Best BMT Hospitals & After Transplants

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Chronic Health Conditions Common for Stem Cell Transplant Survivors

ScienceDaily (Aug. 18, 2010) — Although hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT)

cures many blood diseases, two-thirds of long-term survivors report at least one

chronic health condition after the procedure, according to a recent study

published online in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology.

Overall, these patients were three and a half times more likely to develop a

severe or life-threatening health condition, such as cardiovascular, endocrine,

or musculoskeletal problems, as well as new cancers, when compared with their

cancer-free siblings.

" Although hematopoietic cell transplants have helped thousands of patients

survive cancer, the burden of chronic illnesses borne by these survivors is

substantial, " said senior study author Smita Bhatia, MD, MPH, professor and Ruth

Ziegler Chair in Population Sciences at City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center

in Duarte, CA. " We hope the results of this study build awareness of the problem

to help ensure a continued high quality of life among transplant survivors

through life-long follow-up and proactive care. " (Materials provided by American

Society of Hematology.)

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/08/100818131726.htm

http://bloodjournal.hematologylibrary.org/cgi/content/abstract/blood-2009-06-229\

369v1

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Over the years, thousands of patients diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma,

myelodysplasia, multiple myeloma, and other blood cancers or disorders have come

to the Fred Hutchinson Transplant Program at SCCA for three good reasons:

The Fred Hutchinson Transplant Program at SCCA was ranked first in outcomes in a

four-year study by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) that measured

one-year survival rates of patients among 122 transplant centers in the United

States. The Hutchinson Center has performed more transplants than any other

transplant center in the world. And patients who choose to have their

transplants at centers that perform a high number of such procedures generally

have better outcomes.

Access to the Latest Transplant Research and Techniques

Clinical use of bone marrow and stem cell transplantation was first developed at

Hutchinson Center and one of Hutchinson Center's founders, Dr. E. Donnall

, won the Nobel Prize in 1990 for this ground-breaking work. Since then

Hutchinson Center has pioneered the use of less toxic mini-transplants, cord

blood for stem cell transplants, and using transplants to treat many cancers,

bone marrow deficiencies, and immune disorders.

http://www.seattlecca.org/diseases/bone-marrow-transplant-overview.cfm?gclid=CNv\

MspSd4KMCFUeW7Qody3mQrA

FYI,

Lottie Duthu