SCOTT ROWLEY, M.D. APPOINTED CHIEF OF ADULT ALLOGENEIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANT SERVICES AT THE MEDICAL CENTER

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Scott Rowley, M.D., F.A.C.P. of Ridgewood, has been appointed chief of Adult Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Services at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Scott Rowley, M.D., F.A.C.P. of Ridgewood, has been appointed chief of Adult Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplant Services at Hackensack University Medical Center.

While the field of transplantation is relatively small, Dr. Rowley has an international reputation as a transplant physician. Dr. Rowley has published chapters in 21 medical textbooks, and 91 journal articles in this specialty. He is board-certified and recognized as a diplomat in medical oncology and hematology with the American Board of Internal Medicine.

His most recent position was as director of the Clinical Services for Blood and Blood Components at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, WA. He has also served as the medical director of the Clinical Cryobiology Laboratory, Apheresis Unit and Transfusion Services, while at the research center.

Andrew L. Pecora, M.D., F.A.C.P. of Ridgewood, director of Hematology/Oncology, chief of the Adult Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplant program at the medical center welcomed Dr. Rowley.

"We are privileged to have Dr. Rowley join our program to help us in our endeavors," said Dr. Pecora.

Dr. Rowley accepted his current position due to the medical center's excellent program in transplantation. "I look forward to enhancing aspects of this well-established and internationally recognized program, as well taking it to new directions," said Dr. Rowley.

His plans include expanding the current services to new populations of patients who were previously unable to participate in transplantation procedures. A whole new modality of outpatient transplantation has developed recently with promising results in a variety of diseases. Patients who had previously been excluded from bone marrow transplants due to age or pre-existing health conditions such as heart or liver disease will now be eligible to participate. The use of this therapy will be much less toxic and exhibit fewer side effects for the patient, than in previous treatments.

The therapy is being shown effective for solid tumors, such as kidney cancer, as well as for leukemia, lymphoma, and for non-cancer blood abnormalities, such as Sickle Cell Anemia. Patients will be able to be treated through outpatient services at the medical center. Additionally, patients who are in their 60s and 70s will finally be able to utilize bone marrow transplantation. Previously, age would have excluded these older patients from potentially curative bone marrow transplantation.

"The medical center is one of a limited number of facilities in the nation that performs cord blood transplants for adults. This allows treatment of patients who do not have a family member who can serve as the bone marrow donor," said Dr. Rowley. The transplant program at the medical center is among the ten largest in the United States, and was among the first to be accredited for transplantation.

Dr. Rowley will collaborate with physicians from the Tomorrows Children's Institute for Cancer and Blood Disorders at the medical center. The physicians are available as a resource for each other in order to provide the oncology patient with the best available treatment. "Treatment options are opening up that were not available before. We are developing long distance outreach programs. Patients have come for treatment from as far away as South America, " said Dr. Rowley.

Dr. Rowley practices at the Northern New Jersey Cancer Treatment and Prevention Center at the medical center. It is one of the state's most comprehensive outpatient treatment center for adults with cancer and is located in the Hackensack University Medical Plaza, one of the largest area ambulatory care facilities in the Northeast. The center is also designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) as a Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). For more information on bone marrow transplantation, please call (201) 996-5800.