Over the past several years, fundamental notions about transplantation have changed to such a degree that even the once familiar term, bone marrow transplant, is becoming increasingly outdated. In Stem Cell Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancies, leading investigators and physicians/clinicans comprehensively survey the current state-of-the-art in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for malignant disease. The authors focus on the indications and results of transplantation for acute leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and breast cancer, providing insight into the relative merits of transplant and nontransplant approaches to these disorders. Special attention is given to transplant-related complications, including the pathophysiology and clinical consequences of acute and chronic graft-vs-host disease (GVHD), delayed immune reconstitution leading to infectious complications, and organ damage to the lung and liver. Additional chapters address the sources of stem cells and the effects of graft manipulation used to eliminate residual contaminating tumor cells in autologous transplantation, or to reduce the number of T lymphocytes causing GVHD in allogenic transplantation. Also discussed are the role of donor lymphocyte infusions in the treatment and prevention of relapse after stem cell transplantation and their influence on the development of nonmyeloablative transplantation.
Comprehensive and state-of-the-art, Stem Cell Transplantation for Hematologic Malignancies outlines the many exciting advances that are working toward realization today while fully explaining the process of stem cell transplantation for malignant disease.