Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside some bones, such as the hip and thigh bones. It holds stem cells, which can develop into:
- red blood cells, which carry oxygen round the body;
- white blood cells, which fight infection;
- platelets, which help blood clot.
What goes wrong
In bone marrow disease, something is wrong with the stem cells or how they develop:
| Disease | What happens |
|---|---|
| Leukaemia, a blood cancer | the marrow makes abnormal white blood cells |
| Aplastic anaemia | the marrow doesn't make red blood cells |
| Myeloproliferative disorders | the marrow makes too many white blood cells |
| Other diseases, such as lymphoma | spread into the marrow and affect blood-cell production |
Causes include genetics and environmental factors.
Tests and treatment
- Tests include blood tests and bone marrow tests.
- Treatment depends on the disorder and how severe it is, and may involve medicines, blood transfusions or a bone marrow transplant.
Sources
- "Bone Marrow Diseases," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/bonemarrowdiseases.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
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Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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