Fine typing for a patient enquiry

If you have been identified as a likely match for a patient, we will need you to undergo further typing to ensure your profile is the perfect match for the patient.

We may need to update your profile for HLA characteristics and other relevant matching parameters if:

• your tissue characteristics largely correspond with those of the patient, and
• you have been registered with us for a long time.

You will be asked to:

• fill out a health questionnaire
• provide a sample using a cheek swab, and/or
• provide a blood sample (in rare cases).

Improving typing criteria

Your current typing profile may not include all the information that is needed to match a patient profile by today’s standards.

Over the last few years, laboratory methods and evaluation processes have improved considerably. Scientists are continuing to discover more:

• genetic characteristics that can have a positive impact on transplant outcomes if they match closely between donor and recipient.
• infection markers, such as the patient and donor’s Cytomegalovirus (CMV) status. CMV is a common virus that is usually harmless to a healthy person, but which can play a crucial part in the outcome of a stem cell transplant.

Further information

Email medical@dkms.org.uk or telephone 020 8747 5660, lines are open Monday – Friday, 9am - 5pm.