Bone Cancer

MCG Health System's Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program at the Medical College of Georgia Hospitals and Clinics successfully blends state-of-the art transplant care delivery with a philosophy of family-centered care. The result is a program that provides patients and their families with the expertise of teams of physicians, nurses and support caregivers in a personalized, supportive environment.

Comprehensive services delivered with compassion
As an integral part of the comprehensive cancer program at MCG Health System, the Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program evaluates and serves both high- and low-risk transplant patients from across the Southeast.  Created in 1997 for autologous stem cell transplants, the program today also provides pediatric transplantation services and performs autologous, syngeneic and allogeneic transplants for a wide range of diseases, including:

• Acute myelogenous leukemia
• Acute lymphoblastic leukemia
• Chronic myelogenous leukemia
• Lymphomas
• Myelodysplastic syndromes
• Multiple myeloma
• Aplastic anemia
• Immune deficiency disorders
• Pediatric brain tumors

Recurrent solid tumors, including Ewing's Sarcoma, Wilm's Tumor and Rhabdomyosarcoma

In the near future, we expect to offer unrelated donor and related mismatched transplants as well as mini-transplants and services for patients with blood conditions such as sickle disease.

To access the latest research from across the country and to make sure our patients benefit from the most up-to-date treatments, we have affiliated with other national and regional transplant programs, including:

• International Bone Marrow Registry
• Autologous Blood and Marrow Transplant Registry
• Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group
• American Association of Blood Banks
• Children's Oncology Group
• Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium

These affiliations mean that patients can receive state-of-the-art care while remaining as close to home as possible.

Among the nation's most respected physicians
Our Bone Marrow and Stem Cell Transplant Program is led by a team of highly trained specialists whose credentials and experience are among the best in the nation.

Together, they make sure that patients' referring physicians are kept abreast of patients' treatments, and they integrate resources to meet the needs of patients' family members in a sensitive and timely way.

The Team Approach
To facilitate continuity of care - and to keep patient well-being and satisfaction at the highest possible levels - we have developed an interdisciplinary approach to providing transplant services.  It's an approach that is sensitive to the physical, emotional and psychological dimensions of our transplant patients and their personal situations.

Once physicians determine that transplantation is necessary, a patient's case is presented in a team meeting so that a comprehensive care plan can be put into place. This plan coordinates the services of various specialists and caregivers, from transplant physicians and surgical oncologists to nurses, physical therapists and social workers. 

A nurse coordinator oversees the plan and is a patient's primary contact and advocate. He or she coordinates outpatient and inpatient capabilities with a wide array of hospital, home care and follow-up services. Because the nurse coordinator is with a patient through every step of treatment, he or she can arrange for the patient to receive a wide range of services beyond traditional hospital support, including nutritional and dietary guidance, financial counseling and psychological services.

Providing special care for patients and their families
We never forget that a patient's primary physician is a vital member of our transplant team.  To eliminate disruptions in the continuity of a patient's care, we keep in continual communication with that patient's referring physician during the transplant procedure, and we provide a comprehensive follow-up report. 

Our commitment to serving people is the cornerstone of our philosophy of family-centered care.  We understand just how critical the entire family is in fostering the health and well-being of patients of all ages, especially children.  That's why we provide child and adolescent life specialists who are trained to talk with young patients on their level to help reduce fear and anxiety.  These specialists provide ways for children to retain a sense of control and for all family members to find emotional support.  We work hard to always share information with family members and include them at every step of the decision-making process.