It has been more than 70 years since allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) were first transplanted to human recipients in the form of bone marrow. Since that time, the source of HSC has widened to include autologous bone marrow, growth…
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) products for autologous or allogeneic transplantation are available from bone marrow (BM), peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood (UCB) sources. Bone marrow was the original source of cells for transplantation because of the ease and reliability…
The past several decades have seen a marked improvement in survival for patients with hematologic malignancies. The 5-year survival is as follows: leukemia, 66%; Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), 89%; non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), 75%; and multiple myeloma (MM), 54%. As a consequence,…
Palliative care for seriously ill children and adults is provided by an interdisciplinary team of clinicians who focus on communication about values and goals of care and ameliorating suffering from physical, social, spiritual, existential, and psychological concerns. Members of the…
Relieving pain in patients with hematologic disorders requires a multifaceted approach. This chapter will provide the clinician with the tools to perform a systematic evaluation of the pain complaint and propose a rational, evidence-based, strategy. After the source and type…
Major advances in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics have led to increased survival and improved health outcomes for people diagnosed with hematologic malignancies. However, high levels of psychological distress (e.g., depression) and diminished positive psychological well-being factors (e.g., optimism) exist in…
Checkpoint inhibitors revolutionized cancer therapy and the field of oncology when the first drug of this class was introduced for melanoma treatment. But their therapeutic benefit comes at a cost of immunotherapy-related adverse events (IrAEs). Checkpoint inhibitors are immunomodulatory antibodies…
The growing use of novel immunotherapies has revolutionized the management of hematologic malignancies over the past several years. While historically cytotoxic chemotherapy has been the standard treatment approach, newer cellular therapies have demonstrated promising activity in patients with relapsed and…
The approach and utilization of radiation therapy (RT) for the treatment of hematologic malignancies have seen many changes throughout the years. Advances in imaging and technology have allowed for more precise delineation and targeting of disease. This, along with a…
Advances in the supportive care during the treatment of hematologic malignancies have improved the life expectancy of afflicted patients. However, this progress is increasingly at the expense of developing a wider range of infectious complications caused by drug-resistant organisms. The…