Stem Cell Transplant Center

Billings Clinic Cancer Center is the only stem cell transplant facility in the region accredited by the Foundation for accreditation of Cellular Therapies (FACT). This prestigious and highly recognized national accreditation positions Billings Clinic’s stem cell transplant program as a Center of Excellence and allows patients the ability to receive essential cancer care closer to home.

Stem cell transplant is the standard of care for certain types of cancers. This means it has been proven to provide the patient with the best outcome for treating their cancer.

Stem cell transplant allows your physician to integrate the use of high dose chemotherapy with the strategies that preserve bone marrow function. Transplant expertise includes the use of mobilized peripheral blood stem cells and bone marrow growth factors to promote recovery from high dose chemotherapy.

Historically, cancer patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy have been required to enter the hospital for lengthy periods. Today, continuing advances in cancer research and treatment make it possible for patients to receive much of their treatment on a strictly-monitored outpatient basis.

Working closely with your physician, the staff of this program will provide the prescribed therapy in the outpatient Infusion Center. You will only be hospitalized when absolutely necessary.

There are basically two types of Stem Cell Transplantation, Autologous and Allogenic. Stem cells are circulating cells, primarily in the blood stream that are the precursor to all other blood cells.

The Stem Cell Transplantation Procedure

Stem cell transplantation is a procedure in which the stem cells are “exchanged.” There is a donor and a recipient (patient) in the procedure. When the donor is the patient themselves the transplant is known as an Autologous Stem Cell Transplant and when the donor is not the patient the transplant is called an Allogenic Stem Cell Transplant. The Billings Clinic performs Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation.

Stem Cell Transplant Team

The stem cell transplant team is an integrated team of physicians, navigators, dietitians, financial counselors, genetic counselors and social workers that work collaboratively for the patient within the stem cell program. Several registered nurses are specially trained for Autologous Stem Cell Harvesting, or collection of stem cells, for the program.

The cancers that are treated at Billings Clinic with Autologous Stem Cell transplantation include:

• Multiple Myeloma
• Lymphoma
• Plasma Cell Disorders