marrow

Then the real impact of the radiation strikes, with grisly symptoms that range from hair loss and extreme fatigue to the destruction of bone marrow and internal bleeding.

To make the procedure more flexible, researchers modified donor bone marrow before transplantation.

"For instance, human blood-forming stem cells reside in niches within bone marrow where they divide to self-renew and make new blood cells," said Mann.

Researchers also found tumor-specific IgG antibodies and persistent plasma cells in the bone marrow, clear signs of a durable, body-wide immune defense capable of preventing the cancer from returning.

She turns to her estranged sister, Lee, for help finding a bone marrow transplant match — an endeavor that finds the family once again under the same roof.