Questions for the doctor These are questions we suggest be discussed with the doctor to provide better understanding of the transplant procedure and its effects on the patient’s life. ¡A m I a candidate for stem cell transplant? ¡W hat does HDT with transplant hope to achieve that can’t be achieved by standard chemotherapy? ¡W hat treatment protocols are there at your institution and how do you decide which one is right for me? ¡D oes taking alkylating agents such as melphalan, busulfan, and cyclophosphamide reduce my suitability for a transplant? ¡H ow do I select a transplant center? ¡H ow many transplants has this center performed for myeloma and what are the success rates? ¡H ow long do patients transplanted in your center live after the transplant itself? How does this compare with national averages? ¡W ill you be the doctor who performs the transplant and who are the other members of the team? ¡W ill you be the doctor who provides my ongoing care? ¡W hat goes on at a transplant center? ¡ I f we decide that transplant is an appropriate treatment for my disease, what can I do now to prepare for the procedure? ¡W hen does the transplant procedure begin? ¡W hat drugs will be prescribed for use before, during, and after the transplant? What do they do and what are their side effects? ¡H ow long is the entire treatment cycle, from preparation for the transplant to recovery? ¡H ow long will I have to be in the hospital? How often are my follow-up visits going to be? ¡H ow will the transplant procedure affect my ability to function? How can I expect to feel during and after the transplant? ¡W hat side effects of my transplant should I anticipate? ¡W hat are the risks of the transplant procedure? Is there a high survival rate for HDT with stem cell transplant? myeloma.org
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