When it is determined that a bone marrow transplant should or will take place, the next step is to find a suitable donor. The primary candidates for a suitable donor are the siblings of the intended recipient. There is a 25% chance of each sibling matching. If a sibling does not match, then the next step is to go to the National Bone Marrow Registry to seek a donor. Information about the process of donating, how bone marrow is matched and how to be a donor is provided below.
Listed Potential Donors
If you have been listed as a potential donor for a person who will need a bone marrow transplant, that person's cancer team will direct you to the appropriate facility for collection of your blood sample or buckle test (cheek swab), typing and communication of your typing. They will likely call you shortly after a determination has been made that a bone marrow transplant either is or may be done. They will give you the name and address of the location to which they want you to go to. When you arrive, they will process your paperwork, confirming your identity and proceed to take a sample of your blood or a swab sample from the incide of your cheek (buckle test). In almost all instances, it will be the original cancer team that will contact you to inform you of whether you are a bone marrow match.
Unlisted Potential Donors
If you are not listed as a potential donor on the recipient's donor list, it is likely because you are not the potential recipient's sibling; only siblings are listed and contacted in the first steps of seeking a matched donor. If a sibling does not match, then the next step is to seek a donor from the national registry, or if there are people who want to be considered as a donor then from their results.
Can I Be A Donor?
Perhaps. There are two types of donors - those who want to donate to a particular person, and those who want to donote to anyone with whom they match. The type of donor you wish to be determines the method for your testing.
Anonymous Donors Registry
If you wish to become a registered donor with the national registry, which would include being assessed for your desired recipient if time permits for your results to be entered into the national database in time for your intended recipient's search. The national registry process takes more time to process donor information, so that must be taken into consideration. But the national registry is free. The process is quite simple. You register, answer a few health questions for preliminary acceptance, and ask that a kit be sent to you; you swab the inside of your cheek, send the results back, and are listed in the registry. IF YOU WANT TO USE THE FREE SERVICES OF THE REGISTRY, BE SURE TO ASK THAT YOUR RESULTS BE MAILED TO YOU AS WELL AS ADDED TO THE REGISTRY. Remember, that listing with the national registry is a committment on your part stating that you will donate to anyone if asked. For private matching, please see private matching below. More information about the national registry is available at their website, http://www.marrow.org/.
In all instances, the testing process through the registry is free. If you are an intended recipient's sibling, it is very likely that the recipient's insurance company will cover the costs of the test.
Private Bone Marrow Donor Matching
If you wish to be tested for matching to a particular intended recipient, then the national registry is not the way to go. Rather, you should seek information on the website, http://www.bonemarrowtest.com/.
To be tested to match a particular intended recipient, you will need to find a collection center near you. Because the HL Testing process is unique, it is not done by most doctors or hospitals.
The second step is to ask your insurance company if they will cover the costs for you to be tested for an intended recipient (in most cases, they won't if you are not a sibling). The cost of the test is dependant upon the type of HLA test being conducted. In the preliminary testing process, it would likely be sufficient to test for Class 1 AB HLA Matching. If those two factors match, you can then be tested for the subsequent factors (Class 1 C, Class 2 DR, DQ and DP). If time is of the essence, you may want to be tested for Class 1 ABC, Class 2 DR; and if cost is not a factor for an additional one test, then also DQ; and lastly, if it is not cost prohibitive, then for DP.
Be sure to ask that your results be mailed to you. When you receive them, you can then fax them to the coordinator for the intended recipient's bone marrow matching.
See Bone Marrow Matching for more information.
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