|
||||||||||||||||
| Facts & Figures | |
|---|---|
| # of Patients Searching | 3,168,710 |
| # of Patients Searching | At any given time, there is an average of 3,000 patients searching the NMDP Registry. |
| # of NMDP Transplants | 6,951 |
| # of Current NMDP Transplants | 111 per month |
| Likelihood of Finding a Match |
Approximately 30 percent of patients have a family member, generally a sibling,
who is suitable matched and able to donate marrow.
The chances of any two unrelated individuals matching vary widely depending on how frequently the individual's antigens are found in the population. On average, searching patients have an 80 percent chance of finding a match on the NMDP Registry. The level of match for bone marrow must be closer than that for heart, liver and other solid organ transplants, since marrow contains the cells responsible for the immune system. In organ transplantation, the patient's body may reject the organ. In marrow transplantation the donated marrow may attack the recipient's body which is called graft-versus-host disease. |
| Survival Rates |
The success rate of marrow transplants depends on the disease of the patient being
treated, stage of the disease, age and condition of the patient, and level of match
between the patient and the donor.
Overall, survival rates are generally in the 40 to 60 percent range for diseases
that would be fatal without marrow transplants.
Unrelated donor transplants represent a therapeutic option for selected pediatric and adult patients with leukemia, aplastic anemia and certain congenital blood disorders. In some situations, unrelated marrow transplant is the initial therapy while in others it represents a treatment strategy used following the failure of other treatments. |
|
For more information, call: The National Marrow Donor Program: 1-800-MARROW-2 Blood Assurance: 423-756-0966 ext. 159 or 1-800-962-0628 ext. 159 Carla Lewis: 423-752-8468 or marrow@bloodassurance.org |