The Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Program at the OSUCCC – James not only provides expert and compassionate care to people at the bedside, but it often originates the latest advancements in technology, protocols and treatments driving that care.
Our BMT experts provide lifesaving blood stem cell or bone marrow stem cell transplants to people with blood cancers, as well as with other chronic blood disorders. But they’re also full-time faculty members at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, working to improve outcomes through their research and participation in clinical trials. If you choose to have your transplant at the OSUCCC – James, you’ll have access to these clinical trials, which aren’t always available elsewhere.
Blood and marrow transplant experts search for answers at the OSUCCC – James
At the OSUCCC – James, we believe clinical trials are critical to improving treatment outcomes, and this is especially true in the field of stem cell transplants and cell therapy.
With BMT and other cell therapies, we’re experiencing rapid advancements, which are continuing to lead to better overall survival rates and increased access to these potentially curative treatments. One of the sole drivers of improved survival rates is participation in clinical trials and other research endeavors.
As a National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, research is a cornerstone of our care. The BMT program participates in several clinical trials sponsored by the NCI.
In 2011, our program became one of 20 BMT Clinical Trials Network (CTN) Core Clinical Centers in the nation. Our BMT physicians are very active with the CTN, and the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center consistently ranks among the top five in clinical trial accrual through this network of centers, underscoring our emphasis on research.
Areas of focus in stem cell transplant research
Over the four decades since we first performed a bone marrow transplant at Ohio State, we’ve explored many areas of the transplant process, including developing different types of transplants, researching the best chemotherapy regimens and establishing an outpatient program.
Currently, our clinical trials and research focus on:
- Reducing the risk of relapse, or recurrence of cancer
- Treating and preventing complications, such as graft-versus-host disease, thrombotic microangiopathy and infections
- Utilizing different cell types
- Reducing the toxicity of transplants
- Transplanting in older adults, especially through the work in our Cancer Aging and Resiliency (CARE) Clinic
We’re constantly innovating, and this is just a sampling of the groundbreaking work happening right now in the field of stem cell transplants at the OSUCCC – James.
What impact has our BMT research already made on patient care?
Research completed at the OSUCCC – James has improved many aspects of the transplant process for people who need a blood or marrow transplant.
Here are some examples of how research has translated to care at the bedside:
- We’ve developed and demonstrated the effectiveness of a radiation-free preparative regimen for blood and marrow transplantation that is now used worldwide to treat diseases such as chronic myelogenous leukemia.
- We’re transplanting older adults in their 60s and 70s due to research that showed using a reduced-intensity conditioning regimen in older people with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) resulted in higher rates of disease-free survival relative to the more typical treatments given.
- We've designed and implemented the first ever clinical trial of a triple antigen CAR T-cell therapy. All currently available commercial CAR T-cell products target only one antigen.
How to learn more about available BMT clinical trials
If you’ve been diagnosed with a blood cancer or another blood disorder and want to learn more about clinical trial options, ask your hematologist about open trials and what might be best for you.
You can also contact one of our BMT intake coordinators at 614-293-3153.
For the most up-to-date list of BMT clinical trials nationwide, visit clinicaltrials.gov, and search for clinical trials happening near you.
Related resources
Blood and Marrow Transplant Program
Blood and Marrow Transplant Types
Blood and Marrow Transplant Treatment
Blood and Marrow Transplant Care and Recovery
Stem Cell and Bone Marrow Donation
Outpatient Bone Marrow Transplant
Blood and Marrow Treatment Team