Because cytokines, including interferon, have been introduced to a wide range of clinical prac-tice, in addition to the popularization of bone marrow transplant, treatment of hematopoietic di-seases, such as tumors of hematopoietic organs, mainly leukemia, and aplastic anemia, has been dramatically improved in recent years, as compared with previous treatment. In fact, we can now see complete cure cases although such cases were once beyond imagination, and also remission cases for a considerably long period of time.
As everyone knows, Japan will enter the era of ultra-aged society in the 21st century. The aged population has grown rapidly in Japan, raising the most serious social issue. Actual treatment of intractable hematological diseases requires not only large experiences and sufficient knowledge of update information, but also introduction of precise medical devices suitable for more advanced treatment.
There are many more requirements for the treatment of aged patients. Active medication sho-uld be, of course, achieved with care, such as dose adjustment and nursing under close observati-on, and if immunity and ability to recover are impaired, in addition to aging, we should make the early conquest of infection and bleeding, and sometimes other complication, such as fracture, liver injury, and renal disease. Because of this, so-called medical team support, not only from doctors and nurses, but also from other health professional, is essentially required. I believe that intracta-ble hematological diseases in the elderly can be cured, only when we exert such decent and steady efforts.
A study group of national hospital members for hematological diseases was organized 10-odd years ago by members actively participating in the treatment of hematological diseases, mainly of leading national hospitals and sanatoriums, including doctors, nurses, laboratory technicians, and pharmacists. This study group thoroughly discusses various problems difficult to solve at the time of annual meeting of the general society for national hospitals and sanatoriums. The fruits of these discussions largely reflect the actual improvement of therapeutic results in the treatment of hematological diseases at national medical institutions, highly promising further advances.
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