BMT

Question 1

What are pros / cons to umbilical cord blood as source of HSC?

Answer 1

Pros:

1. Decreased GVHD
2. Easy and quick to get source

Cons:

1. Delayed engraftment, prolonged cytopenias leading to greater deaths from infection.
2. Up to 10% have failure to engraft.

Question 2

What are pros / cons to haploidentical sources of HSC?

Answer 2

Pros:
1. 90% of patients will have a match

Cons:

1. High rate of severe GVHD
2. Delayed immune reconstitution

Question 3

What are benefits to marrow harvest as source of HSC?

Answer 3

1. More rapid engraftment
2. Reduced non-relapse mortality
3. Improved survival

Question 4

What are pros / cons to peripheral blood stem cells as source of HSC?

Answer 4

Pros:

1. Less invasive
2. Faster neutrophil engraftment
3. Decreased relapse rates
4. Improved OS and DFS

Cons:
1. Higher rates of chronic GVHD