How many unrelated donor stem cell transplants have been done, and what is the success rate?
The National Marrow Donor Program currently facilitates more than 160 transplants a month, and has arranged more than 15,000 transplants since 1987 (as of January 2003). Although the stem cells for most of these transplants have come from bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) transplants are starting to become more common. Clinical outcomes vary with each patient. It depends on a number of factors, including the disease being treated, the stage of the disease, and the patient’s age and condition. Survival rates (two to three years after transplant) currently range from 40 to 60 percent.
