The opening of the MountainView Hospital Sarah Cannon Transplant and Cellular Therapy Program marks the first time allogenic stem cell transplants will be available to people in the state.
Allogenic transplants are those allowing blood and bone cancer patients to receive stem cells from other people, rather than having to donate their own.
The program’s new home is a 12,000-square-foot day hospital adjacent to MountainView’s main campus. Patients receiving treatment there will be able to return home each night, helping immunocompromised people avoid unnecessary hospital time.
It also means cancer patients who used to have to travel out of state to receive treatment, don’t anymore.
Hiral Patel, MountainView Hospital’s CEO, said this new program will augment existing stem cell transplant efforts.
“We've already provided 82 patients with transplant care, and we hope that we continue to see more and take care of this community," she said.
According to the CDC, cancer is the second leading cause of death in Nevada, behind heart disease.
