Autologous Bone Marrow Transplantation - Blog Science Connections

Preface
The Proceedings of the Third International Symposium on Autologous Bone
Marrow Transplantation was very successful. It has become evident that the
use of high-dose cytoreductive therapy with autologous bone marrow is
advantageous both to patients with leukemia and to patients with lymphoma
and neuroblastoma.
It is remarkable how these symposia have been instrumental in communications
among clinical scientists. They have led to the organization of a
worldwide international randomized study called "The Parma Study in
Relapsed Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma," with other studies in leukemia and
Hodgkin's disease to follow. The enthusiasm of the investigators in this field
is apparent. Without their motivation, these major achievements would not
have been made.
But let's be realistic. Much, much more needs to be done. Our patients
continue to wait for that magic therapeutic answer: high cure rate with
minimal mortality. Can we give this to them? In view of the strides made in the
field of genetic engineering, we can be optimistic about the progress made in
growth factors and improvement of cytoreductive therapy.
This symposium is in tribute to Dr. Dirk van Bekkum, Director of the
Radiobiological Institute TNO, Holland, and Dr. R. Lee Clark, President
Emeritus of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Hospital and Tumor
Institute at Houston. We greatly acknowledge Dr. van Bekkum's major
contributions to the field of bone marrow transplantation and Dr. Clark's
initiative to start the first independent cancer center. Our thanks and
appreciation are due to these two original and extraordinary physicians.
I would like to paraphrase part of my statement from our first symposium:
without the courage of our patients, progress in medicine cannot be realized.
Therefore, this symposium is also a tribute to the patient undergoing a bone
marrow transplant.
Karel A. Dicke