The team meets weekly to discuss all new patients. Transplant procedures let patients overcome dangerous side effects resulting from the destruction of white and red blood cells and platelets. Without new stem cells, patients would have too few white cells to ward off a life-threatening infection. They would also develop anemia because of low numbers of red cells and bleeding problems caused by too few platelets, which help blood clot. Both procedures provide stem-cell support that allows doctors to give intensive, curative therapy without impairing a cancer patient's immune system or causing anemia.
Bone marrow is harvested in a one-hour hospital procedure using anesthesia.
Collected cells are frozen for storage until completion of the high-dose treatment cycle. The reinfusion may be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Stem-cell transplants from bone marrow or peripheral blood are also under study in clinical trials for the treatment of various other cancers. Peripheral stem-cell support is indicated for patients who have cancer cells in their bone marrow or who cannot undergo general anesthesia. Together we are in a unique position to offer our patients a quality of care that is unmatched anyplace in the region.