Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Program
The mission of the Lurie Cancer Center's Stem Cell Transplant Program is to provide high quality, innovative care by putting patients and their families first, and by advancing the biology of stem cell transplantation. First established in 1987, our program is the leader in volume and types of transplants, averaging over 250 transplantations per year, resulting in survival rates consistently exceeding the national survival rate.
Stem cell transplants are regularly used in treatment of the following cancers:
- Leukemia (Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia)
- Lymphoma (Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphomas, such as Large B-Cell Lymphoma, Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma)
- Multiple Myeloma and Myelodysplastic Syndromes
There are three main types of stem cell transplants, based on donor source:
- Autologous transplant: cells are taken from your own bone marrow before chemotherapy and are then replaced after cancer treatment
- Allogeneic transplant: stem cells come from a donor whose tissue most closely matches your own
- Syngeneic transplant: the stem cell donor is your identical twin
The best type of transplant for you will depend on your disease, the availability of a matched donor, your age and your general health. The physicians and clinical staff of the Stem Cell Transplant Program will work with you and your referring physician in making this decision. At each step of the process, you will be given additional information to help you make an informed decision.
Through the Northwestern University Affiliated Transplant Centers (NUATC), our program works collaboratively with the Pediatric Stem Cell Transplant Program at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, one of the top five pediatric transplant centers in the country.
To learn more about the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Program, call 312.926.5400.
Helpful Stem Cell Transplantation Web sites
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- National Marrow Donor Program>
- Blood & Marrow Transplant Information Network
- American Cancer Society
