-ups while immunity recovers. Donor transplants carry a risk of graft-versus-host disease: donor immune cells may attack the patient’s tissues as foreign; immune-suppressing medicines prevent and treat it. So patients stay near the centre for a period set by the doctors; long-term follow-up can later continue at home.
Where HSCT is done in Germany
HSCT is done in transplant units of haematology departments at university and large city hospitals. Essen University Hospital has its Clinic for Haematology and Stem Cell Transplantation; Freiburg University Hospital has the Department of Medicine I (Haematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation), medical director Prof. Justus Duyster. At TUM Klinikum rechts der Isar, Prof. Florian Bassermann directs the Department of Internal Medicine III, covering autologous and allogeneic transplants and CAR-T.
At München Klinik Bogenhausen, the department of haematology, oncology, stem cell transplantation and palliative medicine has been led since April 2025 by chief physician Prof. Tobias Herold, focusing on leukaemias and lymphomas. At Helios Klinikum Erfurt, chief physician Prof. Sebastian Scholl leads haematology, stem cell transplantation and oncology, focuses on autologous and allogeneic transplants and CAR-T and heads the certified haematology centre. The choice of centre depends on the diagnosis and transplant type; the hospital decides who leads the case.
Frequently asked questions
Is a bone marrow transplant an operation?
No. The transplant is an infusion into a large vein; the hard parts are conditioning and the wait for engraftment. A donor may need general anaesthetic if marrow is taken from the pelvic bone, while collection from the blood uses a machine and can be done as an outpatient.
Can a family donor come to Germany with the patient?
Yes. A brother or sister who matches the patient’s HLA type can travel for the cell collection with their own visa invitation. The German centre examines the donor thoroughly, checks the HLA match and rules out infections that could pass with the cells. It decides on suitability, so the trip follows its reply.
How long will we need to stay in Germany?
This cannot be said in advance: it depends on the transplant type, how quickly the cells engraft and any complications. Frequent check-ups after discharge mean staying near the centre for a while; the doctors decide when it is safe to go home. Follow-up then continues at home, coordinated with the German centre.
How AlenMed arranges a stem cell transplant in Germany
AlenMed prepares documents and looks for a centre willing to accept the patient. We need the diagnosis with bone marrow findings, cytogenetic and molecular results, treatment history, any HLA typing and recent blood counts, translate them into German and send them to several transplant units; see arranging treatment in Germany.
The centre replies with a cost estimate (Kostenvoranschlag). After a deposit to the hospital account, visa invitations follow for the patient and any family donor. We arrange an interpreter and housing near the hospital for the follow-up period. AlenMed’s office is in Munich; partner hospitals are across Germany.
This material is for reference only and is not an offer; doctors decide on a transplant after an in-person assessment.