100 Questions & Answers about Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation

by Ewa Carrier, Gracy Ledingham

Overview

For people fighting many kinds of disease, bone marrow transplantation or stem cell transplantation may be the only realistic chance of a cure — but the procedure is complicated and frightening, with many long-term ramifications. How do you decide whether this method of treatment is for you? Along with your physician's advice, let 100 Questions and Answers About Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplantation be your guide. It is the only book that offers the first-hand experiences of a patient and the perspective of a transplant doctor to provide you with authoritative, practical answers to your questions about treatment options, post-treatment quality of life, sources of support, and much more. This book is an invaluable resource for anyone considering a bone marrow or stem cell transplantation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763712730
Publisher:	Jones & Bartlett Learning
Publication date:	06/27/2003
Edition description:	1E
Pages:	130
Product dimensions:	0.31(w) x 6.00(h) x 9.00(d)

About the Author

Ewa Carrier, MD, was born in Poland. Her medical training has been international in scope, including studies in Poland, Hungary, Italy, England, and the Unit es States. Residency and research fellowships at Stanford University Medical Center, Children's Medical Center in Northern California, and the Division of Pediatric Transplant Program at the University of California San Francisco culminated in a clinical faculty position at the Department of Pediatrics at UCSF. She later moved to the University of California San Diego in 1998 to establish her own laboratory. She is currently associated with the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program at UCSD. Her laboratory is dedicated to studying the biology of stem cells and their ability to trans-differentiate and repair tissues. Dr. Carrier has developed clinical programs to transplant autoimmune diseases, such as lupus erythematosus and Crohn's disease, noting "I want to devote my life to treatment of various malignant and non-malignant diseases in the most non-toxic manner possible." Beyond her work, she has two children, a 16-year-old daughter who is a competitive diver and an 18-year-old son who plays basketball.

Gracy Heiju Ledingham was born in Taichung, Taiwan. She is an International Linguistics Coordinator who lives in San Diego, California with her husband, John, and her dogs, Kookie and Jessie. Gracy was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 1999. She underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and a bone marrow transplant, which was performed by Dr. Ewa Carrier at University of California, San Diego Medical Center in August 1999. As of January 2003, all tests indicated that the leukemia is in full remission. She has returned to her normal activities and is once again enjoying her career as an International Logistics Coordinator as well as her beautiful garden.

Table of Contents

	Foreword	v
	Introduction	vii
Part 1.	The Basics	1
	What is bone marrow? Why might someone need a bone marrow transplant?
	What is the difference between BMT and SCT?
	How long after the diagnosis should the transplant take place?
Part 2.	Before the Transplant: Logistics and Work-Up	19
	How do I find a doctor who is right for me?
	What is involved in the pre-transplant evaluation?
	Am I going to go broke?
Part 3.	Caring for Your Body and Mind	43
	How do I find the time to manage my treatment?
	What can I do to improve my chances of survival?
	Will I be different after my transplant?
Part 4.	The BMT Procedure	77
	What is the BMT conditioning regimen?
	What is total body irradiation (TBI)?
	What happens during the transplant procedure itself?
	What is engraftment, and when does it occur?
Part 5.	Post Transplant	95
	Will my contacts with other people be restricted after the transplant?
	Do I need to make any nutritional adjustments post transplant?
	Appendix	107
	Glossary	119
	Index	125