The stimulation of bone marrow (with intensive cancer chemotherapies or blood-forming growth factors) to release stem cells into the bloodstream (also known as the “peripheral blood”). The cells that appear in the blood can be harvested for use in autologous bone marrow transplantation. Mobilized cells (identified by the cell surface marker called “CD34”) are returned to the patient after chemotherapy or radiation therapy so that the treated patient can ultimately resume making healthy blood cells on his own.