History of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: evolution and perspectives

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has evolved over the last half century from experimental bone marrow transplantation for patients with incurable leukemia or bone marrow failure to standard of care for a broad range of patients with congenital or acquired disorders of the hematopoietic system or radio-, chemo- or immune-sensitive malignancies. More than 60,000 such transplants are currently carried out annually worldwide with increasing frequency. HSCT has always been closely linked to Dermatology from its very beginning through its main and most devastating complication graft-versus-host disease. Treatment complications of HSCT have provided a great deal of insight into basic mechanisms of immunology, clinical medicine and networking in general. It remains a challenge to turn this knowledge from the two disciplines into benefit for the future patients with disturbed immune function and skin diseases.