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Autologous Stem Cell
Transplants: A Handbook for Patients
By Susan K.
Stewart with Jan Sugar
| Chief Medical
Advisors: |
Martin S. Tallman
MD |
| |
Patrick J. Stiff
MD |
| Pharmacology
Advisor: |
David G. Frame Pharm
D |
| Illustrator: |
Mona Daly |
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"You don’t have to look
any further if you need to know about autologous transplants. Everything
you’re ever going to want to know is right here in this book -- it is the
single most comprehensive resource for patients and their loved ones."
Barbara Lackritz
Autologous transplant survivor
Patient
advisor
Board member, Association for Cancer Online Resources |
Autologous Stem Cell Transplants: A Handbook for Patients
is the next generation of Susan Stewart’s groundbreaking 1992 book Bone
Marrow Transplants: A Book of Basics for Patients. Long-awaited by patients
and practicioners, this new 208-page book updates old information and focuses
exclusively on the issues pertinent to autologous transplantation.
A complete resource for use before, during and after a transplant,
Autologous Stem Cell Transplants combines solid medical and
pharmaceutical information with the voices of people who have gone through the
experience. It can be used by patients and their families, as well as any
medical or support service practitioner wanting clear, in-depth information
about autologous transplantation.
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"It is excellent. Sue Stewart's
new handbook provides a comprehensive, informative and insightful description
of a very complex process. Highly readable, it uses understandable terminology,
and describes physical, emotional, social and pediatric aspects of autologous
stem cell transplantation. It gives fair balance and talks about the negatives
and positives of the process. The patients' comments really add value
throughout the book. Highly recommended, this book leaves no stone unturned."
Susan O'Connell, MSN, RN, OCN
Coordinator, Blood & Marrow Stem
Cell Transplant Special Interest Group Oncology Nursing Society |
Autologous Stem Cell Transplants: A Handbook for Patients
discusses a broad range of topics of urgent importance to the transplant
patient. It covers the obvious questions and those you don’t know you need
to ask. It even contains a comprehensive drug appendix, detailing uses and side
effects of the many drugs that patients may use.
A preview of book
chapters...
History
A historical
perspective and look into the future of the uses of bone marrow and stem cell
transplants.
Nuts and Bolts
A
comprehensive overview of the autologous transplant from a clear explanation of
the differences between bone marrow and stem cell transplants to a narration of
post-transplant issues.
Choosing a Transplant Center
A detailed description of how centers differ including accreditation, the team,
number of transplants performed and success rates.
Clinical Trials: What They Mean for You
There are important issues to understand before enrolling in a
clinical trial, including how to find them and guidelines for deciding whether
or not to participate in one.
Preparative Regimen
The
high-dose combination chemotherapy that comprises the preparative regimen
frightens many people. This chapter addresses the short- and long-term side
effects of the preparative regimen and puts them in perspective.
Colony Stimulating Factors
A
discussion of the cutting-edge pharmaceuticals that help blood cells grow.
Emotional and Psychological Considerations
Many things come into play with news of a transplant. In this
chapter you’ll find help with getting information, putting things into
perspective, dealing with the sense of loss of control, coping with stress,
accessing support services, keeping in touch with friends, and getting back to
normal.
When Your Child Needs a Transplant
A guide for families on the array of issues facing them
when a child needs a transplant including involving the child in
decision-making, questions children ask, anxiety, life during transplant, loss
of control, preparing children for medical procedures, siblings' care, marital
stress, going home, and getting back to normal.
Infection
A detailed
description of, and remedies for, the types of infections that can occur after
transplant.
Liver Complications
A clear
explanation of the short- and long-term effects to the liver that may happen as
a result of treatment.
Relieving Pain
A thorough
discussion of an array of pharmaceutical and non-drug pain relief techniques.
Nutrition
A detailed
description of nutritional problems that can occur after treatment, with
concrete suggestions for overcoming them.
Caregiving
A
caregiver’s role is one of the most important yet least explored in the
transplant process. This chapter has those who have done it discuss candidly
such things as taking time to recharge, accepting help, being the patient's
advocate, flexibility and patience, keeping a sense of humor, relaying
information to others, changing relationships, and helping children cope.
Long-Term Survivors: What Lies Ahead?
What’s in the future for a survivor of a transplant? You’ll
hear from long-term survivors about such very real issues as quality of life,
fear of relapse, physical health, fatigue, cognitive changes, sexuality,
re-vaccination, emotional wellbeing; hepatitis C, cataracts, spouses and
children, working and spirituality.
Sexuality and Reproduction
The impact of a transplant on sexuality and reproduction are issues that are
often not talked about. This chapter offers a candid discussion about sexuality
and the options available for having children after transplant.
Insurance and Fundraising
An
extremely helpful chapter that discusses financial options available to
transplant patients including how to handle a denial of insurance coverage,
tapping into benefits available from life insurance policies, viatical
settlements and how to find organizations that provide financial assistance.
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"This book gave me so much
information that when we went to the doctor, he didn’t need to explain
anything to us. We used our time to talk about the specifics of my transplant.
Every time I need a question answered, it’s there in the book."
Chuck Sebastian
Lymphoma survivor
Aerospace engineer |
About the Author...
Diagnosed with leukemia in 1988, Susan K. Stewart underwent an
autologous transplant in 1989. Sifting through the mounds of complex medical
information was an overwhelming task at a difficult time in her life. Already
the executive director of a large consumer advocacy organization, when she
recovered Stewart turned her attention toward those who would go through her
experience. In 1990 she wrote and published the first issue of Blood &
Marrow Transplant Newsletter (formerly called the BMT Newsletter) to
help make non-technical information about transplantation accessible to
the public. Two years later, with the help of more than two dozen specialists,
she wrote the now classic Bone Marrow Transplants: A Book of Basics for
Patients. The autologous book, published in 2000, will be followed by a
companion book about allogeneic transplants.
Ms. Stewart’s new book will help patients, their
families social workers, nurses and physicians find a common ground for
communicating about an often complicated and frightening medical intervention.
The book explains all technical terms in a clear and professional manner, and
is supported by many excellent examples and illustrations.
Karl G. Blume MD FACP, Stanford University
Medical Center
Production of this new book was made possible, in part, by a
generous grant from the following corporations:
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