A stem cell transplant is often the best option to treat blood cancers, such as leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and myelodysplastic syndrome, as well as bone marrow failure syndromes like aplastic anemia.

To understand the different types of stem cell transplants and how they work, we spoke with Amin Alousi, M.D. Here’s what he had to say.

Stem cells are the “seeds” that...