Stem cell transplant (also known as bone marrow transplant or BMT) is an established cellular therapy for many cancers and blood diseases once considered incurable. For some types of blood diseases, stem cell transplant is the standard of care; for others, it’s only considered if other treatments have been unsuccessful. Today, ongoing advances in stem cell transplant continue to expand its availability and improve outcomes for patients, both young and old.
Leading-Edge Care for Stem Cell Transplant Patients
At the University of Chicago Medicine, we offer the latest approaches in stem cell transplant. Our patients benefit from physicians who are internationally recognized for their expertise and experience in:
- Alternative donor transplantation: If you lack a related donor, your options may include haplo-cord transplants — a combination of donated umbilical cord blood stem cells and half-matched (haploidentical) cells from a related donor.
- Integrated, disease-specific care: Our physicians specialize in stem cell transplant as well as specific cancer or blood diseases, such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. Working in collaboration with other experts in their respective field, UChicago Medicine specialists will design a comprehensive treatment plan tailored to your unique characteristics and based on your specific disease’s biology.
- Outpatient stem cell transplantation: You may be a candidate for outpatient stem cell transplantation, which offers the full benefits of this life-saving treatment while allowing you to spend nights in the comfort of your own home or a nearby hotel.
- Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Program: Our collaborative program helps teens navigate their cancer care while still moving forward in their lives.
- Stem cell transplant for older adults: We recognize the distinct needs of older patients, so we’ve assembled a multidisciplinary team of stem cell transplant and geriatric oncology experts to design a care program tailored specifically for patients over 60.
We provide outstanding and compassionate care in a patient-centered environment. The Stem Cell Transplant Unit located on the top floor of the Center for Care and Discovery offers the newest technology as well as many thoughtful patient and family amenities. The unit integrates both inpatient and outpatient stem cell transplant care services in one convenient location.
New data show the David and Etta Jonas Center for Cellular Therapy has the highest one-year survival rate in Illinois for adults undergoing blood and bone marrow stem cell transplants.
UChicago Medicine had an 80% one-year survival rate among adult stem cell patients, according to the latest statistics released in December 2022 by the Center for International Blood & Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR) on behalf of the U.S. Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA). The national average was 76.5%. Learn more about our stem cell transplant outcomes.
The stem cell transplant program at UChicago Medicine is a Blue Cross Center for Distinction and has been named a Center of Excellence by OPTUM, Aetna, Interlink and Cigna. We are fully accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT) and the Center for International Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant Research.
As a leading center for advanced care, UChicago Medicine attracts patients from throughout the region, country and world. If you’re traveling from abroad, we provide customized services to make your experience just that much smoother. For more information, contact our International Program.
Pediatric hematologist-oncologists from UChicago Medicine Comer Children's Hospital offer pediatric stem cell transplant for blood diseases, certain types of cancer, immune system disorders and genetic diseases.
In the late 1940s, University of Chicago researcher Dr. Leon Jacobson discovered he could save a mouse whose bone marrow and spleen had been destroyed with radiation by transplanting healthy spleen tissue from another mouse. The donated tissue repopulated the marrow and restored production of the blood cells. This groundbreaking work influenced many scientists investigating bone marrow transplant for humans, including the winner of the 1990 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.
