[HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF TIME AND UP TO THE 2000 TRANSPLANT AT THE RAMBAM...

Stem cell transplantation is indicated in hematological malignancies as well as some solid tumors and congenital abnormalities. Autologous transplantation allows the administration of high dose chemotherapy without prolonged bone marrow aplasia. Allogeneic transplantation allows us to give the patient a new immune system that can locate and destroy remaining tumor cells. First attempts in patients began in 1939. Improved outcomes occurred after discovering the human leukocyte antigen system which allowed for matching the donor to the patient. Immunosuppression therapy to prevent graft versus host disease also improved the outcomes. Since the 1970's, more and more centers in North America and Europe opened stem cell transplantation programs. Today it is performed worldwide and on December 2012, the one million milestone transplant worldwide was achieved. The bone marrow transplantation program started at Rambam Health Care campus on September 1995. Since then 2000 transplantations were performed at Rambam. A third of these procedures were allogeneic and two thirds were autologous. In the last decade patient survival has improved significantly due to better supportive care and the use of reduced intensity conditioning relying on the graft versus tumor effect (GVT). New ways to reduce graft versus host disease (GVHD), while improving GVT effect are based on manipulating T cells in the graft and on genetically engineered T cell with enhanced antitumor cytotoxicity. In the future, allogeneic transplantation will become more complex, more individualized and more efficient.