However, does the fact that you know a patient’s phenotype mean they should receive phenotype-matched blood for transfusion?  If the patient has a condition that will require repeated transfusions (sickle cell anemia) or has multiple antibodies, then efforts should be made to match the patient’s phenotype – but anyone who works in a donor center knows how difficult it is to find donors with certain “rare” antigen combinations much less convince them to donate blood on a regular basis. 

DNA analysis allows us to screen more donor units for more antigens more quickly, but it is better suited for screening selected donor populations rather than randomly selected blood units.  How widespread is the demand/use for phenotype-matched blood in your facility?  What practices are in place to meet these requests when an exact match is not available?

Cheri Jennings
SCABB Distinguished Blood Banker

There will be a couple of underlying themes at the Annual Meeting this year, and they are technology and environment. It all starts with the meeting center itself, which is built to the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold certification standards. Staying “connected” will be easier than ever as wireless access is readily available anywhere in the building, perfect for checking out SCABB’s new website or “Liking” SCABB’s Facebook page.

The exceptional educational offerings this year will provide you with many opportunities to enhance your skillset and knowledge. There will be many sessions on topics such as molecular blood banking, blood utilization, adverse donor reaction, donor retention and reagent validation, just to name a few. You’ll also have access to industry leaders as well as the ability to build your professional network.

The exhibit hall at the SCABB Annual Meeting is one of the largest outside of the national shows. Vendors from across the country will be in attendance and will showcase the latest in blood banking technology, tools and equipment. Don’t forget that additional educational opportunities are available by attending one of many Industry Workshops or the Oral Abstracts session.

If you’re tired of marching to the beat of the same old drum and you’re looking to change your tune, join us in Austin, TX!

REGISTER NOW for the 2012 Annual Meeting!

Jose Garcia
2011-2012 SCABB President

Sarah B. Williams
2011 – 2012 SCABB Donor Recruitment Collections Co-Chair

The John Moulds Memorial Scholarship is given in memory and honor of John Moulds, MT(ASCP)SBB renowned immunohematologist and devoted teacher.  The scholarship is reflective of his dedication to the field of immunohematology.  

The scholarship consists of a full registration fee to attend the 2012 Advanced Immunohematology & Molecular Symposium, two nights’ hotel accommodations, a 1 year Individual membership to South Central Association of Blood Banks, and public recognition during the Symposium.

This scholarship will be awarded to up and coming reference lab technicians with relation to immunohematology and/or molecular genetics relevant to blood group serology.

Eligibility is open to SCABB members as well as non-members. 

To apply for the John Moulds Memorial Scholarship, click here.  Applications must be received by Monday, February 13, 2012. 

Questions?  Contact SCABB Central Office scabb@scabb.org.

To apply for the scholarships of $500.00 complete the online application by March 18th.  Applications will be reviewed by the selection committee and applicants will be notified as soon as a decision is made.  Click Here for complete details on the application process and to complete and submit the application.

Posted by Jeannie Gardner, RN
2011-2012 SCABB Vice President

Philip Kantoff, Celestia Higano, Neal Shore, E. Roy Berger, Eric Small, David Penson, Charles Redfern, Anna Ferrari, Robert Dreicer, Robert Sims, Yi Xu, Mark Frohlich, and Paul Schellhammer. Sipuleucel-T Immunotherapy for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. NEJM July 2010; Volume 363 (5): 411-422.

HIGHLIGHT: Provenge (sipuleucel-T) is an autologous cellular immunotherapy developed by the Seattle-based Dendreon Corporation. The vaccine is created by isolating autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and activating the cells by a recombinant protein. Sipuleucel-T has an on-label use for asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic androgen independent (castration-resistant) prostate cancer.1 Only a minority of prostate cancers can be categorized as castration resistant. Off-label use for earlier stage prostate cancers is possible.2

INTRODUCTION: Because the previous studies reveal conflicting results in the ability of the cellular therapy to prolong survival, a larger, multicenter, double-blind, placebo controlled study attempts to address the effects of this therapy on overall survival.

MATERIALS/METHODS: Any man with prostate cancer of any Gleason’s score (a scale of 2-10, which pathologists use to indicate the grade of prostate cancer), with any symptoms, and with certain laboratory and imaging data serve are eligible. Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) defined the exclusion criteria. All patients receive an autologous PBMC product (dose of 40 million CD54+ cells). The cells for the treatment arm are stimulated in the presence of PA 2024 prior to infusion, while the cells for the placebo arm are not. Patients could crossover to salvage therapy.

RESULTS: Overall survival is the primary endpoint. The treatment arm had a 22 percent decrease in their adjusted hazard ratio for death than the placebo arm. Median survival is 4.1 months longer in the treated vs. the placebo group (two-sided Wald’s test). There is no difference in the time to disease progression. The treatment group is immunocompetent and mounts an appropriate Band T-cell response to the vaccine, with those in the sipuleucel-T group with antibody titer of 400 or greater exhibiting a prolonged survival compared to those with titers 400 or less. Kaplan-Meier graphs visually depict survival curves. Estimated hazard ratios describe the risk of death. Chills were the most frequent adverse event.

DISCUSSION: Prolonged survival is not coincident with prostate cancer progression. The author suggests this may be due to a class effect or an unknown feature of prostate cancer.

COMMENTS: Questions unaddressed by the paper concern the clinical and economic significance of a 4.1 month survival. In addition, crossover design may confound results.

Sources:
1. Dendreon Corporation, April 2010. http://www.provenge.com

2. Edwards, Jim. 19 May 2009. Will Dendreon’s Provenge Benefit From Off-Label Use?
http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/will-dendreon-8217s-provenge-benefitfrom-off-label-use/1561

Review provided by: Steffini Stalos, D.O., M.S., FCAP,
Transfusion Medicine Physician, Blood Associates Group, Frisco, Texas

For me, I enjoyed ALL of it!  The sessions were informative and challenging from an intermediate to advanced level.  The variety of topics catered to the needs of all industry professionals and the posters were creative genius by everyday blood bankers.  The exhibit hall was full of energy and offered a view of the future of blood bank medicine.  Of course, networking with friends, old and new, topped off the experience.  

At the SCABB booth, we identified some potential new exhibitors for our annual meeting and recognized some educational and networking gaps that we may be able to fill for our members.  It was a joy to see all of my fellow SCABB members sporting their white SCABB ribbon on their AABB annual meeting badge and catching up on what’s going on in their life.  

If you have a story of how the AABB Annual meeting revitalized your passion for the job, let us know about it!  Maybe you lost contact information for someone you met at the meeting.  Let us know and we’ll try to reconnect you.  Is there something you heard at AABB that SCABB could build on for educational SCABBinars?  Tell us your story!

Posted By LeaAnn Teague, MBA, MT(ASCP), SBB
2011-2012 SCABB Membership Chair

Posted By Kirk Kitchen, MT(ASCP)SBB
2011-2012 SCABB President- Elect