Medical advancements continue to revolutionize procedures, making them faster and more efficient. University Hospitals in the region are pioneering an outpatient stem cell transplant procedure, a significant development in cancer treatment. Senior Health Correspondent Monica Robbins reports on this innovative approach that allows patients to receive life-saving treatment with minimal hospital stay.
In 2011, Jim Donovan, battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia, underwent a bone marrow stem cell transplant at Sidman Cancer Center. He spent a month in the hospital, enduring intense chemotherapy to suppress his immune system before receiving donor cells. This treatment successfully put him in remission. A decade later, when faced with a relapse, Jim experienced a simpler process using his own stem cells. This evolution in treatment now offers an even more streamlined procedure for certain patients.
The new outpatient program caters primarily to patients with multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer. Patients receive a growth factor weeks before their stem cells are needed. The procedure involves a high dose of chemotherapy that clears the system within 24 hours, allowing patients to return home the same day. They come back the next day to have their stem cells reinfused and only need daily check-ups for about two weeks. This method, which has been successfully modeled after programs in operation for nearly a decade, exemplifies the continuous evolution in healthcare aimed at enhancing patient comfort and treatment efficiency. Looking ahead, re-engineered stem cells for various cancers are expected to be incorporated into this method by the end of the year.
