Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation: Current status and future directions

Abstract

Transplants of histocompatible marrow are being applied with increasing success to the treatment of leukemia and other lethal acquired and congenital disorders of the hematopoietic system. The obstacles of infection, graft-versus-host disease, rejection, and leukemic relapse remain, but real progress toward their control is evident. New applications of marrow transplantation and extensions of marrow grafts to patients lacking histocompatible donors are currently being explored. Initial promising results suggest a continued and expanded role for marrow transplantation as a therapeutic approach in the future.