MEMPHIS, TENN., September 15, 2016 – West Cancer Center announced today that its Blood and Marrow Transplant (BMT) Program has received accreditation for both autologous and allogenic transplantation from the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT). Acknowledged in the industry as the threshold for excellence in cellular therapy, including bone marrow or cord blood transplant, FACT accreditation is based upon compliance with the most comprehensive standards in the field. The BMT Program, a collaboration between West Cancer Center, Methodist Healthcare and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, has achieved this prestigious standard in just over a year since its establishment.
“When we started the program last May, FACT accreditation was our ultimate and driving focus,” said Yasser Khaled, MD, Director of the BMT Program. “It is incredibly exciting to see the milestones we’ve achieved at this accelerated pace. And while we still have many milestones ahead of us, this accreditation is a moment to be celebrated – for our team, our patients and the Memphis community.”
The BMT Program is housed on the campus of Methodist University Hospital and provides stem cell transplantation and cellular therapy for a variety of hematologic malignancies, including Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndromes, Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma, as well as bone marrow failure syndromes and aplastic anemia. In addition to achieving FACT Accreditation, the BMT Program has also been recognized as a Large Volume Center by the National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP), a non-profit organization that facilitates transplants for patients in need of a hematopoietic cell transplant through their Be the Match Registry®.
“Our membership as a NMDP Large Volume Center positions our program among the most elite transplant centers in the country,” said Jeff Liebman, CEO of Methodist University Hospital. “This recognition provides confidence that our BMT Program will provide patients with the highest quality care available to not only our patients here in Memphis, but also to those in search of a potentially life-saving transplant from across the country.”
Since the establishment of the BMT Program in 2015, the team has performed 66 autologous transplants (utilizing your own stem cells), and close to 30 allogenic transplants (utilizing the cells of a matched related or unrelated donor). Of the allogenic transplants performed since the program’s inception, 13 of those have been haploidentical stem cell transplants – an innovative transplant option that increases the likelihood of finding a donor for every patient. Under the leadership of Dr. Khaled, the BMT Program is not only providing state-of-the-art transplant opportunities for patients in need of their care, but is also researching and developing new strategies for the prevention of complications associated with transplantation therapy.
“With our partners at Methodist Healthcare and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, West Cancer Center is committed to providing a full spectrum of innovative cancer care and research programs for our patients,” said Erich Mounce, CEO of West Cancer Center. “We are bringing the brightest minds – like Dr. Khaled – to our great community, and they are committed to building the programs necessary to provide world-class cancer care and treatment, right here in the Mid-South.”