ABSTRACT
Patients who undergo blood or marrow transplantation (BMT) are at risk for death because of relapse of the underlying condition (e.g., malignancy), as well as complications that arise from the transplant itself. Common causes of transplant-related mortality include opportunistic infections and organ toxicities resultant from receipt of cytotoxic conditioning or other immunosuppressive therapies. Over the last few decades, multiple changes in transplantation practices have occurred, including changes in stem cell sources, conditioning regimens, and supportive care strategies used. These changes have impacted the relative proportion of relapse-related vs. transplant-related mortality, and have led to a changing spectrum of opportunistic pathogens.
