Transplant Center

Number of Transplants
The American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO) recommends that centers should perform a minimum of 10 autologous or 10 allogeneic transplants a year. A 1992 study found a positive correlation between the number of transplants performed annually and patient outcome; that is, centers that transplant more patients have better survival rates.

Typically, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Bone Marrow Transplant Program performs 350 to 400 transplants per year. In 2000, 25% of our patients transplanted were autologous, 35% were allogeneic from unrelated donors and 40% were allogeneic from related donors. Twelve percent of the patients transplanted in 2000 were under the age of 18. Patients come to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center from the Pacific Northwest, from other areas in the United States, and from many other countries around the world (see our interactive map for additional details).

Type Of Transplants Performed
Some centers do autologous transplants exclusively, while others do autologous and allogeneic transplants. Not all centers offer unrelated donor transplants. Sometimes patients anticipate an autologous transplant but, after further evaluation, need an allogeneic. Patients may not know which type of transplant will be recommended. It may prove beneficial to consider a center that offers a full range in types of transplants.

At Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, active protocols exist for transplantation with bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) and umbilical cord blood. Fred Hutchinson also performs non-myeloblative transplantation, also known as mini-transplantation. A full range of transplant options are available:

• Autologous Transplant: Self Donor
  
  
• Syngeneic Transplant: Identical Twin Donor
  
  
• Allogeneic Transplant: Related Donor
  
  
• Allogeneic Transplant: Unrelated Donor
  
  
• Allogeneic Transplant: "Mismatched" Donor

Diseases Treated
Centers may also specialize in treating certain diseases. One can find out which centers are studying the effectiveness of transplants to treat certain diseases by calling 1-800-4-CANCER.

Diseases Treated by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center

A substantial amount of work is directed at understanding the nature of hematologic malignancies and using this knowledge to increase cure rates. New approaches employing novel chemotherapeutic strategies, targeted radiotherapy, and adoptive immunotherapy to eradicate these malignancies are being studied. Similar approaches are being tested in responsive solid tumors, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, testicular cancer and selected childhood malignancies, including neuroblastoma and Ewing's sarcoma.

Treatment Plan
The next question to ask is, "Does the center offer standard therapy or an opportunity to participate in a research protocol?" Standard therapy offers the best-known treatment, while a research protocol provides an opportunity to try new drugs or methods of treatment with the goal of improving success or minimizing complications. The patient's doctor should ensure that information about disease, stage, and prior treatment is communicated to the center.

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center physicians develop an individualized treatment plan for each patient. The patient's diagnosis, stage of disease, and current medical status are evaluated and specific research protocols are selected for the treatment plan. The proposed treatment plan is presented in detail to the patient and family members. The patient is asked to sign consent forms that indicate they understand the risks and freely agree to participate in the treatment plan.

Success Rate For Specific Diseases
It is difficult to determine which center has the best success rate for a given disease. For example, centers that accept only low-risk candidates will report better success rates than centers that will accept patients who are at greater risk. Many additional factors need to be considered. These include: specific disease and stage, physical condition and age, type of transplant planned, and so on. A consultation with a physician at a center being considered may provide information regarding success rates specific to patient risks.

Many factors contribute to survival rates for patients. A predicted survival rate depends on the patient's disease, the disease stage, the patient's age and medical status, prior treatment, the type of transplant and the patient's response to treatment. One of the services available for potential patients is consultation with a Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center physician.

Patients undergoing treatment though Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center's Bone Marrow Transplant Program are admitted to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance (SCCA) for their patient care.

To arrange a consult, call the SCCA Patient Intake Office at (206) 288-1024. Through a review of the patient's medical records, the consulting physician will be able to give a detailed profile of possible treatment options and survival rates specific to that patient's condition.