Increasing utilization of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation. Results of the 1988-1990 survey

To determine the pattern and frequency of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from related and unrelated donors from 1988 to 1990.

Survey of 342 institutions in 47 countries.

Numbers of patients receiving bone marrow transplantation for specific disease categories at institutions with active allogeneic bone marrow transplant programs.

Patients (14,745) received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation between 1988 and 1990; of these, 1153 (8%) were from unrelated donors. Reasons for transplantation were acute leukemia (47%), chronic myelogenous leukemia (27%), lymphoma and other malignancies (10%), severe aplastic anemia (9%), and other nonmalignant diseases (7%). The number of allogeneic bone marrow transplants per million persons differed among countries, averaging 7.7 per million in North America and 5.7 per million in western Europe.

The use of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation continued to increase at a rate of more than 600 additional patients and 25 new transplant teams annually. This rise is due in part to increasing use of unrelated volunteers as donors. Resources allocated for transplants vary widely among countries.