Overview of marrow transplantation

Journal Article · Sat Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1985 · West. J. Med.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6387896

Thomas, E D

Bone marrow transplantation is now an accepted form of therapy for many hematologic disorders including aplastic anemia, genetically determined diseases and malignant diseases, particularly leukemia, and for rescue of patients given intensive chemoradiotherapy for malignant disease. The donor may be a healthy identical twin, a family member or even an unrelated person. Selection is made on the basis of human leukocyte antigen tissue typing. Intensive chemoradiotherapy is used to suppress patients' immune systems to facilitate engraftment and destroy diseased marrow. Transfusion of platelets, erythrocytes and granulocytes (or all of these), antibiotic coverage and protection from infection are necessary during the pancytopenic period. Survival rates vary considerably depending on a patient's disease, clinical state and age. Patients with aplastic anemia transplanted early in the course of their disease have a survival rate of approximately 80%. Patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia are usually transplanted in a second or subsequent remission and have a survival rate of 25% to 40%. Patients with acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia in remission have survivals ranging from 45% to 70%. More than 200 patients in the chronic phase of chronic granulocytic leukemia have been transplanted with survival ranging from 50% to 70%. Complications of marrow transplantation include marrow graft rejection, graft-versus-host disease, immunologic insufficiency and the possibility of recurrence of the leukemia. 14 references.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle
• OSTI ID: 6387896
• Journal Information: West. J. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: West. J. Med.; (United States) Vol. 143:6; ISSN WJMDA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550603* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Therapy-- (1980-)
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ANIMAL TISSUES
BODY
BONE MARROW
DISEASES
GRAFT-HOST REACTION
HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM
HEMIC DISEASES
IMMUNOSUPPRESSION
LEUKEMIA
MEDICINE
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
SURVIVAL CURVES
THERAPEUTIC USES
THERAPY
TISSUES
TRANSPLANTS
USES