100th Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Performed at Mayo Clinic

Thursday, June 04, 2009

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — A 76-year-old Scottsdale man is the 100th patient at Mayo Clinic to receive an allogeneic stem cell transplant since the program began in 2003.

Allogeneic stem cell transplantation involves collecting healthy stem cells from a donor, either a relative, or from an unrelated donor who is evaluated for compatibility. In the case of an unrelated donor, a search of the National Marrow Donor Program registry of people who were previously screened to be potential donors takes place. Once a match is found, the donor's healthy cells are then transfused into the recipient to help rebuild the immune system.

Patients undergoing an allogeneic stem cell transplant first receive high doses of chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy to eradicate cancer cells and to prepare the immune system to be able to prevent rejection of donor cells.

The 100th patient, who had previously battled both prostate and pancreatic cancer, was found to be healthy enough to withstand the transplant, even though at the time of the transplant he was 75, making him Mayo's oldest such transplant recipient. The patient's healthy lifestyle and very fit condition are credited for allowing him to be a candidate for the procedure.

The patient celebrated his 76th birthday as an outpatient at Mayo Clinic Hospital on May 7, where he reported he was feeling healthy and strong and looking forward to visits with his family. The patient had been diagnosed with leukemia.

"This 100th stem cell transplant milestone — and our program's overall success — is really the result of Mayo's integrated team of specialists who treat the individual patient, rather than a disease in isolation," said James Slack, M.D., Division of Hematology/Oncology/Blood and Marrow Transplant.

Mayo Clinic in Arizona was the first medical center in the Southwest to provide a bone marrow transplant program and is one of only 15 transplant centers in the U.S. to be recognized for its high transplant volumes and successful patient outcomes. As a three-site organization (Arizona, Minnesota and Florida), Mayo Clinic remains the largest provider of solid organ and bone marrow transplantation in the U.S.

Mayo performs bone marrow transplantation for both adults (at Mayo Clinic Hospital) and children (at Phoenix Children's Hospital) through the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at Mayo Clinic and Phoenix Children's Hospital. The program will host the National Marrow Donor Program's Be The Match: MARROWTHON Donor Recruitment Campaign from June 16 — 19.

The drive will take place from Tuesday, June 16, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mayo Clinic, 13400 E. Shea Blvd., Scottsdale, in the Taylor Auditorium. On Wednesday, June 17, the drive will take place in Room 1-212, just off the lobby of Mayo Clinic Hospital, 5777 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix, also from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will continue at Phoenix Children's Hospital, 1919 E. Thomas Road, in the front lobby of building A from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 18, and again on Friday, June 19, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

People age 18 to 60 and in generally good health are encouraged to attend the drive. A small amount of cheek cells is taken with a cotton swab to determine tissue type.

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Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is one of only 39 U.S. medical centers that have been named as a National Cancer Institute (NCI) Comprehensive Cancer Center. To receive this designation, an institution must meet rigorous standards demonstrating scientific excellence and the ability to integrate diverse research approaches to address the problem of cancer. Mayo Clinic Cancer Center is the only national, multi-site center with the NCI's Comprehensive Cancer Center designation. In Arizona, Mayo's clinical and research experts work together to address the complex needs of cancer patients, with a dedication to understanding the biology of cancer; discovering new ways to predict, prevent, diagnose and treat cancer; and transforming the quality of life for cancer patients today and in the future.

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About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy of "the needs of the patient come first." More than 3,700 physicians, scientists and researchers and 50,100 allied health staff work at Mayo Clinic, which has sites in Rochester, Minn; Jacksonville, Fla; and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. and community based providers in more than 70 locations in Southern Minn., Western Wis. and Northeast Iowa. These locations treat more than half a million people each year. To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. For information about research and education, visit www.mayo.edu. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.