Registry Transplant Data

Data about transplants using unrelated marrow donors and cord blood units from the Registry of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program (Program), including the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI), are reported annually.

These data include the number of transplants performed along with the following information:

• Diagnoses for which transplants have been performed most often, which include blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma as well as myelodysplastic syndromes.
• Cell sources used for transplants, including bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) and cord blood.
• The age, race and ethnic heritage of patients who received transplants.

Figure 1.

Growth in Number of Registry Transplants

Over the past five years, the number of transplants performed through the Registry has nearly doubled: from 2,200 transplants in 2003 to more than 4,300 in 2008.

Figure 2.

Registry Transplants by Patient Diagnosis

The diseases for which patients received an unrelated bone marrow or cord blood unit transplant most often during 2008 were:

• Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML): 34%
• Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL): 16%
• Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS): 13% 
• Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma (NHL): 9% 
• Other Leukemias (OL): 6% (includes Juvenile Leukemias and Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia)
• Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML): 4%
• Hodgkins Lymphoma (HL): 3%

Since 1998, the numbers of transplants has increased steadily for patients who were diagnosed with AML, ALL, MDS, NHL and other leukemias (excluding CML).

Figure 3.

Registry Transplants by Patient Age

From 1998 through 2008, the number of transplants performed for all age groups increased.

In 2008, children (0 to 17 years) received 22% of transplants, adults 18 to 50 years received 42% of transplants, and adults 51 years and older received 36% of transplants.

Figure 4.

Registry Transplants by Patient Race*

Figure 4a. American Indian or Alaska Native Race View larger image (new window) Detailed Description [D]	Figure 4b. Asian Race View larger image (new window) Detailed Description [D]
Figure 4c. Black or African American Race View larger image (new window) Detailed Description [D]	Figure 4d. White Race View larger image (new window) Detailed Description [D]
Figure 4e. Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander Race View larger image (new window) Detailed Description [D]

For the last several years, transplants have increased steadily for patients of most races.

Figure 5.

Registry Transplants by Patient Ethnicity*

Each year since 2005, the number of transplants has increased for patients who reported their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino.

Figure 6.

Registry Transplants by Cell Source

During 2008, nearly 900 transplants used cord blood units. More than 90 cord blood units used for these transplants came from the National Cord Blood Inventory.

Also, nearly 900 transplants were performed using bone marrow and more than 2,500 transplants used peripheral blood stem cells.

Figure 7.

Role of Cord Blood in Registry Transplants by Patient Race*

In 2008, cord blood was used to help 21% of patients from all races who needed a transplant.

Figure 8.

Role of Cord Blood in Registry Transplants by Patient Ethnicity*

More than one-third of patients who recorded their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino received a cord blood transplant.

*Patients are asked to record both their race and ethnicity. Patients who indicated their ethnicity as Hispanic or Latino are also included in the race data.