What is the cost of a bone marrow transplant in Turkey?
The cost of a bone marrow transplant in Turkey is £14,000 to £30,000 for autologous transplants (using your own stem cells) and £39,000 to £95,000 for allogeneic transplants (using stem cells from a compatible donor). In the UK, it is generally covered by the NHS.
| Autologous bone marrow transplant in Turkey | £14,000 - £30,000 |
| Allogeneic bone marrow transplant in Turkey | £39,000 - £95,000 |
Introduction
A bone marrow transplant is a life-saving medical procedure for many patients with serious conditions such as leukaemia (blood cancer), other cancers or certain inherited disorders.
When other treatments have failed to bring the expected cure, a bone marrow transplant (BMT) is sometimes the only chance of saving a patient.
This procedure, which aims to replace the patient’s stem cells, sometimes with those of a healthy donor, involved 43,109 patients in Europe in 2021, for 47,412 transplants, of which 58% were autologous and 42% allogeneic[1].
With equipped transplant centres at affordable cost, Turkey welcomes patients from all over the world, offering them an extra chance of recovery during medical travel.
What is a bone marrow transplant?
Bone marrow is a soft, spongy substance found inside the bones. A distinction is made between yellow bone marrow and red bone marrow.
The latter, made up of haematopoietic stem cells, produces the various blood cells essential to the proper functioning of the body (white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets).
When the bone marrow does not work properly due to conditions such as leukaemia or aplastic anaemia, a bone marrow transplant (or stem cell transplant or haematopoietic cell transplant) may be necessary.
The process makes it possible to replace the diseased or damaged marrow with healthy cells from the patient themselves, from a compatible healthy donor, or even from an umbilical cord.
The aim of this procedure is to restore normal blood cell production and to rebuild the patient’s immune system.
What is the life expectancy after a bone marrow transplant?
There is no single life expectancy after a transplant: it depends on the disease, its stage and the type of transplant. After an allogeneic transplant for acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in first complete remission, overall survival at 2 years reaches 68 to 70%[2]. In patients aged 60 and over transplanted for AML with no residual disease, it is 49% at 5 years[3].
Which diseases require a bone marrow transplant?
Bone marrow transplantation is intended for patients with serious blood disorders and certain cancers. It is suitable for men, women and children alike.
Here are the main diseases for which a bone marrow transplant may be necessary:
- Leukaemia (lymphoblastic, myeloid);
- Lymphomas;
- Multiple myeloma;
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN);
- Severe anaemia (aplastic, sickle cell, Fanconi);
- Thalassaemia;
- Immune deficiencies.
This procedure may also be used to rebuild cells severely damaged by intensive treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, to treat another disease (certain solid tumours, multiple sclerosis, etc.)
What are the different types of bone marrow transplant performed in Turkey?
Turkish facilities specialising in bone marrow transplantation procedures are, like their European counterparts, equipped to perform all existing types of transplant.
Autologous bone marrow transplant
In an autologous bone marrow transplant, or autotransplantation, the patient receives a transplant of their own healthy stem cells. These are generally collected before intensive cancer treatment, then reinfused afterwards to restore the immune system and platelet production. In myeloma, it prolongs progression-free survival, not overall survival[4].
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation
Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation involves transferring stem cells from a donor compatible with the patient. This procedure is used to replace the patient’s defective or diseased bone marrow with healthy stem cells in order to restore its normal function.
There are different types of allogeneic bone marrow transplants depending on the origin of the donor:
- the donor is a fully compatible close relative (often a brother or sister). If this donor is the patient’s twin, this is called a syngeneic transplant (isograft). As mentioned above, the stem cells may also come from an umbilical cord;
- the donor is a close relative, but the tissue antigen compatibility is not total (50%). This so-called haplo-identical transplant requires additional technical resources;
- the donor has no family link, but shows full compatibility;
Where does the graft for an allogeneic transplant come from?
The graft for an allogeneic transplant comes from a compatible donor, related or registered. In France, donation is free, anonymous and revocable: the donor may change their mind at any time before collection, and no payment may be required or made in exchange for the donation[5].
The WHO guiding principles apply the same rule to cells: donation without financial compensation, prohibition of paid advertising, traceability[6]. The price of an allogeneic transplant therefore never remunerates the donor.
How does a bone marrow transplant in Turkey proceed?
The course of a bone marrow transplantation differs depending on the type of transplant envisaged.
Course of an autologous bone marrow transplant in Turkey
First, a safe collection of the patient’s stem cells is carried out, either by surgery from the iliac bone (general anaesthesia), or by a simple blood draw (peripheral blood) after drug stimulation.
The biologists isolate the stem cells, which are then purified and frozen.
When the patient has completed their intensive treatment (chemotherapy or radiotherapy), their healthy cells are reinfused. The graft is administered by infusion into a vein, usually using a catheter (a thin, flexible tube).
Course of an allogeneic bone marrow transplant in Turkey
Before undergoing a transplant, the patient is prepared to increase the chances of success. Chemotherapy, the duration of which depends on the protocol, is administered. Its aim is to eradicate any cancer cells remaining in the bone marrow so that they can be replaced by healthy cells.
After chemotherapy, the bone marrow transplant is performed intravenously, as for a transfusion, slowly and under medical supervision.
In all cases, the patient remains under close supervision until recovery from aplasia. After a myeloablative allogeneic transplant, neutrophil engraftment occurs at a median of around 18 to 20 days[7].
What are the risks of a bone marrow transplant?
After a bone marrow transplant, the main complication specific to donor transplants (allogeneic) is graft-versus-host disease (GVHD): its chronic form affected 49% of patients at one year in a cohort[8]. To limit this risk, immunosuppressant treatment is given to the patient. These are drugs designed specifically to prevent the body’s immune response to foreign cells.
The risk of infection is major: after an allogeneic transplant, non-relapse mortality reaches 49% at one year in patients who developed an invasive fungal infection, versus 16% without[9]. To avoid any possible complications, the patient remains isolated in a sterile room and receives the treatments and medical care required both to prevent and to treat them.
Why choose Turkey for a bone marrow transplant?
Turkey, and Istanbul in particular, a city rich in healthcare facilities, nestled beside the iconic Bosphorus, is an increasingly popular destination for medical tourism. And with good reason!
Over the past few decades, Turkey has developed its bone marrow transplant centres. However, no identified publication compares their results with those of other countries.
Haematologists specialising in transplantation practise in Turkey. They have solid experience in onco-haematology, some having practised this discipline for several decades.
Turkish hospitals comply with the rigorous standards of modern medicine, as evidenced by their many international accreditations. Some stem cell transplant centres in Turkey also take part in EBMT studies (European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation).
In addition, treatment costs in Turkey are lower than those in many European countries. In France, the transplant is fully covered by the Assurance Maladie for affiliated persons[10].
Renowned for their personalised and attentive approach to international patients, clinics and hospitals in Istanbul and other Turkish cities offer comprehensive support programmes.
How long do you need to stay in Turkey after a bone marrow transplant?
In the case of an autologous bone marrow transplant, the stay in Turkey covers cell collection, intensive treatment, reinfusion and recovery from aplasia. Hospitalisation is followed by outpatient medical monitoring, the duration of which is set by the team according to the protocol.
In the case of an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (related or unrelated donor), hospitalisation lasts a median of 27 to 31 days after myeloablative conditioning in a North American study[7]. Follow-up then continues for years.
How do you choose the best hospital for a bone marrow transplant in Turkey?
To select the facility most appropriate for your bone marrow transplant treatment, you should look into various points:
- The types of bone marrow transplants performed there;
- Any age limit for the patient; some bone marrow transplant centres do not treat children;
- The experience of the doctor or doctors;
- The cost of the overall care for the transplant, including any search for a donor.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the recovery time after a bone marrow transplant in Turkey?
Recovery happens in stages. After a myeloablative allogeneic transplant, neutrophils reappear at a median of around 18 to 20 days[7]. Follow-up then continues for life: years later, the risk of secondary cancer remains high[11].
How much does a bone marrow transplant cost in the UK?
In the UK, the actual cost of an autologous transplant ranges from £26,000 to £44,000 and that of an allogeneic transplant from £44,000 to more than £130,000 if performed privately. On the NHS, the transplant is generally covered for eligible patients: you do not pay these sums.
What is the success rate of a bone marrow transplant in Turkey?
There is no overall success rate: survival depends on the disease and the type of transplant, ranging from 56% at 4 years for an allografted T-cell lymphoma[8] to 93% at 10 years for a non-malignant childhood disease[11]. No data specific to Turkey has been published.
What are the side effects of a bone marrow transplant?
A transplant can cause nausea, vomiting, pain, anaemia, fever and bleeding. Aplasia exposes the patient to infections that are sometimes serious. After an allogeneic transplant, graft-versus-host disease is added, chronic in 49% of patients at one year in a cohort[8].
How long does the bone marrow transplant procedure take?
The graft is reinfused intravenously, like a transfusion. It follows conditioning by chemotherapy and precedes isolation until recovery from aplasia, with a median hospital stay of 27 to 31 days after a myeloablative allogeneic transplant[7].
How long do I have to wait for a donor in Turkey?
No reference timeframe is published, not even by the France Greffe de Moelle registry. For an unrelated donor, the search goes through interconnected registries: in 2023, 91.1% of grafts supplied to French patients came from abroad[12].
Who can become a stem cell donor?
Anyone in good health, aged between 18 and 35, can donate stem cells. Compatibility is 1 in 4 between brother and sister; outside the family, a potential donor is found in only 47% of patients studied[13], hence the value of testing siblings.
Bone marrow transplant and spinal cord transplant, are they the same thing?
No. Bone marrow is the tissue inside the bones that makes blood cells. The spinal cord belongs to the nervous system, in the spine: its disorders fall under spinal surgery.
Sources & References
- Passweg JR, Baldomero H, Ciceri F, et al. Hematopoietic cell transplantation and cellular therapies in Europe 2021. The second year of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. A Report from the EBMT Activity Survey. Bone Marrow Transplantation. 2023. Read the source
- Malard F, Labopin M, Cho C, et al. Ex vivo and in vivo T cell-depleted allogeneic stem cell transplantation in patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission resulted in similar overall survival. Journal of Hematology & Oncology. 2018. Read the source
- Backhaus D, Brauer D, Pointner R, et al. A high hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity Index (HCT-CI) does not impair outcomes after non-myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation in acute myeloid leukemia patients 60 years or older. Bone Marrow Transplantation. 2023. Read the source
- Attal M, Lauwers-Cances V, Hulin C, et al. Lenalidomide, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone with Transplantation for Myeloma. New England Journal of Medicine. 2017. Read the source
- Agence de la biomédecine. Cadre légal pour le don et la greffe de moelle osseuse. 2026. Read the source
- Organisation mondiale de la santé. Principes directeurs de l’OMS sur la transplantation de cellules, de tissus et d’organes humains, résolution WHA63.22. 2010. Read the source
- Freyer CW, Gier S, Moyer ME, et al. Leucovorin Rescue After Methotrexate Graft-Versus-Host Disease Prophylaxis Shortens the Duration of Mucositis, Time to Neutrophil Engraftment, and Hospital Length of Stay. Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. 2021. Read the source
- Epperla N, Ahn KW, Litovich C, et al. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation provides effective salvage despite refractory disease or failed prior autologous transplant in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma: a CIBMTR analysis. Journal of Hematology & Oncology. 2019. Read the source
- Busca A, Passera R, Maffini E, et al. Hematopoietic cell transplantation comorbidity index and risk of developing invasive fungal infections after allografting. Bone Marrow Transplantation. 2018. Read the source
- Assurance Maladie. À quoi sert la prise en charge en Affection Longue Durée (ALD) exonérante ? ameli.fr. 2026. Read the source
- Kahn JM, Brazauskas R, Tecca HR, et al. Subsequent neoplasms and late mortality in children undergoing allogeneic transplantation for nonmalignant diseases. Blood Advances. 2020. Read the source
- Agence de la biomédecine. Registre France Greffe de Moelle, synthèse des activités 2023. 2024. Read the source
- Tozatto-Maio K, Torres MA, Degaide NHS, et al. HLA-Matched Unrelated Donors for Patients with Sickle Cell Disease: Results of International Donor Searches. Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation. 2020. Read the source
