Autoimmune conditions
Crohn disease
Crohn disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that can affect different parts of the digestive tract. It can cause diarrhea, pain, weight loss, intestinal narrowing, fistulas and complications outside the bowel.
Other names and abbreviations
CD · Crohn ileitis · Crohn colitis · fistulizing Crohn disease · Crohn's disease · Regional enteritis · Granulomatous enteritis
Where transplant fits
Autologous stem-cell transplantation is an uncommon option studied in highly selected refractory cases. It uses the patient’s own cells, so no registry donor is required. Relapse and serious treatment toxicity remain concerns.
Treatment depends on the exact diagnosis, disease stage, prior treatment and the person’s health. These categories are not estimates of donor demand.
Treatment at a glance
- Who it affects
- Can begin at any age, often in adolescence or adulthood. Disease location, complications and response vary between people.
- Other treatment options
- Nutrition support, anti-inflammatory and immune-directed medicines, biologic or targeted treatments, and endoscopic or surgical care are selected according to the disease pattern.
- Cells used for transplantation
- When performed, transplantation uses the patient’s own blood-forming stem cells, usually collected from peripheral blood.
Why the details matter
Transplant is not a routine cure for Crohn disease. Trial and registry outcomes depend heavily on patient selection and conditioning, and cannot be generalized to usual treatment.
Questions to bring to your care team
What is the exact diagnosis or subtype? What is the goal of each treatment option? If transplant is being considered, why does it fit this situation, which cells would be used and what are the alternatives?
Sources and further reading
- Definition and Facts for Crohn’s Disease
NIDDK, NIH · Accessed 2026-09-05 - Autoimmune Disease
EBMT Handbook · 2024-04-11 - 2025 EBMT practice recommendations for transplantation and CAR-T
EBMT · 2025
Understanding can become action.
Some patients need a blood stem cell donor. Others receive different treatment. Wherever your interest began, you can help JBF reach more people who may be able to donate.
Explore the official registry serving where you live. It explains who can join, how registration works and what donation involves.
Find your official registryIf joining is not right for you, a gift to the Jada Bascom Foundation supports education, outreach and referrals to official registries.
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