Blood & Marrow Transplants

Dr. Brian Hess, part of the Blood & Marrow Transplant Program team, seeing a patient in clinic

For more than 30 years, MUSC Hollings Cancer Center has been South Carolina's leader in blood and marrow transplantation. We are the only Foundation for Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT)-accredited combined adult and pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) program in the state.

Our experience and innovation with adult and pediatric blood and marrow transplantation have resulted in outcomes that are among the best in the country. Our internationally recognized team of specialists and researchers have reduced associated complications making transplantation possible for people not previously eligible.

As a pioneer in blood and marrow transplant research, we are the definitive source of hope for many adult and pediatric patients battling Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, acute and chronic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and other diseases. We perform transplants for a variety of non-malignant conditions, including bone marrow failure syndromes, sickle cell disease, and immunodeficiencies.

According to the most recent national multi-variate report (which includes years 2015-2017), MUSC achieved an overall survival rate of 81.1% for patients receiving first allogeneic transplants, above the national average of 72%. Only 10% of BMT programs nationally achieve an overall survival rate above the national average and only 3% (including MUSC) were combined centers.

Living Donor Program

The Blood and Marrow Transplant team offers access to transplants through living blood and bone marrow donation.

Why Our Program?

We have the expertise and the caring team to get you through treatment. Our BMT Program received national recognition as Press Ganey’s team of the year in 2018 for our outstanding care coordination and teamwork in pursuit of delivering safe, high-quality, compassionate care.

Other distinctions include:

  • A designated blood and bone marrow transplant center for South Carolina's Medicaid program.
  • South Carolina's only approved umbilical cord blood transplant program.
  • South Carolina's only pediatric blood and marrow transplant program.
  • A National Marrow Donor Program collection and transplant center since 1993.
  • Certified by the American Society of Blood & Marrow Transplantation.
  • Accredited by FACT (Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy) since 2003. 

Milestones

  • Offered the first CAR-T therapy in SC (3/12/2019)
  • Launched the BMT Outpatient Program (4/18/2018)
  • Celebrated our BMT 2,000th transplant milestone (11/8/2018)
  • Recognized MUSC BMT Program's 30th Anniversary (2/23/2017)
  • Performed:
    • First haploidentical transplant in South Carolina (2009)
    • First reduced intensity transplant in South Carolina (2000)
    • First cord blood transplant in South Carolina (1997)
    • The world’s first outpatient matched unrelated transplant (1996)
    • The first matched unrelated transplant in South Carolina (1993)
    • The first adult and the first pediatric bone marrow transplants in South Carolina (1987)

About Blood & Marrow Transplantation

At Hollings Cancer Center, patients do not have to wait for a blood or marrow transplant. We specialize in quick access and immediate treatment. Our Blood and Marrow Transplant team creates an individualized treatment plan that is unique to each patient's needs and provides curative therapy for a broad range of illnesses. We also offer opportunities for patients to participate in clinical trials, including several for the prevention and treatment of graft versus host disease.

Our Team

One of the strengths of the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program is the specially trained, multidisciplinary team.