Hematologist
CION Cancer Clinics
Being typed as a possible stem cell donor: what the test involves | CION Cancer Clinics
Donor HLA typing is a cheek swab or a small blood sample. A laboratory reads your tissue-type genes and compares them with the patient's. You do not need to fast, and giving a sample does not commit you to donating. If you may match, a second blood sample confirms the result and checks your blood group and infections. This page explains each step and what to ask first. At CION Cancer Clinics, our haematology team assesses whether a transplant or CAR-T fits your situation and coordinates care with qualified centres.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Basudev PokhrelConsultant Haematologist · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What happens when you are tested as a possible donor?
- What does the typing test involve on the day?
- What is your sample actually checked for?
- What should you ask before giving a sample?
- What worries people about being typed?
- Who should not be tested yet, and what can a result not tell you?
- Common questions about donor HLA typing
The short answer
What happens when you are tested as a possible donor?
HLA typing for a donor is a simple sample test: either a cheek swab or a small tube of blood from your arm. A laboratory reads your tissue-type genes from it and compares them with the patient's. You do not need to fast, and giving the sample does not commit you to donating.
Why you may be asked
You may be a brother, sister, parent or child of someone who needs a stem cell transplant. Or you may have joined a registry and been told you could match a stranger. Either way, the transplant team needs to know how closely your HLA type, the markers your immune system uses to recognise your own cells, lines up with the patient's.
Two rounds of testing are normal
The first test is a screen. If it shows you may be a good match, you are asked for a fresh blood sample so the result can be confirmed in fine detail. That second sample is also used for your blood group and infection tests. Being asked again does not mean anything went wrong the first time.
This page is written for you, the possible donor. The patient's own testing is a separate process.Step by step
What does the typing test involve on the day?
Consent
You are told what the test is for, who will see the result and how your sample will be stored. You sign only when your questions have been answered.
A cheek swab
You rub a soft swab firmly on the inside of each cheek. It takes a minute. Avoid eating, drinking or smoking for a short while before, as instructed on the kit.
Or a blood sample
A small tube of blood is drawn from a vein in your arm, like any routine blood test. Family members of patients are often tested this way.
The laboratory
The sample goes to an HLA laboratory, sometimes in another city. Results usually take days to a few weeks and go to the transplant team or registry.
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistBehind the result
What is your sample actually checked for?
The first sample is mostly about the match. Later samples check whether donating is safe for you and for the patient.
Your HLA type
The laboratory reads the genes teams use for matching, usually five of them, each with two copies. The result is compared with the patient's and reported as a score, such as 10/10.
Confirmatory typing
A fresh blood sample is typed again in detail. This makes sure the first result was right and that the sample truly came from you.
Infection tests
Before donation, your blood is checked for infections that could pass to the patient. If something is found, you will be told privately and advised on your own care.
Usually includes
- HIV
- Hepatitis B and C
- Syphilis
Blood group and general health
Your blood group, blood counts and general health are checked before a collection date is set. A doctor asks about medicines, past illnesses and pregnancies.
Before you sign
What should you ask before giving a sample?
- Who will see my result, and will I be told it?
- How long will my sample and data be kept?
- Who pays for the test, and will I be charged?
- If I match, who will talk to me about donating?
- Can I speak to a doctor privately, away from the family?
- How do I withdraw if I change my mind?
Leave a number, we will call you
One field. No form to fill in, and no charge for the call.
Commonly believed
What worries people about being typed?
"The typing test takes bone marrow out of you."
No marrow is taken. Typing needs only cheek cells or a small blood sample. Collection of stem cells, if it ever happens, is a separate step much later, and only if you agree.
"Once I give a sample, I cannot say no."
You can withdraw at any point. It is fairer to the patient to say so early, before they begin the treatment that prepares their body for donor cells.
"If I do not match, it means I let the family down."
Whether you match was settled by the genes your parents passed on. Nothing you did or did not do changed it. There are many other ways to help, from giving blood to being there during treatment.
"The test will reveal things about my health I do not want to know."
HLA typing shows your tissue type, not a disease. Infection and health tests come later, only if you are going ahead, and a doctor explains them with you before they are done.
Did you know
Your HLA type does not change during your life. That is why a registry can keep a cheek swab result on file for years and still find you a match long after you joined.
Being straight with you
Who should not be tested yet, and what can a result not tell you?
If you already know you would not donate, tell the team before you are typed. It saves time and saves the patient from hoping. If you are pregnant, have a serious heart or long-term illness, or have recently had a blood transfusion, mention it at the start, as it may change whether or when you are tested.
What a match result does not mean
A good match makes you a possible donor. The team still needs health checks, the patient's antibody tests and your agreement before you are chosen. When several relatives match, the team may prefer one for reasons such as age or blood group. That is a medical choice, not a judgement about you.
Where CION fits in
CION does not carry out HLA typing on site. Our haematology team, including Dr. Basudev Pokhrel, can read typing reports with families, discuss the case at a tumour board, and help you reach a qualified laboratory and transplant centre, with questions ready to ask.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about donor HLA typing
Do I need to fast before an HLA typing test?
No. Your HLA type is read from your DNA, which food does not change. For a cheek swab, the kit may ask you not to eat, drink or smoke for a short time beforehand so the swab picks up enough cells. Follow the instructions that come with it.
Can I give a sample in my own city if the patient is elsewhere?
Often, yes. Many laboratories send a swab kit by post, or accept a blood sample drawn locally and couriered. Ask the transplant team which laboratory they accept, because a result from one laboratory may need to be repeated by the one the transplant centre uses.
How long does it take to get the result?
It varies with the laboratory and how far the sample travels, from days to a few weeks. Confirmatory typing may add more time. If the patient's treatment is urgent, the transplant team can often ask the laboratory to prioritise the samples.
Will I be told my own HLA type?
Family members are usually told whether they match and can ask for a copy of their report. Registry donors may not see their full type unless they request it. Ask at the time of testing how results are shared with you.
Is my DNA used for anything else?
It should only be used for the purposes written in your consent form. Some registries ask separately whether your sample can be used for research. You can say no to research and still be a donor. Ask how and where your sample is stored.
Can a child be typed as a donor?
Children are sometimes typed for a brother or sister, with parental consent. A cheek swab is often used. Before agreeing, ask how the centre protects the child's interests, including whether a doctor who is not treating the patient will look after the child.
What happens if my infection test comes back positive?
You are told privately and advised on getting care for yourself. Some results rule out donation and some do not, depending on the infection and the patient's situation. Your result should not be shared with the family without your agreement.
Who pays for donor typing?
For family donors, typing is usually billed to the patient's care. Registries usually cover the cost of joining. Coverage under Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS, PM-JAY or insurance varies and rules change, so ask the transplant centre before samples are sent.
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Sources
- American Cancer Society — Stem cell transplant donors
- National Cancer Institute — Stem Cell Transplants in Cancer Treatment
- NHS — Stem cell and bone marrow transplants
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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Related pages
Talk to us
Been asked to give a sample for a relative?
Tell us what the transplant team has asked for. Our haematology team will explain the reports and help you reach a qualified centre. One helpline serves every CION centre.