A new textbook for clinical providers published by Springer combining the expertise of pulmonologists, intensivists and oncologists highlights the scholarship and important scientific contributions of several Wayne State University faculty members and fellows from the Department of Internal Medicine and its various specialty divisions.
Professor of Internal Medicine and Chief of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Ayman Soubani, M.D., is the editor of “Pulmonary and Critical Care Considerations of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation,” the first textbook to discuss in depth the titular topic.
“This is a sophisticated treatment approach for the management of a variety of malignant and nonmalignant conditions,” Dr. Soubani said. “In this treatment, the patients receive high doses of chemotherapy and radiation followed by transfusion of stem cells that are harvested beforehand from the patients themselves or from other donors. While the intent of this treatment is to cure the underlying malignancy, it is associated with a variety of infectious and noninfectious conditions that affect the outcome of these patients. Several of these complications involve the respiratory system or are associated with critical illness.”
The book begins with an overview of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, or HSCT, and graft versus host disease. Chapters cover particular complications, including immunological changes in lungs, diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, bronchiolitis obliterans and pulmonary fibrosis. Other complications, including neurologic, renal, gastrointestinal and cardiac, are discussed. The book also provides insight on matters that arise during the care of HSCT patients, such as provider burnout, nursing care, intensive care unit organization, nutritional support, and pulmonary and physical rehabilitation.
Dr. Soubani is service chief of Pulmonary and Critical Care at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center and medical director of medical intensive care units at the Detroit Medical Center Adult Central Campus. As editor, he recruited experts nationally and internationally who provided a state-of-the-art approach to the diagnosis and management of the conditions that could develop following hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, representing the best in the field of hematology oncology, pulmonary and intensive care, infectious diseases and other specialties.
Among them was Pranatharthi Chandrasekar, M.D., a professor of Internal Medicine and chief of the department’s Division of Infectious Diseases at WSU and Karmanos.
“The book highlights the significant role played by Karmanos Cancer Center and Wayne State University in the field of stem cell transplantation. Collaborating with Geetha Sivasubramanian, a colleague from the University of California, we contributed a chapter regarding a serious mold infection in this population,” Dr. Chandrasekar said. “The book should serve as a useful reference for all health care practitioners caring for this vulnerable group that is increasing in numbers around the world.”
Several chapters were written or co-written by additional experts from WSU and Karmanos, which is home to the largest stem cell transplant center in Michigan and one of the oldest in the nation. They include faculty members Professor and Interim Chair of Oncology Joseph Uberti, M.D. ’83, Ph.D. ’79; Associate Professor of Hematology-Oncology Abhinav Deol, M.B.B.S., Res. ’07, Fel. ’10; Assistant Professor of Oncology Dipenkumar Modi, M.D.; Pulmonary and Critical Care fellow Dr. Cassondra Cramer-Bour; and alumni fellows Drs. Aryan Shiari and Sammar Alsuanid.
“We are particularly proud that fellows in training at our programs contributed to some of these chapters,” Dr. Soubani said.
“An important niche that existed in the literature addressing infectious and non-infectious pulmonary and critical care complications among patients undergoing Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation has been filled by this book,” Dr. Chandresekar added.