Radiation and transplantation

There is a paradoxical relationship between ionizing radiation and leukaemia. On the one hand, it is known that exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation causes leukaemia; on the other hand, the preparative regimens for stem cell transplantation, which can cure leukaemia, often contain total body irradiation. This chapter discusses the effect war has had on medical technology, with specific regard to the use of stem cells for the treatment of blood disorders such as leukaemia and sickle cell anaemia. The transfer of laboratory techniques to the clinical practice of stem cell transfer and bone marrow transplantation is also discussed.