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Improving survival rates and quality of life

BeTheMatchClinical.org
Visit BeTheMatchClinical.org for more information on transplant research, clinical studies, publications and outcomes data.

Transplant science has given us a way to cure blood cancers like leukemia and lymphoma, one patient at a time. Bone marrow transplantation has been a life-saving therapy for more than 35 years and for many patients, offers the only cure. Thanks to our dedicated researchers, bone marrow transplant has evolved from a new procedure to standard treatment for many life-threatening diseases. Today’s researchers are improving transplantation to increase survival, reduce complications, and possibly treat more diseases.

Research has already delivered results. Over the past five years, the one-year survival rate for unrelated donor transplants has increased from 42% to 60%, a rate that is now comparable to that of transplants with a family member donor. Survival rates are also higher for many patients, as many now receive transplants earlier in the course of their disease. Research has shown that this improves survival outcomes.

Center for International Blood and Marrow Transplant Research (CIBMTR®)

We have a broad range of research activities, but our focus is narrow. Patients. They are the reason we do research, and the reason that CIBMTR, our research program, exists. Patients count on us to discover and apply the best treatments that research identifies, and to never let up in our efforts.

CIBMTR collects data from approximately 375 transplant centers in the United States and around the world giving researchers access to a database of more than 630,000 transplant recipients.

Importantly, this research has made a difference. The findings of our research has changed how donors and patients are matched, and how patients with leukemia, lymphoma and many other diseases are treated, contributing to the tremendous advances in survival and quality of life for thousands of patients around the world.

Bioinformatics

Be The Match focuses on advancing the science of matching and its effect on transplant outcomes through our efforts in bioinformatics. We develop effective strategies and scientific models for selecting the best available donor or cord blood unit for a patient. Our bioinformatics scientists are recognized as world-class resources for researchers.

Research sample repository

The repository is one of the world’s leading resources supporting transplant researchers. We inspect, process and store more than 9 million DNA samples from potential marrow donors, donor recipient pairs and research participants.

An example of a critical study that used our Research Sample Repository, prompted physicians not to delay transplants for patients in the hope of finding a fully matched donor. This research found that if patients received a transplant earlier in the course of their disease using mismatched donors, they had a higher survival rate than patients who received a transplant later in their disease stage with a fully matched donor.

Research grants

Through support from the Amy Strelzer Manasevit Research Program and other programs, outstanding researchers early in their careers are doing groundbreaking work to find solutions to the serious complications that can arise after transplant. These scholars are developing the treatment approaches that will extend the lives of the next generation of transplant patients.

Ensuring research integrity

Our research is conducted and reviewed with the highest integrity, ensuring there is no actual or apparent financial conflict of interest that could influence the conduct or review of the research.  The financial conflict of interest policy (PDF) describes the requirements of researchers participating in studies with us.


How your gift saves lives

Research studies are costly, but the knowledge gained is critical to serving more patients in need of a transplant. Past research achievements have led to the use of cord blood in transplantation, less toxic chemotherapy regimens, better donor matching and timelier transplants. Still, there is much work to be done. Transplant is being studied as a possible treatment for even more blood diseases and better treatments are also being developed to improve life after transplant.

Patients count on us to discover and apply new, life-saving treatments that research identifies, and to never let up in our efforts.

You have the power to heal. Help support transplant research with a financial gift.