ABSTRACT

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is an accepted form of therapy with increasing indications in a variety of malignant diseases, genetic disorders, and aplastic anemia.

Morbidity and mortality within the first 100 days is substantial, particularly following allogeneic BMT. The possibility that this therapeutic procedure might induce toxic death is of particular concern when survival of the patients without BMT may be considerably longer (i.e., chronic myeloid leukemia in first year of chronic phase). Patients undergoing such treatment suffer from prolonged marrow aplasia, significant nonmarrow toxicities, profound immunosuppression, and unique complications such as graft-versus-host diseases (GVHD). This requires maximum supportive care including close monitoring of clinical and laboratory parameters to anticipate or detect as early as possible potential complications. In addition, this requires the dedication and expertise of the medical and nursing team.