Matched unrelated donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: Roles and responsibilities of workup coordinator - An observational study

Background: With only 25% chances of finding a human leukocyte antigen matched stem cell donor within the family, in case of minimal residual disease, the dependence on matched unrelated donor (MUD) is inevitable. With increasing awareness about the MUD stem cell registries, the numbers of registrations for voluntary stem cell donations are also increasing each day. A workup coordinator is a strong and the most crucial link in the MUD hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) workup. The coordination between the stem cell registry and transplant center TC in need of a MUD HSCT workup is handled by a workup coordinator. Aims and Objectives: The aim here is to highlight key roles and responsibilities of workup coordinators, without whom it can be impossible to complete a MUD HSCT. Materials and Methods: We accessed the roles and responsibilities of workup coordinators via the MUSD HSCT workup assisted by Genebandhu from May 2012 to August 2020. The methodology mainly involved was electronic communication between stem cell registry/transplant center (TC)/donor center/collection center/patient/donor. All these activities of coordinators were closely observed to understand their roles, requirements, and responsibilities in detail. Results: The workup coordinator has been successfully involved in 33 MUD HSCT workups since its inception. Out of these, 18 were from international stem cell registries and 15 with TC s from India. Discussion: Workup coordinator acts like a catalyst during a MUD HSCT. Appropriate and timely exchange of information between the registry and the TC is managed by a coordinator. Conclusion: This study showed the crucial role, requirements, and responsibilities of the coordinators and their importance in MUD HSCT workups.