Bone marrow transplantation is possible when the HLA typing of the biological parent and the patient with leukemia are compatible, but not if they are not.
Prior to bone marrow transplantation, the patient and the donor are tested for HLA matching, and the results of the matching are used to determine whether transplantation is feasible. The preferred donor is a homozygous donor, followed by a sibling donor, or a parent or cousin.
HLA mating can show binding sites, and the success rate of transplantation is higher for HLA 1-site incompatibility than for 2-3-site incompatibility. If the parent’s HLA binding site is compatible with the patient, bone marrow transplantation can be considered, and vice versa. The more loci that are incompatible, the higher the probability of rejection and the higher the risk.
Bone marrow transplantation is very strict on the selection of donors and recipients, and should be performed according to the doctor’s instructions, which can be obtained by consulting a specialized doctor at the hospital.