Stem cells are cells that can turn into new cells in your body. During a stem cell transplant, a person’s stem cells are replaced by those of a donor. This is a complicated and risky procedure. Approximately 10-40% of the people who undergo a stem cell transplant do not survive.
By finding donors with stem cells that are immune to HIV, a number of people have been successfully cured of HIV. But because it involves a major and risky operation, only people living with HIV who also have an incurable type of blood cancer or lymphoma are eligible for this kind of treatment.