National Hematopoietic Stem Cells Transplant Registry in Poland: Nationwide Internet Reporting System and Results

•Statistics for hematopoietic stem cell transplantations performed in Poland in the years 2006–2014 are presented.•Data were collected by the National Transplants Registry.•The number of allotransplantations from unrelated donors has surpassed the number of transplantations from related donors since 2009.•60% of allotransplantations from unrelated donors in 2014 were performed thanks to national donors.•The statistics show that observed trends in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Poland are in accordance with tendencies in other western European countries.

History of hematopoietic stem cell transplantations in Poland begins in early 1980s; the 1st bone marrow allotransplantation was performed in 1983 in the Central Clinical Hospital of the Military Medical Academy in Warsaw. Following years brought the 1st autologous stem cell transplantations. Ten years later, unrelated bone marrow transplantation was performed for the 1st time by the team of the Hematology and Blood and Marrow Transplantation Unit in Katowice. Since then, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation developed to be standard procedure and one of the most important therapies applied in leukemia treatment. The number of allotransplantations in Poland has grown significantly in the past 2 decades, which generated new needs and problems. In 2005, based on a new Transplant Law, a National Transplants Registry was created. Its main role is to collect data (registration of procedures and follow-up data) related to every transplantation case for stem cells and tissues as well as for organs. We present statistics concerning stem cell transplantations performed in Poland, as collected in the National Transplants Registry in the years 2006–2014. There are 18 centers transplanting hematopoietic stem cells in Poland. The total number of hematopoietic stem cell transplantations performed in 2006–2014 was 3,537, with allotransplantations from relatives accounted for 1,491 and from unrelated donors for 2,046. The main indication for allotransplantation in past years was acute leukemia.