UNMC, which is recognized nationally and internationally for its expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of leukemia and lymphoma, will host two conferences today through Saturday, Nov. 14-16, on bone marrow and stem cell transplantation.
The conferences, to be held at the DoubleTree Hotel in downtown Omaha, will focus on advances made in cancer treatment, drugs, research and cancer care.
Today and Friday, a conference targeted toward physicians specializing in cancer will address new and current treatments for various cancers, special needs of patients with graft-versus-host disease — a common side effect of transplantation — and the long-term effects of allogeneic stem cell transplants. Allogeneic transplants are transplants that use bone marrow from related and unrelated donors.
Today through Saturday, a conference targeted toward nurses, social workers, pharmacists, insurance case managers and other health-care professionals will address advances in transplant treatment; treatment complications; the psychological and social effects of transplants on patients, families and the health care team; survivorship and quality of life issues; and care plans for patients and their families.
On Saturday, the program includes a panel of transplant survivors who will discuss quality of life after transplantation. Survivors will include, Richard Boxer, M.D., a Milwaukee urologist who received a transplant six years ago for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and Rachel Riese, 20, of Roseland, Neb., who received a transplant at age 11 for aplastic anemia, as well as an Omaha man who in April had a second transplant for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and a mother whose 11-month-old daughter had a transplant.
Cancer diagnosis, treatment and research has come a long way, said Phil Bierman, M.D., UNMC/Nebraska Health System oncologist. Twenty years ago, about a third of the patients who underwent certain autologous transplants died from complications. Now it is rare, Dr. Bierman said.
“We are always looking at ways to make transplants better and safer, he said. “The ultimate hope is that we can do better, not only in treatment but in support of care and quality of life.”
He said UNMC is involved in testing new drugs, new treatments that combine chemotherapy with new antibodies to kill cancer cells, and treatment that enhances the immune system before and after therapy.
Cancer vaccines and the use of antisense molecules also are being tested.
Speakers at the conference include UNMC faculty and those from around the country and world. UNMC oncologist Anne Kessinger, M.D. will be the keynote speaker for both conferences today. Recognized as the pioneer of peripheral stem cell transplantation (also called stem cell transplantation), Dr. Kessinger will reflect on the past and discuss the future of cancer treatment, research and care.
UNMC/NHS is one of the busiest bone marrow and stem cell transplant centers in the world. In addition to being on the leading edge of cancer treatment and research, UNMC/NHS operates a world model for cancer care in the Lied Transplant Center. The model, called cooperative care, pairs patients and care partners (usually a family member or friend). Care partners are educated to recognize potential problems in the patient during and after treatment and perform simple medical tasks in support of health-care professionals. The model is credited with faster recovery, greater patient satisfaction and lower costs.