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Newswise — Los Angeles (March 14, 2024) — For the fourth year in a row; Blood and bone marrow transplant program Researchers in the Division of Blood and Cell Therapy at Cedars-Sinai University have achieved better-than-expected survival rates for patients receiving allogeneic stem cell transplants, according to a recent report from the International Center for Blood and Marrow Transplant Research.
Allogeneic transplantation uses blood stem cells taken from a donor’s bone marrow to treat patients with blood and bone marrow diseases. The Cedars-Sinai team performs more than 40 such transplants each year.
Of the 178 U.S. centers included in the report, Cedars-Sinai is one of only 12 to exceed national allogeneic transplant survival estimates. The 1-year survival rate is 85.8%. Expected survival rates for similar patients undergoing transplants at other U.S. centers are between 68.8% and 83.1%.
“Our success in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a testament to our great team of dedicated people who work seamlessly together toward one goal: providing our patients with the best possible experience and outcome.” said. Dr. John Shutedirector of Blood cell therapy department At Cedars-Sinai. “It is an honor to join one of the top allogeneic transplant centers in the country. It is an even greater honor to see our patients return to their pre-illness lives each year at follow-up visits.”
of Cedars-Sinai Newsroom I sat with you recently. Ronald Puckett, MDclinical director of the stem cell and bone marrow transplant program and director of myeloid malignancies at Cedars-Sinai Cancer, discusses bone marrow transplantation.
Please tell me about bone marrow transplant and why it is done.
Bone marrow is the soft tissue inside bones that contains stem cells that make the body’s main blood cells. Bone marrow transplants are used to treat bone marrow and blood diseases such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. This involves replacing unhealthy blood cells with healthy ones. Before transplantation, patients receive chemotherapy, with or without radiation, to suppress the patient’s immune system to destroy abnormal cells and prevent rejection of donor cells.
When is an allogeneic transplant performed?
Allogeneic transplantation is most often used to treat acute leukemia. This is because allogeneic transplants offer patients the best chance of cure. This involves transplanting healthy stem cells from a donor into a patient, rather than using stem cells from the patient’s own body. This is called an autologous transplant. The donor is usually a relative of the patient, but does not have to be.
What is required for a successful allograft?
Our preferred donor is a younger relative, most commonly a child of the patient. Modern transplant methods can use related donors who share only half of the patient’s tissue proteins. Nearly 85% of our transplants are performed using such semi-matched donors. Previously, only perfectly matched transplants were considered. The patient’s biological child is always a semi-matched donor, allowing the patient to be transplanted more quickly and with a better success rate. Also, a child’s younger stem cells may provide greater benefits than older cells from other members of the family, such as siblings. Once a half-matched donor is identified, he can typically receive the transplant in about six weeks, compared to three months with an unrelated donor.
What is Cedars-Sinai doing to exceed expectations for national survival?
High-dose chemotherapy after transplantation could reduce the risk of graft-versus-host disease. This is an approach we adopted with great success at Cedars-Sinai about seven years ago. We also strive to ensure that patients are in the best possible remission before transplantation to reduce the risk of relapse. We strive to minimize treatment-related toxicity, as too much patient wasting at the time of transplant increases the risk of complications. We were also able to expand transplants to elderly patients up to 75 years of age. Historically, the risks for this group have been high, but efforts to hone safe and effective regimens have led to good success.
Our transplant team’s unique and valuable experience at all levels is noteworthy. Our physicians, transplant coordinators, nurses, dedicated nursing staff, oncology pharmacists, psychosocial specialists, quality assurance nurses, and administrative staff all work together to improve patient outcomes and satisfaction. Masu. We discover effective regimens and stay informed about the most innovative treatments for our patients.
For more information, visit the Cedars-Sinai blog. What is it like to donate bone marrow?
